PROJECT RHEILFFORDD ERYRI
WELSH HIGHLAND RAILWAY PROJECT
2000 NEWS ARCHIVE
See also - [2009 News] [2008]
[2007] [2006] [2005]
[2004] [2003] [2002]
[2001] [2000] [1999] [1998]
[1997] [1996]
[1995] [1993-4]
- January 2000 - Work started on the second Phase 2 bridge contract,
and the Earthwork & Civils contract.
- A further supply of steel sleepers (and fastenings) was shipped from Durban
in South Africa.
- WHLR Ltd moved 300 tonnes of rails from Dinas to the site near the Rhostryfan
Road where Phase 2 tracklaying was to start following completion of the trackbed
works there.
February
2000 - The Royal Mail released its first class (26p) stamp featuring the
WHR Project, as part of the Fire and Light set of stamps featuring
projects supprted by the Millennium Commission. The stamp features Beyer-Garratt
No. 143 and train against a montage backdrop of mountain scenery near Rhyd Ddu.
The launch was marked by the first Mail train to run on WHR (Caernarfon) and
the simultaneous launch of a 25p FR Railway Letter Service stamp featuring
No. 138 (illustrated).
- The consignment of 3,000 sleepers shipped from South Africa (see under January)
arrived.
- March 2000 - Work on the first Phase 2 bridge contract was largely
completed, with work on the second contract also well advanced.
- Two ballast wagons acquired by the railway were shipped from South Africa.
- March 18th 2000 - Blanche was moved
back to the Ffestiniog Railway by road, and replaced at Dinas by Mountaineer.
Diesel Conwy Castle was moved to Dinas on the same day.
- March 30th 2000 - Diesel Upnor Castle was moved by road to
the Cae Wernlas Ddu construction base, ready to become the first locomotive
to work on the historic WHR trackbed since the 1930s.
- April 17th 2000 - Agreement was reached between representatives of
the FR and WHR (Porthmadog) on the steps to be taken to enable extension work
northwards from Pen y Mount to start later in the year. Details on the relevant
route page.
- April 30th 2000 - the WHRS K1 Group made the public launch of Project
K1 2000 at Boston Lodge and Dinas, marking the final push to complete
the loco's overhaul.
- May 5th 2000 - the pair of self-discharging ballast wagons acquired
in South Africa were delivered to Dinas, following a consignment of South
African point components earlier the same week.
- Late May 2000 - the boiler frame of K1 was moved from Dinas to the
FR.
- June 2nd/3rd 2000 - tracklaying at Waunfawr started.
- July 20th 2000 - the last gap in the track laid between Dinas and
Waunfawr was filled.
- July 21st 2000 - HMRI carried out a successful final inspection of
Phase 2 works, leaving a "snagging list" of tasks to be completed
before opening.
- August 2nd 2000 - Garratt no. 143 was hauled to Waunfawr "cold"
between diesels Upnor Castle and Conway Castle for checking
purposes. No problems were found. A later test saw the first coaches taken
to Waunfawr.
- August 2nd 2000 - WHR (Porthmadog) volunteers began clearance work
for surveying purposes north of Pen y Mount.
- August 4-6th 2000 - Test trains ran to Waunfawr for crew route familiarisation
purposes outside the hours of timetabled Caernarfon-Dinas services. Three
days of testing had been proposed by HMRI.
- August 7th 2000 - Passenger services were extended to Waunfawr.
- September 15th 2000 - the line from Dinas to Waunfawr was officially
opened by Dafydd Wigley, Caernarfon's MP and Member of the National Assembly
for Wales.
- September 16-17th 2000 - The "Welsh Highland Ffestival 2000"
weekend saw working visits from original WHR loco Russell, and FR Single
Fairlie Taliesin.
- October 18th 2000 - Planning permission was granted for the rock
stabilisation and tunnel repair works required at the Aberglaslyn Pass before
the railway can extend into the Snowdonia National Park.
- November 2000 - Contractors Rock Engineering, of Porthmadog, began
work at Aberglaslyn (see below). WHLR Ltd staff and WHRS volunteers began
clearance and preparation work south of Waunfawr, while contractors Triact
began their work at Betws Garmon.
- December 4th 2000 - The restored Dinas station building was awarded
an Ian Allan National Railway Heritage Award. S4C broadcast the documentary
Ail Godi Stêm, covering the reopening to Waunfawr.
WHR Project homepage
Authored by Ben Fisher; last modified
January 15th, 2004
