Vale
of Rheidol Railway
The Vale of Rheidol
Railway is one of
the Great Little
Trains of Wales, and
was the last steam
railway owned by
British Rail until
it was privatised in
1989.
Opened in 1902, it
was originally built
to serve the lead
mines in the Rheidol
Valley. Passengers
and timber also
formed the mainstay
of traffic on the
1ft 11¾ in gauge
route which passes
through some of the
most rugged terrain
of any railway in
the United Kingdom.
Despite the narrow
gauge of the rails,
the locomotives and
carriages - built at
the Great Western
Railway's Swindon
Works - are as wide
as their standard
gauge equivalents.
The VoR Railway runs
for 11¾ miles from
Aberystwyth to
Devil's Bridge. The
terminus is adjacent
to the national
network station at
Aberystwyth, and on
the hour-long
journey passengers
have spectacular
views of the wooded
Rheidol Valley -
views unseen for
decades until the
VoRR began its
renovation programme
ten years ago. This
programme continues
today, and will see
more views opened up
for VoRR passengers,
and improved
facilities at both
terminal stations.
At Devil's bridge,
there are walks to
Mynach Falls,
Devil's Punchbowl
and Jacob's Ladder.
Click here to view
their website
