Friday 18 November 2011

Pedal Power

All sorts of transport have been used in the Vale of Ffestiniog including funicular inclines, gravity trains, ‘Car Gwyllt’ and steam trains. But these days it’s the turn of pedal power, not just the downhill biking, but velorail too.

Boys and their toys
Ceri from Communities First has taken delivery of a velorail vehicle from the south of France which is currently parked in his office. The design will be modified to suit local conditions (maybe a waterproof canopy?) and production will be local involving schools / colleges and no doubt the Ffestiniog Railway.

The velorail will run, initially from Blaenau to Llan Ffestiniog and eventually to Trawsfynydd, on the currently disused track that once ran all the way to Bala. With no freight to and from the old nuclear power station (closed in 1991 and being decommissioned) the line has become a bit overgrown so volunteers have been busy cutting back the buddleia. All being the well the service will be operational sometime in 2012. 


But surely Blaenau can come up with a better name than ‘velorail’?