Pont Croesor railway station
Pont Croesor is a railway halt in Wales, on the Welsh Highland Railway, which runs through the Snowdonia National Park from Caernarfon to Porthmadog. It is located on the section between the stations of Hafod y Llyn and Pen-y-Mount Junction.
Pont Croesor | |
|---|---|
| Station on heritage railway | |
The station looking north towards Nantmor and Caernarfon in 2013 | |
| General information | |
| Location | Porthmadog, Gwynedd Wales |
| Coordinates | 52°57′02″N 4°05′49″W / 52.95058°N 4.09684°W |
| Grid reference | SH592413 |
| Owned by | Festiniog Railway Company |
| Managed by | Welsh Highland Railway |
| Platforms | 2 |
| History | |
| Original company | Croesor Tramway |
| Key dates | |
| 1923 | first station opened |
| 1936 | first station closed |
| 22 May 2010 | First passenger trains at present station |
| 26 May 2010 | Official opening |
| 30 October 2010 | First crossing of passengers trains |
| 8 January 2011 | Start of timetabled services south of Pont Croesor[1] |
Originally, as part of the Croesor Tramway, there was a siding at this location but no station. When the WHR was initially built in 1923 a small halt was provided; however, this closed with the railway in 1936 and all trace of this was removed when the line was lifted.
The line from Pont Croesor to Porthmadog Harbour has been connected since early 2009, being available for stock transfer purposes. The station was officially opened on 26 May 2010 and was the WHR's temporary terminus, having previously opened to passengers on 22 May 2010. The previous terminus at Hafod y Llyn is now closed.[2]
It opened to timetabled passenger services on 8 January 2011.[1]
When the station opened there was a full-length platform on the west side of the loop only, but with the commencement of through services in both directions during 2011 a second platform was provided. The station site is adjacent to Pont Croesor bridge, which crosses the River Glaslyn, and is a hybrid road/rail bridge, as each uses the same piers.[3] The bridge was extensively modified in appearance recently to feature standard safety barriers. The new loop was finally completed, for operational purposes, on 13 March 2010.
During the 2010 and 2011 seasons the station has featured a staffed booking office and gift shop; however with all trains terminating at Porthmadog for the 2012 season Pont Croesor is no longer a terminus, and has therefore been downgraded to an unstaffed halt. The station building has been removed to Blaenau Ffestiniog but the waiting room remains.
| Preceding station | Heritage railways | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nantmor[4] | Welsh Highland Railway Porthmadog - Caernarfon | Pen-y-Mount Jcn (special events only) Porthmadog Harbour | ||
| Historical railways | ||||
| Ynysfor Halt | Welsh Highland Railway | Portmadoc New (1923) station Portmadoc New (1933) station | ||
Ospreys edit
The station is adjacent to the viewing site of the Glaslyn Osprey Project,[5] from where the public can see the nesting place of a pair of ospreys.[6] Chicks have been successfully raised every year since 2005. The majority of the WHR's construction in this area has been carried out whilst the birds are abroad in the winter months, in order to keep disturbance to a minimum.[3]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b "Ffestiniog Railway: Be the first to experience the completed Welsh Highland!". Retrieved 19 January 2011.
- ^ "2010 Company Timetable". Retrieved 14 February 2010.
- ^ a b "WHR Project Phase 4: Pont Croesor". Retrieved 17 March 2012.
- ^ Eryl Crump (22 March 2010). "New station on Welsh Highland Railway in memory of university lecturer". Daily Post (North Wales).
- ^ WHR Project Phase 4: Pont Croesor - Traeth Mawr 20 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ RSPB: Glaslyn osprey project 9 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine