The three pictures below (WHLR Ltd) were taken south of UB114 on September 17th 2001, and show excavations for drainage work at the Ffridd Isaf site, which was a temporary work base convenient for work including UB114. As further north, the opportunity was taken to improve and add to the drainage arrangements on this section.

Ballasting of this stretch of trackbed from the Rhyd Ddu North access started on October 16th 2001. The pictures below (Jan Woods, WHLR Ltd) were taken on that day at the Ffridd Isaf site.

Laser levelling equipment is used to ensure accurate alignment of the ballast layer from the outset.

Tracklaying northwards from the Rhyd Ddu North base towards Glanrafon began on schedule and in earnest over the weekend of October 27-8th, returning the first track to this spectacular stretch in the heart of the mountains after a 60-year absence. The on-site photos below (credit: Andy Keene) show the work in progress.

By the end of the weekend the track gang had made short work of a good portion of the materials delivered a few days earlier. The appalling weather on the first delivery day did not turn out to be a bad omen!

The following pictures (WHLR Ltd) show the site on November 1st, awaiting the next visit of the volunteer track gang.

By mid-December, track had been laid almost as far as the temporary breach in the trackbed at UB114, which was reached at the turn of 2002.

Jim Comerford's pictures below show views down onto the Railway on the approach to Rhyd Ddu in February 2003, and give a good idea of the tight curves around the head of Cwm Gwyrfai on this spectacular stretch of the line.

Activity returned to this stretch with the arrival of the ballast train at Rhyd Ddu in May 2003. Roger Dick's pictures below show Conway Castle with the ballast hoppers on this section, and (right) the view from Upnor Castle's cab, with the ballast plough and UB114 visible.