Template:Featured picture/February 2013
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Dduallt, meaning 'Black Hill' , which lies at a height of 540ft (164.6m) and a distance of 9 miles 44 chains (15.37km) from Porthmadog, is an unstaffed halt on the Ffestiniog Railway between Tan y Bwlch and Tanygrisiau. When steam traction was introduced in 1863, a slate water tank (which still exists) was established near Dduallt farm about 42 chains below the present station, on Tank Curve and all up trains stopped for water. Regular use of this facility probably ceased about 1872 with the opening of Tan y Bwlch (although up goods trains are said to have been required to stop at Dduallt for examination prior to passing through Moelwyn Tunnel). The quiet station at Dduallt was first mentioned as a passenger station in 1880. It seems to have declined steadily becoming an unstaffed halt in the 1930s (when it was landscaped by Clough Williams Ellis) until final closure to passengers on 15th September 1939. Dduallt reopened to passengers on 6th April 1968. Initially the loop was not ready and early trains ran with an engine at each end. Later the southern end of the loop became usuable as a short siding, and a spare engine would wait there for the next train to head it out. The engine that had brought it in then went into the siding to await the following train. This continued until the full loop was available later in the year. The station is seen here in October 1965, 2½ years before re-opening. Photo credit: Norman Pearce, uploaded by Jim Hewett |