Ffestiniog Round Robin

[webntweb]

Doing the Ffestiniog Round Robin on Wednesday. 06.22 local train into Manchester, buy the Round Robin tickets, get a bacon barm and coffee and board the 07.30 to Shrewsbury via Crewe (still a bit of trainspotting there). Arrive Shrewsbury 08.38, another bacon barm and coffee to fortify us for the 3 hour plus journey to Porthmadog via Machynlleth, Dovey Junction then up the the Cambrian coast to Barmouth and on to Porthmadog. There, after a quick pint and another butty we transfer to the Ffestiniog railway for the hour trip to Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Unfortunately the next leg of the journey to Llandudno Junction is by bus as the railway line was washed away in March by storm Gareth. The line is due to open sometime in July in time for the Eisteddfod at Llanrwst in early August.

An hour and a half wait at Llandudno Junction, enough time for a light meal and a couple of pints then board the 17.34 for Manchester via Warrington Bank Quay, changing at Chester. Arrive back into Manchester 19.51. Not a bad day out for just over £30 with a railcard.

Roy

[Coryton]

1 hour ago, webntweb said:

Doing the Ffestiniog Round Robin on Wednesday. 06.22 local train into Manchester, buy the Round Robin tickets, get a bacon barm and coffee and board the 07.30 to Shrewsbury via Crewe (still a bit of trainspotting there). Arrive Shrewsbury 08.38, another bacon barm and coffee to fortify us for the 3 hour plus journey to Porthmadog via Machynlleth, Dovey Junction then up the the Cambrian coast to Barmouth and on to Porthmadog. There, after a quick pint and another butty we transfer to the Ffestiniog railway for the hour trip to Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Unfortunately the next leg of the journey to Llandudno Junction is by bus as the railway line was washed away in March by storm Gareth. The line is due to open sometime in July in time for the Eisteddfod at Llanrwst in early August.

An hour and a half wait at Llandudno Junction, enough time for a light meal and a couple of pints then board the 17.34 for Manchester via Warrington Bank Quay, changing at Chester. Arrive back into Manchester 19.51. Not a bad day out for just over £30 with a railcard.

Roy

Sounds a brilliant day out.

Apart from the 6:22 start, perhaps.

Shame about the bus replacement.

Blaenau Ffestiniog station is pretty impressive with the narrow and standard gauge lines side by side...not even a fence between them.

[webntweb]

6 minutes ago, Coryton said:

Sounds a brilliant day out.

Apart from the 6:22 start, perhaps.

Shame about the bus replacement.

Blaenau Ffestiniog station is pretty impressive with the narrow and standard gauge lines side by side...not even a fence between them.

Could do it two hours later and catch the 9.31 from Manchester but it would be very tight on a couple of the connections and would possibly arrive home too late for the last local train home.

[ChrisB]

10 hours ago, webntweb said:

Doing the Ffestiniog Round Robin on Wednesday. 06.22 local train into Manchester, buy the Round Robin tickets, get a bacon barm and coffee and board the 07.30 to Shrewsbury via Crewe (still a bit of trainspotting there). Arrive Shrewsbury 08.38, another bacon barm and coffee to fortify us for the 3 hour plus journey to Porthmadog via Machynlleth, Dovey Junction then up the the Cambrian coast to Barmouth and on to Porthmadog. There, after a quick pint and another butty we transfer to the Ffestiniog railway for the hour trip to Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Unfortunately the next leg of the journey to Llandudno Junction is by bus as the railway line was washed away in March by storm Gareth. The line is due to open sometime in July in time for the Eisteddfod at Llanrwst in early August.

An hour and a half wait at Llandudno Junction, enough time for a light meal and a couple of pints then board the 17.34 for Manchester via Warrington Bank Quay, changing at Chester. Arrive back into Manchester 19.51. Not a bad day out for just over £30 with a railcard.

Roy

If you are in Llandudno for an hour and a half that should be time enough to go to the Captain's Table on the Summit of The Great Orme, not for the food but going up on the cable car and down on the cable tram or Vica Versa.

[webntweb]

19 minutes ago, ChrisB said:

If you are in Llandudno for an hour and a half that should be time enough to go to the Captain's Table on the Summit of The Great Orme, not for the food but going up on the cable car and down on the cable tram or Vica Versa.

Hi Chris, it would be pushing it as my times were for Llandudno Junction. Llandudno would be at least an half hour extra return trip.

[ChrisB]

I did not know it was that far away, must admit I have only been by car. I do like The Great Orme though.

[webntweb]

Been up there a few times over the years but not for some time. Must have a week in the area soon.

[ranworthbreeze]

The last time I went up the Great Orme was to repair a jukebox in the cafe at the top for a operator in that area who used to be one of our customers.

Regards

Alan

[Coryton]

8 hours ago, webntweb said:

Been up there a few times over the years but not for some time. Must have a week in the area soon.

Had a week in Portmadog a few years ago - did the Ffestiniog most days, and the Welsh Highland once. The Ffestiniog is good, but the Welsh Highland is amazing.

Then we got the ferry over to Ireland and spent a week in a cottage which came with a day boat, taking it out every day on the Shannon.

That gave us the confidence (and desire) to hire a cruiser for a week on another holiday.

And now we've got two weeks planned on the Broads...