The Snowdon Mountain Railway

The Snowdon Mountain Railway is the only steam worked rack railway in Great Britain.
Until recent years it was exclusively steam powered but now has a number of diesel locomotives and a diesel railcar. Gone are the days when one could be guaranteed a steam powered ride to the summit of the highest mountain in Wales!
Although it is possible to start one's journey at the summit and ride down the mountain the overwhelming majority of passengers begin their journey at Llanberis.
In this recording, made close to the loco shed, No. 5, 'Moel Siabod' propelling it's single coach from the arrival platform into the shed yard where the fireman proceeds to prepare the loco for its next trip up the mountain.
The fire seems to be in good shape already and the safety valves lift intermittently closing with a decidedly musical pop!
Meanwhile, in the departure platform is No. 3 'Wyddfa' with a fully loaded coach ready to depart for the Summit.
The safety valves on 'Moel Siabod' lift once more as 'Wyddfa' steams gently past on the 1 in 50 gradient out of the station but the volume of the exhaust soon increases as the train reaches steeper gradients beyond.

I have been up Snowdon quite a number of times in recent years but always on foot. The train fare now is far too expensive and, until recently there was a very good chance of getting a diesel.
Back in 1984 the fare was £8 and the line was exclusively steam worked.
On my one and only ride up the mountain on 8th July 1984 I didn't quite know what to expect. Obviously I knew the line was steep and I expected the loco to make quite a bit of noise propelling its single coach up the mountain and had my tape recorder turned on as we set off from the Llanberis terminus.
The first quarter mile or so was a complete anticlimax and I was rather disappointed as the loco, No. 4 'Snowdon' shuffled past the engine shed.
However, sitting at he back of the coach I was in a good position to appreciate how steep the railway really was as the front of the coach seemed to rear up as we reached the first steep gradient.
This is how 'Snowdon' sounded on that initial climb in parts as steep as 1 in 6.

At one time it seemed that the Snowdon Mountain Railway appeared to be in danger of turning into an all diesel line with often only one steam locomotive in service.
Happily the new management seem to have decided that steam is good for business and, although diesels still appear regularly many trains are steam powered.
On 1st September 1999 there were four steam locos in use on the mountain.
In this recording No. 4, the mountains namesake, 'Snowdon' is heard pushing it's single coach up the initial gradient, which is as steep as 1 in 6 in parts, past the site of Waterfall Station.

As the weather was fine on 29th August 1998 I decided to walk up the mountain from Pen-y-Pass by way of the Pyg track then descend by the Llanberis path which is close to the railway for most of the way.
Now that I have gone digital my equipment is much smaller and lighter than it was in the days of tape so I decided to take my mini disk recorder with me on the off chance of getting a recording or two.
Being the Saturday of the Bank Holiday weekend I expected the mountain to be busy but I wasn't quite prepared for the hoardes of people all with the same intention of climbing the mountain. Among this throng was a rather attractive young lady who, with her boyfriend walked along with me for a while near the summit and at one point remarked that it was good that AT MY AGE I could still do it! 'It' being walk up Snowdon in case you are wondering. Her boyfriend was most amused as was I since, when she realized what she had said it was rather nice to hear her protesting that she hadn't meant to suggest that I was really old or anything while she turned a rather interesting shade of red with embarrassment!
Anyway, insults aside my efforts were rewarded with no less than three steam locos at work on the mountain. Due to the large number of people about recording on the upper part of the mountain, where the gradients are steepest was out of the question but, below Clogwyn station the path and the railway part company and I left the path and followed the railway down as far as Rocky Valley where, after a short wait I got this recording of No.5 'Moel Siabod' climbing up from Halfway.
On this section the gradient varies from 1 in 6 to 1 in 8 and, as the gradient changes, the variations of speed can clearly be heard.
What can't be heard but needs to seen to be appreciated are the passengers in the single coach rocking none too gently in time with the exhaust beats of this hard working two cylinder locomotive - an unfailingly diverting spectacle!