Summer Sunshine on the Ffestiniog

I (Ben) have been gradually getting back into railway photography, with the lockdowns easing, and was able to get some shots on the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways we went away to Wales for Half Term.

For those who say that the weather in Wales is always cold, wet, and miserable... Welsh Highland Railway at Pont Croeser in the blazing sunshine on the Bank Holiday.

We took a ride on the WHR on the Monday, from Porthmadog to Beddgelert (this leg wasn't even open the last time we rode the WHR), and the train was unusually being operated by double Double Fairlie locomotives.  The train, with "David Lloyd George" and "Merrddin Emrys" is seen waiting to return to Porthmadog at Beddgelert.

We had an hour or so up there and, being prepared, me and Elder Child legged it down to the village as soon as the train stopped so we could beat the masses to the ice cream parlour.

Riding back down the most scenic bit of railway on the WHR, the Glaslyn Pass.  Nice to do this on a train, I walked this stretch as a teenager.

Another goal for the week was to get some pics of "Welsh Pony" for an article, as it's been lined-out since the last time we made it to Wales.

The loco is seen at Penrhyndeudraeth, where me and Elder Child had to deal with a random grumpy shouty farmer (shouting at a horse, not us, which was somehow even more unsettling), and some mad cyclists.

I've tried this in greyscale, largely because by coincidence when I was editing the shots I spotted that someone in the new mag Trackside had a photo published that was almost identical, apart from the leading coach behind the loco.  He must have been there a mere week or so before me, and standing in pretty much the same place.

Similarly, the logging up around Tanybwlch has opened up some new angles, and I spotted a shot published somewhere from this hillside too.

Tanybwlch cafe made for a nice place to wait for the train, as the tea and cake is really rather nice.

I don't often do well with pics from the Welsh narrow gauge, so thanks to Mel at Railways Illustrated for putting my shot of the Fairlies on Pont Croeser into the mag.for the August issue.  Hopefully we'll be back in the summer holidays.