SPECIAL celebrations have been launched at a popular Gwynedd attraction.
Bala Lake Railway / Rheilffordd Llyn Tegid launched its Golden Jubilee year celebrations at Llanuwchllyn Station on Saturday.
The four-and-half-mile narrow gauge railway runs along the southern shore of Bala Lake (Llyn Tegid) to Bala PenyBont and the three-day celebratory event staged over the Bank Holiday weekend marked 50 years since it first put down rails on this small section of the former Ruabon to Barmouth Junction mainline route.
Rheilffordd Llyn Tegid / Bala Lake Railway company chairman Dr David Gwynn welcomed visitors to the event including guests from neighbouring narrow gauge heritage railways, funders, and local politicians.
He then acted as the fireman on the first service of the day, a special train to Bala PenyBont.
Dr Gwyn told the railway’s guests: “We’re now looking forward with confidence to what is going to happen during the next 50 years.
"It was on this same Bank Holiday weekend back in 1972 that the laying of rails began, and our first trains operated from August that same year. And we’ve come a long way since those days.
“It’s wonderful to see so many of the family our first general manager and founder, the late George Barnes, with us today and, as most people already know, our next ambition is to extend the railway into the town of Bala itself.”
One of the major features of the event was the public launch of a 106-page book published by the Bala Lake Railway Company called ‘Rheilffordd Llyn Tegid y 50 Mlynedd Cyntaf / Bala Lake Railway/ The First 50 Years 1972 -2022’.
The book is packed with pictures illustrating the progress the railway has made since rails were first laid under the guidance of George Barnes.
Also, a specially brewed limited-edition beer ‘Bala Aur / Bala Gold’ and engraved beer glass was produced to add extra taste to the occasion.
To help represent those pioneering days the Bala Lake Railway Company had hired a ‘Wren’ class locomotive named ‘Joanne’ from the Amerton Railway in Staffordshire to represent one of the same class of locomotives called ‘Dryw Bach’ which ran services in the early years of the company’s operations.
The tiny 2008-built steam engine was entrusted with a celebratory headboard and flags attached her front as key part of the day’s celebrations and ‘Joanne’ also headed trains throughout the weekend.
The crowds who made their way to Llanuwchllyn to join in the railway’s celebrations also had more than trains to admire.
Children rode on a specially constructed miniature railway while two traction engines and a Sentinel steam-powered lorry were on display together with a veteran Bentley car in the station car park.
And throughout 2022, the railway will be staging other anniversary events.
The start of train services on the railway will be marked on August 13 while there will a bumper anniversary year steam gala from August 27-29 as well as a whole host of other events during the year.
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