Blaenau Ffestiniog Wales - A railway track which hasn't been used for around 80 years could be re-opened to link a major tourist attraction with a popular narrow gauge line.
 
The plan coincides with an application for the slate industry in North Wales to be internationally recognized and for the joint Ffestiniog Railway and Conwy Valley line station at Blaenau Ffestiniog to be revamped.
 
Dinas station was the original station of the Ffestiniog Railway near Rhiwbryfdir when the railway began taking slate from the quarries at Blaenau Ffestiniog to the wharves at Porthmadog in 1836.
 
It first opened for passengers in January 1865 with five return trips each day except Sundays.
 
But the following year the Ffestiniog Railway extended the mainline to Duffws, nearer to the centre of the town, and the station closed in 1870 and was eventually covered by slate waste.
 
Slate traffic to the Dinas station area nevertheless continued well into the 20th Century.
 
Now the North Wales slate industry is currently subject of an application for World Heritage status and Ffestiniog Railway officials have begun considering options for the branch including the reconnection from the town's station which it shares with the standard gauge Conwy Valley line to Llechwedd quarry.
 
Shuttle trains consisting of traditional quarrymen's coaches could be used.
 
Ffestiniog Railway company director Stephen Murfitt, writing in the railway's magazine, said, "This would be a significant contribution to the interpretation of the slate industry's heritage and an important insight for the interested tourist."
 
He said a start has been made on investigating the current condition of the Dinas branch and undergrowth covering the station and the adjoining track has been cleared from land owned by Llechwedd quarry.
 
"This has revealed the old formation which runs for a short distance adjacent to the hydro-electric power station at Pant yr Afon.
 
"The formation passes under a bridge constructed to carry the standard-gauge siding that left the line close to the mouth of the tunnel under the Oakeley quarry," he added.
 
Land ownership is a consideration but the Ffestiniog Railway Company owns the existing line from Glan y Pwll as far as the old Holland incline near the remaining pillar of the Bont Goch (red bridge) viaduct.
 
Mr. Murfitt said the preferred option would be to reinstate the branch on the 1880 curve.
 
He added Breedon Aggregates, current owners of the Oakeley Quarry, have indicated a willingness to grant a lease of the land that would form part of the entry curve.
 
Llechwedd quarry is also prepared to grant a lease to allow trains to reach the site.
 
"Preliminary investigations have established there would be exciting opportunities for practical skills to be employed in exploring the options for the Dinas branch," he said.
 
Working parties are being arranged to undertake further clearance work.
 
Provisional dates are 21-22 Mar 2020, 16-17 May 2020, and 18-19 Jul 2020 with further weekends planned in September and November.
 
Anyone interested should contact Mr. Murfitt via email.
 
Eryl Crump.