Fairbourne Railway

Fairbourne Railway

Fairbourne Railway
Beach Road
Fairbourne
Gwynedd
North Wales
LL38 2EX

Tel: 01341 250 362
Fax: 01341 250 240
E-Mail: fairbourne.rail@btconnect.com

Web: Fairbourne Railway

About Fairbourne Railway

The Railway has run from Fairbourne village to Penrhyn Point since 1895. With the arrival of the Cambrian Coast Railway there were schemes to develop the area for tourism. There were several horse drawn construction tramway in the area, the tramway that was used to construct the village became the Fairbourne Railway. Beginning life at 2 foot gauge, the line was converted to a 15 inch gauge steam railway in 1916 and played an important part in the development of the 15 inch gauge railways in the UK. The railway had mixed fortunes during the inter war years (at one time it was leased to the ferrymen) and at another time it experimented with dual gauge track after trying to solve a motive power shortage by buying a locomotive of a different gauge (18 inch). The line closed in 1940 after operating its final year with a diesel locomotive. 1947-1984 The railway was rescued by a consortium of Midlands businessmen in 1946 and after a Herculean task was reopened by 1947. The line enjoyed support from its generous owner, John Wilkins, the whole line was redeveloped and accumulated new steam and locomotives. The heyday was in the 1960's & early 1970's but the advent of mass foreign holidays and increasing numbers of other local narrow gauge railway meant there was a steady decline in the 1