A new Railway, the chance for a final grice of the year and bacon butties made for a simple booking decision! Llanuwchllyn was reached later than planned, thanks to Nigel's (non) navigation skills. [He mixed up his Lake Railways heading for Llanberis, but at least didn't go to Lakeside!] After handing over our indemnity forms, we joined the socially distanced throng before partaking of the pre-booked bacon butties and coffee at this lovely, scenic and friendly 4½ mile long, 1' 11½" gauge line.

Before long, Kev's Stentorian announcement summoned us to the Ruabon end of the platform. The 50-strong party, many of whom had been on our Middleton Railway trip (BLN 1390.3175) the day before, was divided into two groups. They boarded, in turn, open coach 'S' (ex-Penrhyn Quarry Railway) to be pulled/pushed by diesel loco 'Chilmark' over Llanuwchllyn run round loop and into Monkey House Siding 1 and about 80% of siding Monkey House Siding 2, while the other group enjoyed exceedingly rare traction from the recently acquired Schöma mine Locomotive 'Murphy' over Locomotive Shed Lines 2 & 3 ... not forgetting to duck at the right time due to the tight clearances.

Reforming into one group we joined the train of covered coaches waiting at the main Platform 1. Headed by diesel loco 'Bob Davies' our train set off for Bala, passing the Loco & Carriage Sheds we would cover further on our return, once the stock had been re-shunted. The Railway is on the former Barmouth Junction to Llangollen Line Jn (Ruabon) standard gauge line - this section of which closed to passengers/all traffic from 18 Jan 1965 (Barmouth Jn - Bala Junction - Bala Town). Llangollen Goods Jn - Bala Junction (excl) closed without warning 14 Dec 1964 after severe flood damage. At Llangower we slowed to traverse the loop in the unusual direction - that was right hand running, noting the not yet in use lower quadrant semaphore signals. The loop is used if two trains run (rarely). The GWR opened Llangower Halt on 10 Jun 1929; CP 18 Jan 1965. The Bala Lake Railway station (2m 1ch - miles from Llanuwchllyn end of line) of the same name is on single track at the Llanuwchllyn end of the loop, over 500 yd west of the original Halt. The modern railway also has Pentrepiod Halt (1m 27ch).

Due to the Pandemic, service trains were not calling at intermediate stations. The Railway gives great views of Lake Bala, the largest natural (glacial) lake in Wales - it is 3.7 miles long and half mile wide.

The Railway's present Bala station is about ¾ mile from the town centre on the site of the original Bala station OP 1 Apr 1868; CP 1 Nov 1882 when replaced by a station in the town on the Bala Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog (Central) branch. It reopened as Bala Lake Halt, ready for use on 5 Feb 1934, with some excursion use later that year according to 'Quick'. Regular calls began 8 Jul 1935; on summer Sundays it served as the station for Bala (which had no Sunday service) - one Ruabon to Barmouth train. Last regular use was Sun 24 Sep 1939 but there was an excursion from Stoke on Sun 4 Aug 1963.

The station faces closure with truncation of the line for the planned extension. A notice board with a map shows the extension curving off the present formation north to Bala town centre, about half way along the platform. Our train set down in the platform and then stabled in the run-round loop. In two groups open coach 'T' (already placed in the east end dock siding) was hand propelled to the line extremity, then buffered up to the rear of the stabled train, back over the points and right down the platform line to ensure 'overlap' with all parts of the incoming train, returning to the dock via the end of line. Following an earlier two-minute silence, Kev Adlam gave a short remembrance service here in view of the date (at the last minute the booked Railway Chaplin was unable to attend to do this).



Participants rejoined the main train in the loop which then propelled back to overlap with the open coach coverage before returning to Llanuwchllyn. For those like me that needed it, the 'main' line was covered at Llangower. A photo stop was made at Glan Llyn Halt (sometimes Glanllyn), now only normally used by Santa trains, very appropriate for a Christmas BLN report. The station, known locally as Flag Station, is shown as such on the 1900 OS 6" map as the local landowner (a GWR Director) used to display a flag when he wished a boat to come across the Lake to collect him after he had alighted from a train. Note SB = Signal Box and SP (twice) = Signal Post; even the flagstaff itself is shown (FS). In 2021 the adjacent cottage now carries a nameplate 'Flag Halt Cottage'. Quick has: Glan Llyn OP 4 Aug 1868 as a private station for Sir WW Wynn but the public could use with his consent. The Carnarvonshire (sic) & Denbigh Herald had it as 'Flag Station at Glanllyn' and it was in the 'Hand-book of Stations as 'Sir Watkin Wynn (Private) Station' as late as 1956. It first appeared as 'Flag Station' in 20 Sep 1926 'Bradshaw's Timetable' then as such in the public timetable from 13 Sep 1931. From 4 Jul 1938 it was 'Flag Station Halt' (Clinker - from Bradshaw's Timetable?) but remained Flag Station in the GWR 28 Sep 1938 Working Timetable. British Railways renamed it Glan Llyn (sic) Halt 15 Sep 1950; it survived until the line shut 18 Jan 1965. Sir Watkin Wynn had right to stop expresses at 'Bala Flag Station' for owners, occupiers or visitors to Glanllyn Mansion - on the other side of the lake - inherited from the Bala & Dolgelly (sic) Railway Co.

At Llanuwchllyn, which simply OP 4 Aug 1868 and CP 18 Jan 1965 with the line (!), lunch was taken in the café. In standard gauge days the station was a two platform passing place, with the main buildings on the Up (to Ruabon) side. The afternoon was in three groups to cover: (1): Two lines in the loco shed yard (on a DIY pump trolley for two). (2): Into the carriage shed, heritage centre and loco shed with open coach 'S' and the Schöma diesel loco. (Fortunately it was a totally dry day, remarkably for Wales in Nov, with sunshine and clear sky even!) (3): The Barmouth end of line from the platform and the coal siding (Down P2). The latter was in the ex-Dinorwic quarry open 4-wheeled 'Royal' coach from the railway's Museum, hand propelled. Built in 1886 it was for Royal and other VIP guests (like us!) and was last used by Princess Margaret in the 1950s. The grand finale enabled all participants to cover the crossovers from the loco shed area onto the running line and the station run-round loop with overlap.

Our excellent and very comprehensive visit concluded with heartfelt thanks to the Bala Lake Railway volunteers who had worked most of the previous day moving stock and other items to maximize track.

Thanks also to our Darren Garnon for the superb arrangements on behalf of the Society. Our £1,500 donation is expected to form part of the funding of the Bala town extension (BLN 1378.1654). As happened with the Llanberis Lake Railway, the extension is expected to make a big difference to the railway and town, as well as giving us all ¾ mile of extra track to do. Postscript: TomTom sent two participants home over the scenic hills and down to Llanygynog, terminus of the 15 mile Tanat Valley Light Railway - the course of some was readily visible from the car. The light held to Llynclys where they were able to converse with two volunteers working at the Cambrian Heritage Railway there.