The Ruabon to Barmouth Line

In its heyday a journey over the Ruabon to Barmouth line was officially described by the Great Western Railway as being `a country rich in mountain streams, wild woods and wide far views, unbeaten in any part of Wales.' This book explores the communities the railway served, the characters involved and the reasons behind its construction.

The cross-country Ruabon to Barmouth railway was originally built to fulfil the desire of connecting the town of Llangollen with the rest of the rapidly expanding network. The local Victorian promoters received the backing of the Great Western Railway, which had an ambitious plan to reach the Cambrian Coast and tap into the slate quarries around Snowdonia. As time was to prove, the GWR was to be temporarily thwarted by the construction of a branch inland from Barmouth by the rival Cambrian Railway, resulting in an end-on connection between the two railways in the market town of Dolgelly. The route developed into an important artery across rural Wales, bringing in its wake a revolution in agriculture, industry and daily life. Holiday traffic became big business, tapping into the big conurbations of Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham. The route would ultimately succumb to the Beeching axe during the 1960s, but even this did not go to plan following severe flooding a few weeks prior! Volume One explores the eastern half of the route, encompassing the towns of Ruabon, Llangollen, Corwen and Bala, and a brief introduction to the fundamentals of railway travel. The perfect companion for anyone visiting the preserved Llangollen Railway.