Padarn Railway

Padarn Railway
Map of the Padarn Railway
The Padarn Railway locomotive shed at Penscoins in 2005
Overview
HeadquartersLlanberis
LocaleWales
Dates of operation1843–1961
SuccessorLlanberis Lake Railway
Technical
Track gauge4 ft (1,219 mm)
Track length7 mi (11 km)
Padarn Railway locomotive Jenny Lind
Fire Queen of the Padarn Railway preserved at the Penrhyn Castle Railway Museum

The Padarn Railway was a narrow-gauge railway in North Wales, built to the unusual gauge of 4 ft (1,219 mm).[1] It carried slate seven miles (11 km) from Dinorwic Quarry to Port Dinorwic. The line opened on 3 March 1843, replacing the Dinorwic Railway. It initially used horses, but was converted to steam haulage on 23 November 1848.[2] The railway was formally titled the Dinorwic Quarries Railway [3] or Dinorwic Quarry Railway,[4] but informally "Padarn Railway" was widely used.

The railway officially closed on 3 November 1961.[2] The locomotive Dinorwic performed the last practical services by hauling the track-lifting trains.[5]

  1. ^ Boyd 1986, p. 16.
  2. ^ a b Boyd 1986, p. 1.
  3. ^ Turner 1975, p. 72.
  4. ^ Boyd 1986, p. 17.
  5. ^ Carrington & Rushworth 1973, p. 49.