Rhyd_Ddu_to_Beddgelert

The two S-bends on the section between Rhyd Ddu to Beddgelert are unique among UK railways and a trademark feature of the Welsh Highland. In the central section of each S-bend the direction of the line is completely reversed -

Nomenclature: referring for instance to the "lower part of the upper S-bend" is rather awkward and potentially confusing. This guide therefore (unofficially) names the bends after the locality and splits them into upper and lower "horseshoes" - the "lower part of the upper S-bend" becoming "Weirglodd Lower Horseshoe" etc

Rhyd Ddu to Beddgelert WHR Illustrated Route Guides Section 4 © David Tidy 2009 Back to index Back to previous section On to next section Back to main website Locations on the Official Route (as currently known) are in white
The line initially climbs from Rhyd Ddu to Summit Crossing above Pitt's Head, then almost immediately drops at 1 in 40 to Beddgelert station. Two dramatic S-bends at Weirglodd Isaf and Cwm Cloch ease the descent There is no mobile signal from Rhyd Ddu to Cae'r Gors
Snowdon from Rhyd Ddu	Rhyd Ddu	Rhyd Ddu A long straight runs beside the road to Pitt's Head (with a slight dip in the middle)
Three minor crossings intersect this straight:
Beudy Adwy Left side	Beudy Adwy Right side	Beudy Adwy Looking back to Rhyd Ddu
Beudy Cerrig Left side. The beudy is the ruined cowshed in the field	Beudy Cerrig Right side	Beudy Cerrig Right side
Ffridd Uchaf (just short of Pitt's Head)	Left side (the farm itself is in the trees)	Looking back (Pitt's Head is behind you)
At Pitt's Head the formation widens and the line swings right through the bridge:
Approach to Pitt's Head & Bridge (site of former halt)	William Pitt the Younger (1759-1806)	Pitt's Head Bridge
Summit in view	The bridge that never was	Summit Cutting Moel Hebog in the distance
Emerging from the cutting Still climbing. Fire risk area - caution!	Copa Crossing coming into view Moel Hebog beyond	Copa Crossing ("Summit Crossing") Suddenly downhill from here
Snowdon from Copa Crossing	Copa crossing left side	Copa crossing right side
Pont Cae'r Gors is the road bridge crossing the river to the left:	The descent commences	Mobile signal (all networks) resumes here and continues to Hafod Ruffydd
Looking left	Bridleway Crossing LC 41.17	Looking right

Moel Hebog dominates the landscape in this section	Cae'r Gors Cutting	Cae'r Gors Cutting
Nearing Cae'r Gors Crossing New crossing for forestry vehicles	Cae'r Gors Crossing Left side - emergency phone here	Cae'r Gors Crossing Right side
South of Cae'r Gors Crossing Moel Hebog beyond	Further South	The line here runs on an embankment high above the forestry track (looking back - Snowdon visible again)
Tro Elain is a gradual bend to the right (pronounced "Tro El-line")	Tro Elain	Looking South from Tro Elain over Nant Colwyn
Tro Elain The Forestry car park lies below the line here on the left side	Foot crossing LC 41.87 left side A disused path to be upgraded as part of a new multi-user route - could become busy	Foot crossing LC 41.87 right side No way through as yet
Beyond LC 41.87	Tro Cwm Du is the left hand bend starting in the distance	Tro Cwm Du is a long bend which swings the line round to the left by some 160 degrees, crossing the Afon Cwm Du in the process, ending just above the McAlpine Bridge
Pont Afon Cwm Du (at the middle of Tro Cwm Du)	Afon Cwm Du (in the shade on the left side)	Afon Cwm Du (right side)
Tro Cwm Du continues McAlpine bridge around the corner	McAlpine Bridge The ivy-clad trees are a good landmark	Stream at McAlpine Bridge Right side
Stream at McAlpine Bridge Left side	Snowdon from McAlpine Bridge Enjoy the views from here while you can. In ten years' time the trees will be growing up round the line again	Looking South from McAlpine Bridge Cnicht and Moelwyns just visible - a taster of the views from the Traeth later on
Beyond McAlpine bridge	Continuing south	The line emerges briefly from the forest into the open fields of Hafod Ruffydd at Hafod Ruffydd crossing
Hafod Ruffydd Crossing A gated crossing used more by walkers than vehicles. Visibility approaching from below the crossing is poor	Hafod Ruffydd Crossing looking left	Hafod Ruffydd Crossing looking right
Hafod Ruffydd Ganol	Hafod Ruffydd Ganol	Hafod Ruffydd Ganol from below
Beyond Hafod Ruffydd the line plunges into Coed Mawr towards the Weirglodd S-bend. After the first horseshoe it emerges from the forest lower down at Weirglodd Isaf Mobile signal (all networks) is lost here. Orange resumes at Ty'n y Coed. Other networks resume at Cwm Bychan (also a small window at Beddgelert)	LC 42.75 Lies below Hafod Ruffydd	LC 42.75 Right side - Hafod Ruffydd above
Into Coed Mawr	In Coed Mawr	Canal bog - Cors y Gamlas (bog all around)
The S-Bends The two S-bends on the section between Rhyd Ddu to Beddgelert are unique among UK railways and a trademark feature of the Welsh Highland. In the central section of each S-bend the direction of the line is completely reversed - Nomenclature: referring for instance to the "lower part of the upper S-bend" is rather awkward and potentially confusing. This guide therefore (unofficially) names the bends after the locality and splits them into upper and lower "horseshoes" - the "lower part of the upper S-bend" becoming "Weirglodd Lower Horseshoe" etc

Weirglodd S-bend - upper horseshoe:

Entering the Weirglodd Upper Horseshoe ( via Canal Curve - Tro Camlas)

Halfway round the upper horseshoe are these double gates on both sides. They provide forestry access to the isolated forest section on the left. The gates will only be used under a possession. The roadway outside the gates drops directly to Coed Mawr crossing - a useful short cut on foot

Continuing round the bend	End of Weirglodd Upper Horseshoe	Approach to Weirglodd Isaf Keay's culvert is at the forest boundary
Weirglodd Isaf	Weirglodd Isaf Crossing An open crossing - watch paticularly for vehicles approaching from below	Access track - right side leads down to Coed Mawr Crossing
Weirglodd S-bend - lower horseshoe:
LC 43.73 and start of the lower horseshoe	LC 43.73 Left side	LC 43.73 Right side

The lower horseshoe initially runs through a cutting past a small waterfall on the left

The bend then runs out on to a narrow embankment with the line finally emerging well below Weirglodd Isaf (visible top right)

Weirglodd Isaf fields	LC 44.18 and Coed Mawr ahead	LC 44.18 Right side - Weirglodd Isaf above
Entering Coed Mawr again Next is the trio of Coed Mawr Crossing , Pont Afon Meillionen and Meillionen Crossing	Coed Mawr Crossing Pont Afon Meillionen & Meillionen Crossing lie beyond the Coed Mawr crossing. The road crosses Afon Meillionen beside the line	Coed Mawr Crossing View uphill to right . Beware of vehicles and high speed cyclists. The areas adjacent to the crossing on this side have been cleared of undergrowth to aid visibility

Pont Afon Meillionen Left side - road bridge beside the rail bridge	Afon Meillionen Right side from bridge	Meillionen Crossing ("Maggie's crossing") seen from Pont Afon Meillionen
Meillionen crossing - left side	View ahead from Meillionen crossing	Meillionen crossing - right side Track turning left is Ty'n y Coed access road
Camp site curve	MEILLIONEN FOREST HALT	Camp site from the halt Note is only possible to use the ramps for disabled access at this exact point on the platform - positioning of the train is critical

The line now descends past the campsite, crossing several stream bridges on the way to Ty'n y Coed The white light indicating the barriers are closed at Ty'n y Coed crossing should be visible in the right hand picture
Nearing Ty'n y Coed Look out for the black sheep, and the black cat which runs along the rails. Lucky (as long as you miss them)	View left near Ty'n y Coed	Ty'n y Coed footpath crossing This crossing carries a lot of walkers now that the footbridge in the valley has been repaired
Ty'n y Coed occupation crossing	Ty'n y Coed car park Left side	Ty'n y Coed access road - right side This is the new access route from Meillionen. Visibility is extremely poor in this direction so barriers are provided. The crossing barriers should be left closed. The white lights go out if the barriers are up. Trains must stop at the crossing if the lights are not showing
Ty'n y Coed itself	Ty'n y Coed cutting Approaching Pont Afon Glochig	Afon Glochig at Ty'n y Coed
Ty'n y Coed from Pont Afon Glochig	View ahead from Pont Afon Glochig	LC 45.25 This crossing will form part of the same multiuser route encountered above Tro Cwm Du and will become busy in due course
Orange mobile signal resumes at Ty'n y Coed	Approaching Cwm Cloch Old PBSSR works in fir trees on left	The lower S-bend starts shortly after the Upper Cwm Cloch riverbridge The Pont Alun bridleway and the Afon Cwm Cloch run side by side and intersect with the lower S-bend. The line actually crosses both of them three times before Beddgelert station
Crossing the bridleway and the river	Bridleway - left side This route carries vehicles to the property above and walkers heading for Moel Hebog	Bridleway - right side. Leads to Cwm Cloch Uchaf and Moel Hebog
Cwmcloch Uchaf Crossing -Uppermost crossing of the Pont Alun Bridleway (and Afon Cwm Cloch) Upper Cwm Cloch Riverbridge lies just beyond the crossing
Afon Cwm Cloch from uppermost riverbridge - left side	Looking left to Cwm Cloch Isaf from just beyond the river bridge	Beudy Cwm Cloch (left side) The line is seen again doubling back again below the building. The station water tower can also be seen from near here
Cwm Cloch S-bend - upper horseshoe:

The first half of the Upper Cwm Cloch Horseshoe lies in the gloomy Cutting Mawr

The second half of the upper horseshoe lies on a steep embankment. You are now above Oberon wood, beyond Beddgelert station
	The line passes back below Beudy Cwm Cloch towards Cwm Cloch Isaf
Cwm Cloch Isaf - looking left Visibilty poor this side especially in uphill direction	Bridge and crossing The road has now been surfaced in tarmac	Afon Cwm Cloch - right side
This is the middle crossing of Pont Alun Bridleway/Afon Cwm Cloch
Cwm Cloch S-bend - lower horseshoe:
LC 46.52 This bend once known as Tro Trydan	LC 46.52 (left side) Old PBSSR works beyond	LC 46.52 (right side)
Just beyond the crossing is the Beddgelert Distant signal	The Home signal is just round the corner . Watch out for spectators on the left	At the end of the curve is the shunt limit, north of the bridleway underbridge
UB 46.72 Pont Alun	Left side view from UB 46.72 The original Pont Alun is the river bridge in distance	Afon Cwm Cloch lower bridge Uphill side
Afon Cwm Cloch lower bridge Downhill side	Bridleway underbridge and shunt limit looking uphill	BEDDGELERT STATION from Afon Cwm Cloch lower bridge
Mobile signal: there is a small window just by these points where all networks are reputedly available. Otherwise Orange only

Rhyd Ddu to Beddgelert

WHR Illustrated Route Guides Section 4