Dinas Junction FR
| Dinas Junction FR | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 The Junction in 1887 | |||||||||
| Type | Former junction | ||||||||
| Status | Junction no longer in place | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
| 1866 | Opened as junction | ||||||||
| 1880 | Loop line added | ||||||||
| 1899 | Closed as junction | ||||||||
| Route Navigator | |||||||||
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| Stations | Locations | Bridges | Tunnels | Map | |||||||||
Dinas Junction was the original junction between the Dinas and Duffws branches of the Festiniog Railway, which was located just below Barlwyd Bridge.
History[edit]
When the railway first opened in 1836 there was no junction here as the railway only went to Dinas. It was only later in 1866 that the Duffws branch was added. In 1880 the two branches were connected by a loop line to make a triangle.
It continued to be a junction until 1899 when the Oakeley Quarries wanted the land to extend its slate tip when a new junction and devation line was put in nearer to Glanypwll. The original junction is still to be seen even though much of the rest of the lower part of the branch is covered with slate waste.
The line from Glan y Pwll onwards toward Duffws was double tracked and fully signalled with McKenzie & Holland semaphores. The two lines were operated as a passenger single line and mineral single line rather than the usual up and down lines. There was a signal box here in the eastern 'Y' of the triangle. When the junction closed following the diversion of the line the signal box was moved to Glan y Pwll crossing.
Note that the incline shown on the map here as Glanypwll Incline is also known as Nyth Y Gigfran Incline. The Glanypwll Junction shown is sometimes known as Old Dinas Junction. The shed shown at the 1899 junction is the location of the present Glan y Pwll depot.
When the Dinas line was moved to the east in 1899, the river Barlwyd was also diverted to follow the curve of the new line to its west. The bridge under the Duffws line remained in the same place.
Gallery[edit]
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This enlargement of a Bleasdale photograph of 1887 shows the signal box with the LNWR line in the background. -
The junction, Nith y Gygfran through the gate to the left, the 1836 alignment Dinas Branch in the centre and the mainline over Barlwyd Bridge to the right. Taken before 1975.
