Bala extension

..............The first time that I visited the Bala lake rly (in 1983) I heard rumours about an extension to "Bala café" (right in the town center) the manager 'I think it was R Hardiman) to whom I spoken about told me that it was still a possibility.............since I never heard about again:this project is quite dead or not?
I'd pleased to have a reply
thanks
regards
noel

 

I think that you mean 'The Loch Cafe'. If memory serves me, the site was sold some years ago to enable the railway to survive a financial crisis.

Meic

 

From a 'getting the tourists in' perspective an extension into the town would be a massive boon to the railway. Unfortunately, massive massive investment would be required to do so - it just isn't feasible.

 

For one lovely moment I thought that this was a new thread relating to serious Llangollen Railway intentions once Corwen has been reached!

Unfortunately I was disappointed.

 

So was i. Shame........

 

I believe this project(extension Corwen-Bala junction) is definitively cancelled : effectively it was evoked during the 80's in their house magazine(Steam at LLangolen)...........but when you have a look on the finalized plan of the new Corwen station it is quite precluded now!alas!
regards
noel

 

There's absolutely no way this will ever happen unless the Welsh government or European Union come up with the cash.

Bob.

 

it had been being , infinitively, more interesting and profitable to extend to Ruabon...............I think(it's my own opinion) that the extension to Corwen is a dead duck
regards
noel

 

Interesting view Noel - why do you say that? Iain

 

Ruabon has a main line station/connection(Wrexham-Shrewsbury)...........and some years ago it was on the cards for LR
regards
noel

 

Yes I apreciate that, and many of us would love to se that happen, but why do you say the Corwen extension is a dead duck? It takes the railway to a decent sized town with pubs, cafes etc.

 

of course but the new station will be a almost one mile from the centre Corwen is attractive but no more that,eg, Ruabon or Mold
sincerely I'm a bit "sceptic" about this project!

 

I have to agree to a point.

I'm a local, even went out with a girl from Corwen once, whilst it cannot be said that Corwen is the nicest of places, it certainly has more of interest to Carrog, but even then Corwen doesnt have a lot going for it.

However I would have thought that the Station at Corwen would open up return tickets from that end, I will explain.

When we as locals used to go to the Festiniog Railway for a day out, we would drive to Blaenau (closer to home in any case), park in the large car park for the day, catch the first train of the day, travel to Porthmadog, spend time there in the shops and have some lunch (or go to the Welsh Highland!), then return on a conveniently timed train, then home, having had a thoroughly interesting day.

It was a no brainer, why travel to some god forsaken place in the @rse end of nowhere, with nothing to do when you get there, then travel straight back?, when you can go from the @rse end of nowhere, to a nice town with pleanty to do when you got there!.

Basically it was a park and ride, with a nice ride and something to do at the other end.

I suspect Corwen will be the park for Llangollen.

When it comes to the Bala line, without wanting to sound disrespectfull, but I am suprised that it is still going. I suspect like the similar Brecon and Teifi lines it is the tourist that keeps them going, nice quick and fairly cheap ride on a 'train', half a day of the holiday gone by the time you've had lunch etc. Perfect for the family with small children with a limited attention span. There probably is no commercial need for an extention

 

Without wanting to sound disrespectful, of course it is the tourist's that keeps them going! You don't think us enthusiasts keep the heritage railway scene in business do you? The railways you have mentioned fall firmly into the 'tourist railway' bracket rather than the 'heritage railway' bracket - nothing wrong with that.

 

Martin,

Has the railway got to Corwen then ?. Still a l o n g way off when I passed the other week.

Bob.

 

I find these responses objectionable in the extreme. Talk about selfish and insensitive! How do you think those who have worked very hard to keep the Bala Lake Railway going for so many years feel when they read them?

I thought that this forum was National Preservation, not National If It Ain't Standard Gauge Then It Ain't Worth 5hit?

It may be a narrow-gauge 'tourist' line (as Jamie says, aren't they all?), but at least you can still travel by train along a thoroughly scenic part of a former GWR route. For that the Bala Lake Railway deserves praise, not a dismissive "We'd much rather see the Llangollen Railway steamroller through many years of hard work."

The attitudes of some railway enthusiasts defy belief. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

 

DiscustedBranch

I object most strongly to your post.

How dare you call me a railway enthusiast.

I'm a steam engine enthusiast. No more no less

Some people..........

 

Steady on old chap! - nobody has suggested destruction of your railway in favour of something else!
or have we inadvertently touched a rather raw nerve somehow?

We were just dreaming a little after ourselves putting in '00000s of hours unpaid on other heritage railway projects which don't personally include the LR.

You have to admit (I would hope) that, (LR aside) Wales is not exactly well endowed with major SG lines to compliment is superb stock of NG ones. Making the LR even longer looks like a very attractive thing to do in the circumstances - but then I have never understood why both the LR and the local authorities did not persue the connection back to Ruabon to hopefully reduce the amount of traffic in Llangollen - is it far too late for this?

Appologies for going o/t but the other extension context on here seems to be dead?