It has been hot, ideal holiday weather and perhaps nowhere better than a walk along the Llangollen Canal. It was here I met an American couple who were intrigued with life that past by on the waterway. During the conversation they commented that it was far sighted of folk to build a canal for recreation. I explained that canals had been built for real commercial reasons of haulage, moving bulky products about in quantity…replacing the horse and cart. But surely they commented that was the job of the railways!…..It took some time to explain that railways came along a good few years later and of course in time they did replaced the canal boat as a means of commercial transport. Then of course came the question as to what goods would be carried after all this area didn’t appear industrialised…..
Indeed the area from the north coast of Wales, across the Snowdon Mountains, through the Berwyn’s and over the border into Shropshire was once one of the most productive in natural resources and produce, not just in Wales, but the U.K.
Farming is still a major source of income, Cereal crops to Dairy products, Beef cattle and of course Welsh Lamb plus Forestry have been and still are major industries.
But the landscape is also pock marked with signs of quarry and mining activity. Coal, Slate, Lead, Copper, Minerals and Stone have all been rich natural resources harvested over the years which in turn also spawned other industries able to use the rich materials. Originally of course it was the Pack Horse then Horse and Cart that became the transport by default with the whole region being crisscrossed, just like a cobweb, by narrow tracks worn down deep into the valleys over the centuries…
But of course the arrival of the Railways was the biggest leap forward in the transport cycle. It also came at the time that Victorians discovered the adventure of travel and exploration and if not overseas, then within the U.K. was just as desirable and wild remote areas even better…so tourism was born.
Remember the gates I mentioned in a post earlier this week here is the link(https://davidoakesimages.wordpress.com/2014/07/23/over-the-border/).
I mentioned that these Gates to Chirk Castle had been moved from their original location (twice in fact). Well the final move was to a new entrance to the Castle, an entrance that could be seen by passengers alighting at the new railway station. They were gates built to impress and that was exactly what they did. This of course was long before the days of tourist visits to Stately Homes and Castle - but it was also the start. The new tourists would hire a Pony and Trap or Carriage, drive to the Castle and seek out the Housekeeper. If she felt that they were suitable and for a fee which she negotiated they would be given a guided tour!
But pack to the Railways. They too crisscrossed the valleys, it was a real network of branch lines. Nearly all are long gone deemed uneconomical in the 1950’s. But North Wales can also brag about its very own special railways built for the slate, mining and quarry industry. Most were a narrower gauge to cope with access to the valleys and mines, many unique is style…..
These tandem engines at Porthmadog were designed to haul tons of slate fro high in the mountains at Blaenau Ffestiniog down to the coast for onward shipment by sea. Now in a second life they are just as busy as a major tourist attraction hauling carriage full of visitors…..proving again everything goes full circle.
27th July
© David Oakes 2104
Posted 31st July
DAVID OAKES - IMAGES. 