Dinorwic Railway

Dinorwic Railway
Locale	Wales
Dates of operation	1824–1843
Successor	Padarn Railway
Track gauge	2 ft (610 mm)
Headquarters	Llanberis

The Dinorwic Railway was an early 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge industrial railway connecting the slate quarry at Dinorwic in Caernarvonshire with the coastal port at Y Felinheli.

History

The Dinorwic slate quarry was purchased in 1809 by a group of investors led by Thomas Assheton-Smith and a significant expansion was started. To handle the new production levels, better transportation to the coast was required. In 1812 a trackway for horse-hauled sleds was opened leading to the port at Moel y Don. Shortly afterwards in 1812, railways were introduced within the quarry.

By 1823 plans were being made to construct a railway from the quarry to the port, and construction began in June 1824. By 1825 quarry records show slate shipments being made by rail.

Although the railway was successful, it had a number of limitations. It passed over land that was not owned by the quarry, so rent had to be paid to the landowners. It also used several inclines along its route as it descended, and working these slowed traffic and required extra manpower. By the early 1840s it was clear that as quarry production expanded further a newer, more efficient railway was needed. In 1841 work began on the replacement Padarn Railway, which opened in 1842. The Dinorwic Railway ceased operations in 1843.

References

Boyd, James I.C. (1988). Narrow Gauge Railways in North Caernarvonshire, Volume 3. The Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-328-1.

Historic Welsh railway companies

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London and North Western Railway	Anglesey Central Railway Bangor and Carnarvon Brynmawr and Blaenavon Railway Carnarvon and Llanberis Railway Carnarvonshire Railway Central Wales Railway Central Wales Extension Railway Chester and Holyhead Railway Chester & Connah's Quay Railway Conway and Llanrwst Railway Knighton Railway Llanelly Railway Red Wharf Bay Sirhowy Railway Swansea and Carmarthen Railway Central Wales and Carmarthen Junction Railway Vale of Clwyd Railway

Joint lines	Brynmawr and Western Valleys Railway Nantybwch and Rhymney Railway Quaker’s Yard and Merthyr Railway Taff Bargoed Railway Buckley Railway North Wales and Liverpool Railway Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway Shrewsbury and Welshpool Railway Vale of Towy Railway Wrexham, Mold and Connah's Quay Railway Wrexham and Minera Railway

Independent lines	Corris, Machynlleth and River Dovey Tramroad Fairbourne Railway Ffestiniog Railway Festiniog and Blaenau Railway Glyn Valley Tramway Hay Railway Kinmel Camp Railway Mold and Denbigh Junction Railway North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways Portmadoc, Beddgelert and South Snowdon Railway Potteries, Shrewsbury & North Wales Railway Plynlimon and Hafan Tramway Pwllheli and Llanbedrog Tramway Ruthin and Cerrig-y-Drudion Railway Shropshire and Montgomeryshire Railway Snowdon Mountain Railway Swansea and Mumbles Railway Talyllyn Railway Van Railway Welsh Highland Railway

Industrial railways	Bailey's Tramroad Beaufort Ironworks Tramway Bryn Oer Tramway Buckley Tramroad Carnarvonshire Slate Quarries Railway Cedryn Quarry Tramway Cowlyd Tramway Crawshay's Private Railway Crickheath Tramway Croesor Tramway Deeside Tramway Dinorwic Railway Dowlais Railway Eigiau Tramway Elan Valley Railway Gorseddau Junction And Portmadoc Railway Gorseddau Tramway Hendre-Ddu Tramway Kerry Tramway Little Ormes Head Quarry tramway Morda Tramway Nantlle Tramway Padarn Railway Penrhyn Quarry Railway Penydarren Tramway Pen-yr-Orsedd Quarry tramways Rhiwbach Tramway Saundersfoot Railway Trefor Quarry railway Tremadoc Tramway

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