The Story of the Cambrian: A Biography of a RailwayGasquoine, C. P. (Charles Penrhyn)
History
The Story of the Cambrian: A Biography of a Railway
Gasquoine, C. P. (Charles Penrhyn)
Cambrian Railway
But the "Crimean campaign" of girdling the coast of Merionethshire and
penetrating onward to the distant peninsula of Lleyn, which was part of
the Aberystwyth and Welsh Coast scheme, was yet only in its earlier
stages, and already the difficulties of the undertaking had had their
sobering effects. The original idea of Mr. Piercy was to build a huge
bridge from Ynyslas across the estuary of the Dovey to Aberdovey, whence
it was proposed to run a service of steam boats to Ireland. Work was
begun with seeking a foundation in the shifting sands. Men were engaged
with the boring rods, but they could only labour at low tide, and in the
long intervals when the water was high, adjacent hostelries afforded a
too attractive method of spending enforced leisure, so that often, it is
said, when the waters had receded enough to renew operations, some of the
borers were too bemused to know whether they were on the solid earth or
not. At any rate, no sure foundation could be found, either by Philip
drunk or by Philip sober, and it was reluctantly concluded that another
means of bridging the gulf must be sought.
Adopting the wise Tennysonian counsel, the promoters eventually decided
to "take the bend," and Parliamentary power was sought for this deviation
of the original scheme. It was opposed by the Great Western Railway as
inimical to their project of carrying a line from Bala to Barmouth and so
forming a connection with the Welsh Coast, and their antagonism was only
disposed of after a compromise had been made in the Parliamentary
Committee Room, by which the great company obtained power to build the
bridge themselves, if they wished, within ten years, and the tolls on the
deviation were to be charged only for the same distance as if the traffic
had been carried by the bridge. So the line was carried round to cross
the Dovey at a narrow point near Glandyfi and connect the coast line with
the other railway there.
Hence the existence of, perhaps, the most beautifully situated of all
railway stations, formerly called Glandovey Junction, but changed in
recent years to Dovey Junction to avoid confusion with the adjacent
Glandovey station, at the same time transformed into Glandyfi. Being
only intended for changing trains the station is peculiar in having no
exit, and the very few passengers who ever alight here for other purposes
than entering another train have, presumably to make their way as best
they can along the line. Another feature of this station is that its
buildings and adjuncts lie in three counties. The station itself is in
Montgomeryshire. The stationmaster's house, just over the river bridge
is in Merioneth, and from the signalbox the signalman works an up distant
signal which is planted in the soil of Cardiganshire!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account