An afternoon at Porthmadog

Well to say "you could knock me down with a feather" is an understatement as this drew into Minffordd station.

The lead brakesman on the Gravity Slate Train is about to hand over the token for the section they have just cleared. The signal is showing the white shunt to allow the train to roll on into the works sidings rather than the main line.

The people on the wagons each control a brake and they react accordingly to the instructions given by the lead brakesman blowing a horn.

The train made up of loaded and empty slate wagons roll out of Minffordd station and take the track which leads into the track maintenance depot.

The Gravity Slate Train ran each day of the Bygones Weekend from Ddault rolling away at 0900. What a fantastic start to the week's holiday.

A call from Ross who was sheltering from the rain on the other side of the tracks caused me to turn round and see Double Fairlie loco No 10 Merddin Emrys. The loco had taken the slate wagons up to Ddault station earlier and is now maiking its way back to Boston Lodge, 0930 off Ddault.

This is the reason why we came to Minffordd in the first place. Double Fairlie David Lloyd George lifts the 1000 Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog up the 1 in 86 gradient.

The driver has shut off as the loco will slow down by gravity on the approach to the station.

The 1' 11 1/2" gauge railway and train passes over the 4' 8 1/2" gauge branch line with the platform just visible below. steam is back on for the final few yards.

113 years separate the build dates of these two locomotives. Merddin Emrys on the left was built in 1879 with David Lloyd George built in 1992, both from Boston Lodge Works.

The driver now has the token for the Minffordd to Boston Lodge section and gets away from the very wet station.

The vintage loco slowly runs by. As we had no idea what was going on and also due to the very heavy rain, we left the railway for the morning to drive about looking for locations on the Welsh Highland Railway and the long disused Croesor Tramway.

Later in the day around midday the rain had stopped so we ventured onto Porthmadog station for a look about still not knowing about Bygones Weekend. On the servicing point is diesel shunter 7011 and steam loco Welsh Pony.

Having had the fire cleaned and coal and water topped up, the driver of Welsh Pony moves his loco away to rejoin its train.

This 0-4-0STT loco was built by George England in 1862 and is a "large England" class of loco as it is bigger than other builds by George England. During its lifetime it had been overhauled or rebuilt in 1891 and 1915 and its boiler was condemned in 1938.

After many years in store Welsh Pony was cosmetically restored in 1965 and displayed on a plinth at the station until 2002. It was then removed pending a decision on its future. In 2013 it was decided to return the sole surviving Large England loco to steam and it re-entered service in July2020.

Welsh Pony was rostered to the demonstration freight train on this day and is now coupled onto the rake of ten wagons. Behind replica Lynton and Barnstable Railway 2-6-2T No190 Lyd steams in with the 1215 Beddgelert to Porthmadog Glaslyn Venturer service.

Welsh Pony moves forward to the signal with the late running 1233 Porthmadog to Rhiw Goch freight service. It will await the arrival of the next inbound train.

No4 Palmerston is also a product of George England but is a "Small England" 0-4-0STT loco. It runs in with the 1155 from Tan y Bwlch.

With the train from Tan y Bwlch safely in and the token surrendered and reissued, Welsh Pony gets way with the late running 1233 from Porthmadog to Rhiw Goch. There is no station there but there is a fully signalled loop.

Over on platform 1 and No190 Lyd has been uncoupled from its train and waits to be able to move off to go to the servicing point.

Having moved clear of the station throat to clear the turnouts for the west side of the station and now Lyd drops back.

Palmerston moves off the servicing point and puts up a wonderful exhaust. The afternoon is improving in many ways.

No4 is one of the four original locos built for the line in 1864 so that makes it 158 years old....well some parts of it may be 158 years old! It was rebuilt in 1888, had a major overhaul in 1910 but my 1940 it was in use as a stationary boiler at Boston Lodge Works.

Like Welsh Pony, Palmerston has had a four wheeled tender added to it. The loco wears a deep red almost maroon lined livery.

Here Palmerston has rejoined its stock and shunted it clear of platform 2. This allows David Lloyd George to run in with the 1150 from Blaenau Ffestiniog.

After the crew have serviced their loco, Lyd is brought back to rejoin its stock and passes Palmerston.

With the Welsh Highland Railway coming into the station from the main road, the whole station and throat was extensively rebuilt in 2013. Here Lyd runs along the platform 1 loop line which was the original line into the station. The platform was up against the far wall.

Here Lyd moves slowly along platform 1 to couple onto its train. The sun has come out, what a difference from the morning.

Ross and I position ourselves on Britannia Bridge for what is about to happen. Looking across the harbour to David Lloyd George on the servicing point.

This is THE shot I really wanted to get whilst we were here, a train on the Britannia Bridge level crossing road section. I did not expect it to happen so soon and in sun too. Lyd gets away from the station.

No190 enters the road section across the bridge with the 1340 from Porthmadog to Beddgelert.

Vehicles are rightly prevented from entering but pedestrians can still walk along the pavements and watch the train go by.

In glorious sunshine, Lyd leaves the road while the coaches are still on it. Just wonderful, I was so pleased to get these shots.

The line follows a path between the bank of the Afon Glaslyn and shops on what was not the original route of the Croesor Tramway, it will pick it up though in a few hundred yards.

Back on the platform and David Lloyd George comes by its stock having been serviced.

David Lloyd George passes Palmerston who's driver is attending to something on the far side of the loco. For whatever reason I did not record Palmerston coming out of the siding or leaving the station at 1405 to Tan y Bwlch.

As the loco pauses beside the signalbox the exhaust is held in the lee of the roof and billows around the leeward side and not carried away by the westerly breeze.

David Lloyd George passes the impressive platform 2 starting signal and shunting dolly as it drops down onto its stock.

Walking down the platform and looking back at the station, Palmerston is still parked up on No5 road with David Lloyd George ready to take out its next train shortly.

Right down at the far end of the station and Welsh Pony trotts back with the 1330 Rhiw Goch - Porthmadog freight service. In 2012 part of The Cob and station throat was widened to allow for the platforms to be rebuilt and track redesigned due to the WHR line coming in. The widening starts at the far turnout.

The driver is slowing so he can hand the token to the signalman who is at the window. The train will run into on of the through roads clear of the platform.

All this is new and the station throat has been considerably widened, a new long island platform built. The signalman hands the token to the driver of David Lloyd George as the 1335 to Blaenau Ffestiniog gets away.

This wide angle shot gives an idea of how things looks now. The original running in line is on the far right and is now the platform 1 loop line. The original seaward side of The Cob is probably mid platform, now it is much further out.

The driver looks back to ensure the train clears the station safely. The impressive starting gantry for the two platforms stand sentinel guarding access to The Cob.

Unseen by Ross and I, I don't know why, but on the service point is ex Penrhyn Quarry Railway 2-4-0STT Blanche. It had arrived from Tan y Bwlch into platform 2, run round and dropped down possibly when we were in the shop?

Welsh Pony and the freight train get moving to go up to the starting signal ready for another run up to Rhiw Goch. The booked departure time should be 1430 but I think the freights were running behind time. I didn't note the departure time and we didn't have a the Bygones Weekend booklet until the Sunday.

The next arrival at Porthmadog is No 10 Merddin Emrys with the 1340 from Blaenau Ffestiniog.