1999 NEWS ARCHIVE

• January 1999 - Parry People Mover no. 11 arrived at the railway for trials, following the 1998 visit of the PPM test vehicle. No. 11 was the prototype for a proposed light rail scheme in Llandudno.

• March 3rd 1999 - The Welsh Office Inspector's report from the Public Enquiry into the Snowdonia National Park Authority's Eryri Local Plan was published. The Inspector recommended reinstatement in the Plan of protection of the WHR route for railway use as first option. Note: this was NOT the DETR decision into the Transport & Works Application for permission to actually rebuild, and was in no sense prejudicial to whatever decision the DETR would eventually make.

  On the same day, a reply by Transport Minister Glenda Jackson to a parliamentary question from Caernarfon MP Dafydd Wigley about the DETR's deliberations (Hansard entry here) revealed that the Inspector's report had been submitted in April 1998, and that to date the average time taken for decisions had been twelve to thirteen months. This tells us more than the reply to a related question on January 25th (Hansard entry).

• March 9th 1999 - The Snowdonia National Park Authority Planning Committee accepted the recommendations of the Inspector's report published on March 3rd. However committee members reportedly voted to protest instead to the DETR about the railway scheme. 

• April 1999 - the sale to the Ffestiniog Railway of the Welsh Highland assets held by the Official Receiver was completed.

• April 8th 1999 - It was announced that the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions was "minded to grant the powers which would allow the Festiniog Railway Company to reconstruct the Welsh Highland Railway" (DETR press release). This was a tremendous step forward for the WHR Project; however Mr. Prescott had not yet made the final decision to grant the Transport & Works Order to rebuild the line. This was deferred pending a detailed survey by the Company of the rock faces in the vicinity of the Aberglaslyn tunnels, to prepare a scheme (in consultation with the National Park) ensuring that works can be done on this section of the route to avoid the risk of rock falls without undue harm to the environment. On the basis of this, the Secretary of State would decide whether or not to finally approve this scheme and make the Order; or the decision would pass to the new Welsh Assembly (which would take over the DETR's transport powers in Wales on July 1st) if it was operational at the relevant time.

  Further points of interest and interpretation:

  • The report of the Inspector presiding at the Transport & Works Public Inquiry (Dec. 97 - Jan. 98) recommended that the Order should not be made, on the basis that the adverse effects of the reinstatement of the WHR would not be outweighed by the benefits it would bring to the Snowdonia National Park and its economy. The Secretary of State is minded to disagree with this, and to find in favour of the railway. His decision letter states that he "attaches greater weight than the Inspector to the economic benefits accruing outside the Park, and this in turn materially strengthens, in his view, the justification for the project in terms of the national public interest."
  • The single and specific proviso about the Aberglaslyn rock faces relates to the principle that the railway should not have a permanent terminus within the National Park (Caernarfon and Porthmadog both lie outside it). The survey called for, more extensive in area than those carried out for the Transport & Works application, must show "that there is no undue impediment to completion of the full route through the National Park. Subject to satisfactory resolution of this issue, the Secretary of State is minded to make the Order [...]".
  • Environmental considerations: again subject to the proviso about Aberglaslyn, the Secretary of State "believes that, bearing in mind in particular the characteristics of the railway and that it would be built largely on an existing railway formation, the project can be accommodated within the setting of the Snowdonia National Park without significantly damaging its natural beauty, wildlife or cultural heritage."
  • The Inspector concluded, and the Secretary of State agrees, that concerns about extra road traffic to be generated by the railway at locations such as Beddgelert "were much overstated."
  • Accommodation works and mitigation measures are to be pursued in the cases of properties or farms where the railway may have an adverse impact. The railway is invited to consider a diversion on to the unused PB&SSR electric railway trackbed adjacent to a farm near Beddgelert, though it is noted that this is "unlikely to be technically feasible" [parts of the PB&SSR route were abandoned as too steep when the WHR was completed in 1922-3].
  • Footpaths and rights of way: "The Secretary of State is satisfied that the Order would not extinguish any public right of way for which an alternative public right of way would not be provided."
  • The benefits of the railway (including Caernarfon-Dinas) to the local economy "are assessed at £4.2 million each year with 125,000 new visitors and significant job creation arising directly or indirectly from the scheme." It was noted that there would be particular and much-needed regenerative effects for the Caernarfon area.
  • The Secretary of State's assessment of the project in terms of national need included recognition of "the unique nature of the development, its historic significance and that this might also be the last opportunity to restore a railway which would be beneficial to the national cultural heritage."

See the full text of the press release.

• May 1999 - Bontnewydd Halt was opened to traffic.

• Ffestiniog Railway Hunslet loco Blanche was moved to WHR (Caernarfon) for use on lighter trains during the Summer season.

• Work started on the overhaul of NG15 class no. 134.

• June 28th 1999 - The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions granted the Welsh Highland Railway Order 1999, to come into force 21 days after it was made. This was the final major approval needed to rebuild the complete original WHR line from Dinas to Porthmadog Harbour Station, and came with a direction as to deemed planning permission for the rebuilding works, to include (as anticipated in the Secretary of State's views expressed in April) various minor modifications to the Order as originally applied for in 1997. See the DETR press release. To quote a member of the WHRS Board: "WHOOPEE!"

  Further points of interest and interpretation (with quotes from DETR decision letter of 28/6/99):

  • The report on the rockfaces near the Aberglaslyn tunnels (see April 8th news below) was carried out by Ove Arup & Partners, and concluded that the rockslopes "generally had a very low failure potential" apart from one area above the trackbed between the southern (long) and middle tunnels where remedial work was advised. The preferred recommended method involves raising the existing retaining wall, with a catch fence above it.
  • The Snowdonia National Park Authority then commissioned Hyder Consulting Ltd to comment on the Ove Arup findings. While the Hyder report found the recommended works "reasonable in principle", it raised certain practical concerns and mentioned other possible approaches. In light of this the SNPA informed the Secretary of State that they were as yet unable to express a view on the remedial works. However the Secretary of State took the view that the SNPA and others had already had reasonable time to comment on the reports, and having considered both reports and taken advice from the Railways Inspectorate, chose not to defer the decision on the Order any further.
  • "The Railways Inspectorate have advised that the Ove Arup report provides sufficient confidence that the stability of the rock faces and tunnels can be achieved to an acceptable level" (the Inspectorate also suggested a trip-wire system to warn of any rockfalls, as had previously been suggested by the railway). The Secretary of State endorsed these conclusions and "therefore concludes that there is no undue impediment to completion of the full route of the railway though the National Park".
  • A condition was attached to the planning direction that no development takes place in the National Park until the remedial works at Aberglaslyn have been approved and carried out to the satisfaction of the local planning authority. This condition does not affect extension work to Waunfawr, all of which lies outside the National Park.
  • The Secretary of State also considered it inappropriate to delay a decision until the point where responsibility would pass from the DETR to the Welsh Assembly, given that those making Transport & Works applications are "entitled to have their applications determined without undue delay", noting in this connection that 17 months had passed since the end of the Public Inquiry.

• July 21st 1999 - The Welsh Highland Railway Order 1999 came into force, authorising the start of rebuilding work onwards from Dinas. Preliminary work started at Waunfawr Station before the end of the month. The complete text of the Order (126K) is available here, with acknowledgement to the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

• September 1999 - Trackbed clearance from the Waunfawr end reached Tryfan Junction.

• The dismantling of the remains of the old Waunfawr station building was completed.

• October 1999 - It was announced that an anonymous benefactor would be donating funds to the Project to a value of £1,000,000 over three years.

• The Welsh Highland Railway Society presented a cheque for £20,000 raised by members towards work to be done at Waunfawr Station.

• November 1999 - Work started on the contract to renovate and/or adapt bridges between Waunfawr and Tryfan Junction.

• The three 1922 steel river bridges between Beddgelert and Croesor Junction were demolished owing to their condition. A section of one was accepted by the National Trust for eventual display alongside one of the replacement bridges to be built later.

• Gwynedd Council established a working party to serve as a direct link between local communities and the railway, to be made up of councillors representing constituencies along the route plus others with relevant responsibilities. The Snowdonia National Park Authority also established a liaison group.
• November 24th 1999 - Permission was refused by a High Court judge for the National Farmers' Union to seek a Judicial Review of the granting of the Welsh Highland Railway Order 1999 by the Deputy Prime Minister (see June/July news below). This meant that what was, in effect, the last possible attempt to stop the WHR Project had failed. See the FR press release (at FR site - hit BACK to return here), also the BBC News Report about the ruling.

• December 1999 - The second Phase 2 bridge contract was let, covering the modification and renovation of bridges between Tryfan Junction and Dinas (apart from one underbridge which is being dealt with directly by WHLR Ltd). The Civils and Earthworks contract for Phase 2 was also let, covering trackbed renovation and laying ballast. Both contracts went to local firms.