UKRJ S1 Ep 13 Up Snowdon by rail

Up Snowdon by rail – UK Rail Journeys Series 1 – Episode 13

On day 4 of The Welsh Dragon tour we board our coaches and head to Llanberis because we’re going Up Snowdon by rail. But before that I talk to two seasoned travellers.

Click on a ‘thumbnail’ to view the photographs that accompany this podcast:
A chat with some seasoned travellers

Kate and Shaun have been travelling with Steam Dreams for the last 10 years. They have travelled to all corners of the UK, taking both day trips and holidays, often visiting places they’ve never been to.

Over the years, as they’ve travelled to both new and familiar places, they have got to know some of their fellow passengers and feel that there is a real community on the train.

They really enjoy the short notice changes to the itinerary that sometimes happen!

The Snowdon Mountain Railway:

We gather, along with many others, at the station in Llanberis. All the trains are fully booked today. We are waiting for the 11.30 departure.

All around people are enjoying the beautiful weather and having refreshment in the café. Staff are moving supplies to the café, we see a large consignment of bottled water cross the yard.

The Snowdon Mountain Railway travels 4.7 miles from Llanberis to the peak of Snowdon, however we can only travel three quarters of the way up to Clogwyn. It is over 100 years old and is the only rack and pinion railway open to the public in the UK.

At the time we travel, diesel locomotives push all trains up the mountain because the steam engines are being serviced.

Up Snowdon by rail:

We board our carriages and have to wear face masks as, at the time of my travel in September 2020, these are still required in Wales. Our locomotive was built in Hunslet in the 1980s.

Our round trip to Clogwyn takes two hours, 45 minutes up, then 30 minutes, on an amazingly clear day, at Clogwyn and then back down. Listen to the podcast to hear about the journey up the mountain.

Next up:

Join me in a couple of weeks for our return to Llanberis.

Links:

To find out more about Llanberis please follow this link. You’ll find all the details you need to plan a visit.

To visit the Steam Dreams website please follow  this link.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

Music:

AKM Music has licensed Steam Railway and Sunshine Walk for use in this podcast.

© The MrT Podcast Studio 2022

Author: Tim D

In the early 1970s Mr Timothy & his Phonograph was a popular mobile disco around Leeds University and Tim was known as MrT. Tim also spent 9 years broadcasting a weekly programme on Hospital Radio in Wakefield. He worked for more than 40 years for large industrial organisations and spent his last 15 years in global commercial management roles. Following retirement he started making podcasts in 2017.