Snowdon Mountain Railway

In a nutshell

Gauge:          2'  7½"(800cm)

Length:        4 ²/₃ miles (7.5km)

Opened:      1896

Location:   

Web:        https://snowdonrailway.co.uk/

Email:     info@snowdonrailway.co.uk 
Tel.:         +44 (0) 1286 870 223

Snowdon Mountain Railway
Llanberis
Gwynedd
LL55 4TT 

 

Date of visit:     20 September 2019

Key Facts

• The Snowdon Mountain Railway is the only rack assisted railway in the UK
• There has only been one accident on the line, on the day it first opened when one passenger died after the first downward train became derailed probably because it was overloaded
• The line was constructed between December 1894 and February 1896
• The rack system used by the railway was devised by Roman Abt, a Swiss locomotive engineer. Two racks are positioned between the rails, staggered by half a tooth to ensure there is always a complete tooth on the pinions engaged with the rack
• The locomotive is not coupled to the carriage, so that the carriage would not be dragged down the mountainside if the locomotive became derailed
• Gripper rails are fitted to either side of the rack to prevent the pinion from disengaging with the rack
• Each locomotive and carriage has a manual brake which operates on the pinion
• The locomotives also have a compression brake which uses air in the cylinders to slow the descent
• The locomotives and carriages also have automatic brakes which engage if they exceed a certain speed
• The railway has eight steam locomotives, five of which were built for the line's opening.
• There are also four diesel hydraulic locomotives, powered by Rolls Royce engines
• The line has ordered a diesel/battery hybrid locomotive which is intended to enter service in 2020. The batteries will be recharged on the descent.
• There is a cafe and visitor centre at the summit (3560ft (1085m) above sea level) which was opened in 2009
• There is also a cafe and toilet facilities at Llanberis station
• During the winter or bad weather, trains will only run to Halfway station
• It is advisable to book in advance as the number of tickets are limited each day

Route

Source: By MickMacNee at en.wikipedia - I created this work entirely by myself., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13430621

My Impressions

The last time I travelled on the Snowdon Mountain Railway was over fifty years ago, so I was anxious to see how things had changed.

We arrived at Llanberis in good time to pick up our pre-booked tickets. While waiting we indulged in a cup of coffee and a snack, sitting outside in the early September sunshine.

There was a good selection of food available at the cafe and so we were spoiled for choice.

There was time to watch the departure of one of the diesel hauled trains ......

 ..... and our train being marshalled from the sheds. We were booked on one of the vintage steam services. We figured that as this was likely to be a one-off, we would travel in style.

Before long, we boarded. Although not first in the queue, we were able to get a good seat at the rear of the carriage close to the loco.

After crossing the Waterfall viaduct, we soon left the treeline......

......  and reached the first station / passing place at Hebron.

After passing a downward diesel train, we progressed further, the mountain scenery becoming more rugged, until we reached Halfway Station, where we paused to wait for another downward train.

Our guard/train manager took the opportunity to point out some of the scenic features observable from our vantage point ......

..... until the downward train passed us on the loop.

We continued upwards, allowing a fine view of the downward train and the emerging landscape towards Anglesey.

As we laboured further up the mountain, the views began to open out, here looking towards the Rivals on the Lleyn Peninsula.

As we approached Clogwyn Station, the train traversed a stretch of line on a ridge, which permitted views down to the left of the Llanberis Pass in the valley below. Apart from the summit, this is probably the most spectacular view on the trip.

We paused again at Clogwyn Station to await another downward train which we could see approaching from further up the line. There seemed to be a considerable number of people walking the path from Llanberis to the summit, hardly surprising as the weather was unseasonably warm and the sky very clear.

Eventually, the train came nearer, passing over the curve on which the first passenger carrying train derailed on the line's opening day.

Then it was our turn to tackle the last section of the railway to the summit. The views opened out even more, giving a fine view out of the whole island of Anglesey .......

..... and along the north coast of the Lleyn Peninsula ......

....... before our train gently eased itself into the station at the summit.........

............  where the loco was given a well deserved rest

 We were given 30 minutes at the summit which allowed plenty of time to browse through the souvenirs and walking equipment in the shop, ...

.... grab a cuppa and a pie in the cafe .......

 ...... and join the crowd at the summit.

The views from the summit were spectacular in all directions.

Looking North West ........

...... looking East

...... South West .....

..... South East.

.... and West.

It was very blustery at the top and so it was somewhat of a relief to re-board our train and start the descent. With our destination visible in the distance .....

..... we passed many walkers toiling their way towards or away from the summit.

At Hebron, we met another steam heritage train making its way up towards the summit.

Eventually, we arrived at Llanberis ......

...... where our train was shunted back into its siding.......

..... and we could watch the departure of another train towards the summit.

Passing through the railway's shop on the way towards the exit, I bought a handy little guide on the railway's history but avoided the temptation of buying a snow globe or fridge magnet.

I was impressed by how efficiently the railway is operated and also by the enthusiasm and willingness of the staff to help and/or discuss the railway.

The stock was scrupulously clean and well maintained, particularly considering the age of the steam locomotives and the heritage carriages. The fare is not cheap, but then it is a unique experience in the UK and presumably the cost of maintaining the track and railway infrastructure.

It is possible to take a one way journey, but I would advise you to check the long term weather forecast. We were extremely fortunate in having booked the perfect day for viewing the landscape. This was partly luck and partly due to careful scrutiny of the weather forecasts by my partner - who, incidentally, funded the trip as part of an unexpected Christmas present two years ago. It took us that long to find the ideal conditions in relation to weather and our availability. A previous booking we had made a year earlier had to be cancelled because steam hauled trains had been withdrawn owing to fire risk during the drought at the start of the 2018 summer season.

It pays to be patient!

Video