Cwm Prysor Viaduct

Cwm Prysor Viaduct
Cwm Prysor Viaduct in 2014
Coordinates	3°49′25″S 52°55′56″E / 3.8235°S 52.9323°ECoordinates: 3°49′25″S 52°55′56″E / 3.8235°S 52.9323°E
Carries	Ex-Bala and Festiniog Railway
Crosses	Afon Prysor
Locale	Cwm Prysor, east of Trawsfynydd, Gwynedd, Wales
Official name	Cwm Prysor Viaduct
Characteristics
Design	9 36 feet (11 m) brick arches on stone piers[1][2]
Total length	490 feet (150 m)
Width	Single Standard Gauge Rail
Height	105 feet (32 m)[3]
History
Opened	1 November 1882[4]
Closed	28 January 1961[5]
Statistics
Daily traffic	Footpath

Cwm Prysor Viaduct, which is occasionally referred to as Blaen-y-Cwm Viaduct, is a former railway structure which crosses the Afon Prysor in thinly populated uplands east of Trawsfynydd, Gwynedd, Wales.^[6][7]

Bala & Festiniog Railway
Legend
Conwy Valley Line to Llandudno Ffestiniog Railway to Porthmadog Harbour Blaenau Ffestiniog (LNWR) Stesion Fain Blaenau Ffestiniog( FR & GWR ) Ffestiniog Railway to Duffws (FR) Duffws (F&BR) Glynllifon Street(F&BR) Former wooden viaduct Tan-y-Manod(F&BR) Craig Ddu Quarry Pengwern Quarry Tyddyngwyn(F&BR) Manod Teigl Halt Festiniog Maentwrog Road Line to south dismantled Trawsfynydd power station loading point Trawsfynydd Lake Halt Trawsfynydd Camp Trawsfynydd Llafar Halt Bryn-Celynog Halt Cwm Prysor Viaduct Cwm Prysor Halt Arenig Capel Celyn Halt Section flooded by Llyn Celyn Tyddyn Bridge Halt (under dam wall) Frongoch Bala (New) Bala Junction Ruabon to Barmouth Line to Llandderfel Bala (Penybont) (original Bala Lake Halt) Bala Lake Railway to Llanuwchllyn Ruabon to Barmouth Line to Barmouth

History

The viaduct was the most substantial single structure on the line. It is sharply curved, necessitating the provision of a check rail in its active railway days.^[8][9] In 1953 extensive repair work was undertaken in which the opportunity was taken to raise the parapet and add metal railings on top.^[10][11]

The structure consisted of nine stone arches carrying a single bi-directional track over which passenger trains ran between Bala Junction and Blaenau Ffestiniog from 1882 to 1960, with freight trains lasting a year longer. A "Last Train" special crossed the viaduct a week before final closure.^[12] The track was lifted in the 1960s. The prospect of rail traffic returning over the viaduct is very remote, not least because part of the route has been flooded by the construction of a dam at Llyn Celyn.

Modern access

The structure is Grade II Listed. In 2015 the public had a Permissive Right of Access to the viaduct, but no right of way.^[13] It is included in widely publicised walks.^[14][15][16]

Gallery

• 
  The viaduct in modern times

• "Cwm Prysor Viaduct". Geotopoi.
• "Cwm Prysor Viaduct". flickr.
• "Cwm Prysor Viaduct". geotopoi.
• "Cwm Prysor Viaduct". Treasure Maps.
• "Cwm Prysor Viaduct". Geograph.

References

1. Baughan 1991, p. 131.
2. Boyd 1959, p. 546.
3. The viaduct, via Forgotten Relics
4. Boyd 1988, p. 47.
5. Southern 1995, p. 64.
6. The viaduct on an Edwardian 6" OS map, via National Library of Scotland
7. The viaduct, via Rail Map Online
8. Green 1996, p. 38.
9. Southern, Leadbetter & Weatherley 1987, pp. 62-3.
10. Southern 1995, pp. 58-9.
11. Mitchell & Smith 2010, Photo 19.
12. "1961 last train at Bala, Arenig and Cwm Prysor Viaduct". NW Rail.
13. The viaduct, via flickr
14. A walk incorporating the viaduct, via Delgellau.com
15. A walk incorporating the viaduct, via YouTube
16. A walk incorporating the viaduct, via Keith O'Brien

Sources

• Baughan, Peter E. (1991) [1980]. A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: North and Mid Wales v. 11. Nairn, Scotland: David St John Thomas Publisher. ISBN 0-946537-59-3.
• Boyd, James I.C. (October 1959). Mansell, K.G., ed. "Bala & Festiniog Section - W.R.". Railway World. London: Railway World Limited. 20 (233).
• Boyd, James I.C. (1988) [1972]. Narrow Gauge Railways in South Caernarvonshire - Volume 1. Headington, Oxford: The Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-8536-1365-6. OCLC 20417464.
• Green, C.C. (1996) [1983]. North Wales Branch Line Album. Shepperton: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 0 7110 1252 0.
• Mitchell, Vic; Smith, Keith (2010). Bala to Llandudno: Featuring Blaenau Ffestiniog. Midhurst, West Sussex: Middleton Press (MD). ISBN 978 1 906008 87 1.
• Southern, D. W. (1995). Bala Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog. Stockport: Foxline Publishing. ISBN 1 8701 19 34 7. Scenes from the Past, Railways of North Wales, No. 25.
• Southern, D. W.; Leadbetter, H.J.; Weatherley, S.A. (1987). Rails to Bala. Rhuddlan, Clwyd: Charter Publications. ISBN 0 907157 03 3.

Further material

• Ferris, Tom (2004) [1961]. British Railways Volume 4 - Bewdley To Blaenau (DVD). demanddvd. DEMDVD084.
• Turner, Alun (2003). Gwynedd's Lost Railways. Catrine, Ayrshire: Stenlake Publishing. ISBN 9781840332599.

External links

• The line LJT2 with mileages, via Railway Codes
• Remisinscences by a local railwayman, via Forgotten Relics
• Aerial image of the viaduct, via Forgotten Relics
• Images of the station, via Yahoo
• Driver's view of part of the line, via YouTube
• Several photos of the viaduct, via Penmorfa
• The line in 2009, via The Railway Muddler
• Cwm Prysor history, via heneb
• A special north of the viaduct, via 2D53
• 1960 Working timetable, via 2D53
• Details and photos of 22 Jan 1961 railtour, via Six Bells Junction
• The 22 Jan 1961 railtour on the viaduct, via NW Rail
• The 22 Jan 1961 last train special, via YouTube
• An inspection saloon ride on the line, Part 1, via YouTube
• An inspection saloon ride on the line, Part 2, via YouTube
• Photos of the line in BR days, via RM Web
• The viaduct on 22 January 1961, via Harold Bowtell