Harlech Military Railway
| Operation | |
|---|---|
| Locale | Harlech, Gwynedd, Wales |
| Open | 1941 |
| Close | 1944[1] or 1946.[2] |
| Status | Closed |
| Owner(s) | Great Western Railway |
| Infrastructure | |
| Track gauge | Standard 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) |
| Propulsion system(s) | Conventional steam |
| Statistics | |
| Route length | 1,320 yards (1,210 m) |
The Harlech Military Railway was built solely for military traffic during World War II. Contemporary published sources are reticent about the railway due to its military purpose.
The line was a standard gauge branch which veered seawards (westwards) off the ex-Cambrian Railways Cambrian Coast line approximately 430 yards (390 m) north of Harlech railway station. This junction and a substantial section of the line can be see in two aerial photographs of the period.[3][4] The line appears on a 1948 OS map of the area.[5]
The line's location north of the village is corroborated by Rail Map Online; however, the producers acknowledge that they are not confident that their map adequately represents the line's seaward end.[6]
The line's primary purpose was to serve a gunnery range which was under the control of a camp at Bronaber, near Trawsfynydd.[7]
The line is not to be confused with the Harlech Tramway which was south of Harlech.
References
- ↑ Turner 2003, p. 49.
- ↑ Notes about the railway, via Visit Harlech
- ↑ The site of the landward end of the line, via Britain from Above (free login needed to zoom)
- ↑ The site of the landward end of the line, via Britain from Above (free login needed to zoom)
- ↑ Local interest group with some details of the line, via Harlech Military Railway
- ↑ The line and neighbouring lines via Rail Map Online
- ↑ Notes about the railway, via Visit Harlech
Sources
Coordinates: 52°52′23″N 4°07′28″W / 52.873102°N 4.124364°W