[TommyD]

I know there are lots of problems associated with extending the Llangollen Railway back to Ruabon, not least the fact that some of the trackbed is built over (I can't believe that the local council didn't protect the track when they could), but it would be an excellent way to reach the railway without driving or by local bus. However, a man named Peter Dickinson has set up an on-line petition to the Government supporting the idea. He writes:

"Reinstatement of these 6.25 miles would have many positive benefits for Llangollen. Llangollen is a tourist destination with associated traffic problems. The valley location offers little scope for a by-pass road and, in the summer season, traffic clogs the surrounding roads and car parks. The reinstated railway would help to alleviate many of these problems, providing an effective, efficient and eco-friendly method of accessing Llangollen and the World Heritage Sites around the Dee Valley."

If you think the Department for Transport should do something about this,
then follow http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/27408 to sign the petition.

Anyone know what the Llangollen Railway's position (official or unofficial) is on this?

[The Informer]

Originally Posted by TommyD

I know there are lots of problems associated with extending the Llangollen Railway back to Ruabon, not least the fact that some of the trackbed is built over (I can't believe that the local council didn't protect the track when they could), but it would be an excellent way to reach the railway without driving or by local bus. However, a man named Peter Dickinson has set up an on-line petition to the Government supporting the idea. He writes:

"Reinstatement of these 6.25 miles would have many positive benefits for Llangollen. Llangollen is a tourist destination with associated traffic problems. The valley location offers little scope for a by-pass road and, in the summer season, traffic clogs the surrounding roads and car parks. The reinstated railway would help to alleviate many of these problems, providing an effective, efficient and eco-friendly method of accessing Llangollen and the World Heritage Sites around the Dee Valley."

If you think the Department for Transport should do something about this,
then follow http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/27408 to sign the petition.

Anyone know what the Llangollen Railway's position (official or unofficial) is on this?

There's more chance of the line reaching Barmouth than Ruabon!!!!

[Old Yard Dog]

The narrow-gauge Bala Lake railway occupies part of the Ruabon - Barmouth trackbed which might hinder any Llangollen railway expansion in that direction.

Are there any other "closed" lines which now host two different presreved railways at two different gauges at different spots along their length?

[Paul Sidorczuk]

Incidentally, how did the groundworks of the former lines fare during the torrential rainfall that affected the mid-Wales area over the last two days ?

[lancastrian]

There is more chance of the line being extended to Bala, than through to Raubon. Although I would really like to see the link from Raubon to Llangollen reopened. But even at the Llangollen end, the track bed is covered from the road bridge eastwards is, a landscaped footpath. This could be dug out. Then there is a car park, a vital need for Llangollen, but tit is possible that a strip of land could be used for the railway.

Next you have the Dapol Factory, which also used to house the now closed Doctor Who Exhibition. I am not sured if it is now in any use. After that the trackbed has been built on at least as far as the end of the built up area as you enter Llangollen. After that as far as Trevor, the trackbed is relitavily clear, although for a short stretch it is used as an access road. I am not to sure after that. But I believe that there are other building on the trackbed before you get to Raubon. Perhaps others might have more information.

[The Informer]

Originally Posted by lancastrian

There is more chance of the line being extended to Bala, than through to Raubon. Although I would really like to see the link from Raubon to Llangollen reopened. But even at the Llangollen end, the track bed is covered from the road bridge eastwards is, a landscaped footpath. This could be dug out. Then there is a car park, a vital need for Llangollen, but tit is possible that a strip of land could be used for the railway.

Next you have the Dapol Factory, which also used to house the now closed Doctor Who Exhibition. I am not sured if it is now in any use. After that the trackbed has been built on at least as far as the end of the built up area as you enter Llangollen. After that as far as Trevor, the trackbed is relitavily clear, although for a short stretch it is used as an access road. I am not to sure after that. But I believe that there are other building on the trackbed before you get to Raubon. Perhaps others might have more information.

I can 100% guarantee (unless a member wins the Euromillions)
no more extensions will happen at the LR. Once Corwen is fully up and running the railway will concentrate their efforts on getting right what they already have.

[Polarbear]

Although it would be great to link the Dee Valley line to the network at Ruabon, I can't see this happening for the reasons stated above. The costs would be prohibitive & barring a very large cash donation, it's just not going to happen.

Going further west isn't really viable either. It's taken many years to get to Corwen & even then, the line is not going right back to the former station as that's now occupied by another company. The next sizeable settlement is Bala and the line between Corwen & Bala doesn't parallel a main road so access to any intermediate stations would be very limited.

If it were down to me, I'd be tempted to run a heritage bus link between Ruabon & Llangollen stations at peak times for use by people with national rail tickets and/or tickets for the Llangollen railway. However, there may be issues with the major bus operators along this corridor?

[steamybrian]

Originally Posted by Old Yard Dog

The narrow-gauge Bala Lake railway occupies part of the Ruabon - Barmouth trackbed which might hinder any Llangollen railway expansion in that direction.

Are there any other "closed" lines which now host two different presreved railways at two different gauges at different spots along their length?

Wells-next-sea-Wymondham line
Wells to Walsingham -10.25ins narrow gauge
Dereham-Wymondham- standard gauge

Somerset & Dorset Line
Gartell Light Railway, near Templecombe 2 foot gauge
Midsomer Norton- Standard Gauge

[Rhydgaled]

Originally Posted by Old Yard Dog

Are there any other "closed" lines which now host two different presreved railways at two different gauges at different spots along their length?

The Carmarthen & Cardigan railway (which never actualy reached the latter, the Whitland and Taf Vale railway got there instead) now hosts a narrow guage heritage line and a standard guage one.

The C&CR I believe were orriginally broad guage and I think were the operators of the last broad guage trains in south Wales.

If Llangollen is ever to be linked to the national network by rail, I think it more likely to be with a network rail line than a heritage one. A heritage railway would be highly unlikely to be capable of footing the bill for such a large project. I do have an idea with using heritage railways to help integrate public transport, during the winter the heritage railway's track would carry services operated by national rail operators using Sprinters and in the summer the steam services would take over allowing the Sprinters to strengthen services which get busiser in the tourist season.

[185]

To my knowledge, the only real obstacle is that hotel in Llangollen. Most other places can squeeze a single line through. If few comments are being made by Llangollen railway, it may be because they have a local business arrangement with the hotel.