Penrhyn Crossing
| Penrhyn Crossing | |||||||||
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 David Lloyd George on a down train | |||||||||
| Type | Level crossing | ||||||||
| Status | In use | ||||||||
| Location | |||||||||
| Grid reference | SH614396 | ||||||||
| Route Navigator | |||||||||
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| Stations | Locations | Bridges | Tunnels | Map | |||||||||
Penrhyn Crossing[route 1] is the only manually operated level crossing on the modern railway. Under the old Company there was another such level crossing, controlled by a signalman, at Glanypwll.
Penrhyn was scheduled for automation early on in the reopening period, but the concerns of local residents about the audible warnings required, the potential cost and questions of safety have combined to keep Penrhyn as a manual operation. While this is labour intensive it does have a certain charm which seems to appeal to both passengers and delayed motorists!
During the late fifties, Janet Davies was the crossing keeper, assisted during the holidays by her daughter Avril. On hot summer days they were often rewarded with ice creams, thrown from the buffet car door as the train sped through the crossing at 10 mph. Mr Ednyfed Davies (father of loco driver Evan Davies) often assisted his wife Janet in handling the gates until he died in August 1968. Janet herself gave up the crossing in 1975 and Avril took over until her mother's death caused her to move away from the district.
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Earl of Merioneth takes a down train over Penrhyn Crossing, 1968 Can anyone say if the lady in the picture is Janet Davies? -
The crossing viewed from the other side. Linda & train at Penrhyn Crossing - 1963 -
Blanche on the embankment just above Penrhyn crossing - 1966 -
Lyd on its first public service, October 2010. Photo: Peter Trimming -
The crossing keepers hut and gates, 2015. Photo: Ed Heaps
Another picture of the crossing may be found on the the Penrhyndeudraeth village web site with Linda on a down train in the 1960s.
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