Ever true to his word, Malcolm Hindes (#0449) has sent in some photos of the pole route he’s helping to restore along the Welsh Highland Railway line at Porthmadog*, in Gwynedd, N. Wales.
The first (and second) photo is of an ex-GWR pole which is now Pole #1 along the route between Gelert’s Farm and Penymount. The existence of which we first alluded to back in February.
The route is in course of reconstruction following dismantling for construction of the Porthmadog Bypass (failing which the old Pole 5 would have been sticking up through the road surface!), so it is not yet fully equipped.
This pole was the first one acquired by the present-day Welsh Highland Heritage Railway. When the Cambrian Coast line was converted to Radio Tokenless Block working, Porthmadog Signal Box was demolished and the pole route felled.One pole was left conveniently close to the Gelert’s Farm access crossing and found itself collected very late one Saturday evening by a group returning from “The Ship ” (Y Llong). In the cold light of day the following morning it was promptly erected at the trackside and has been in place ever since. Most of the crossarms are original and we still have examples of insulators embossed GWR or BR(W).
Malcolm has also sent us a picture of Pole #2 which he believes to be ex-Leeds Corporation Electricity Department and which, he says, was recovered years ago by Peter Lowe of the Abbey Light Railway. They have given it offset cross-arms due to the close proximity of a signal.
These poles are clearly visible when traversing the all-new and all-singing Porthmadog bypass which you can see raised in the background. Also captured behind pole #2 in this exquisitely framed photo is the Welsh Matterhorn, aka Cnicht, up which yours truly has many times experienced the joys of vertigo.
* Porthmadog; surely the new Mecca for railway enthusiasts, what with the Ffestiniog Railway, Welsh Highland and of course the Cambrian Coast Line.