Lost Lines of Wales: Conwy Valley Line

Paul Lawton and D. W. Southern continue this series of pocket books exploring Wales’ railway heritage, each revealing a lost line of Wales. The closure of many of these lines has had significant and lasting impact, and the recovery of some routes is of public relevance and a source of debate today. Though the Conwy Valley line is not lost in the traditional sense and continues operations, this title recalls a by-gone era when steam locomotives were at their peak. Opened in 1863, the Conwy Valley line began with the primary purpose of transporting slate from the Ffestiniog quarries for export by sea. It also served many isolated communities in Snowdonia and contributed to Wales’s developing tourist industry. The history and social background of the railway and its passengers during this period is explored station by station and brought vividly to life through extensive research and archive photography, some of which has never been published before. This compact guide is a rich and highly informative account of an essential aspect of British heritage.