C&NLR History
The History of the Clynnog & Nantlle Light Railway
At the beginning of the 19th century, the quarries of Nantlle valley faced a dilemma, cost of transport of slate by pack horse was rising and a solution had to be found. The four main quarries decided to obtain consent for the Nantlle railway, the first public railway in Wales. It followed the valley before turning north to Canarvon. Layed to a 7’6” gauge is was horse drawn. As horses fell out of favour and the quarries started buying steam locos, predominately in 2’ gauge, the line was faced with a dilemma. It regularly carried passengers laying claim to being the first public railway in Wales Mixing passenger and goods trains, the horses had to keep up a fast jog. Various schemes to relay the track to 2’ gauge all fell through but here our story diverts from the truth.
In 1881 the quarries decided to relay the track in 2’ gauge and extended to the small village of Clynnog where a port was to be built for the slate and copper from the Drws y Coed copper mine. This scheme The Clynnog & Nantlle Light Railway continued on the course of the old line from Llyn Nantlle Uchaf to pennygrose changing here and heading for the coast. The line changed very little over the next decade, but with the boom in holiday traffic at the turn of the century more was made of Llyn Nantlle Uchaf and a more frequent passenger service installed. The line struggled on through the 1960s due to its exceptional quality slate finally falling victim in 1969.
The three steam engines Amethyst, Harlech & The Baldwin "590" were sold straight to the preservation society and with a collection of diesel locos from the quarry set about restoring the line, a task only completed 2 years ago. The line now runs from Llyn Nantlle Uchaf to Clynnog and has had very good business so far. The old line to the mines at Drws Y Coed was planned to be reopend but this proved to be too expensive and impractical as the track bed had been completly removed.
The Clynnog & Nantlle Light Railway remains one of the busiest and scenic narrow gauge lines in the country.