Pont Croesor railway station

Pont Croesor
Station on heritage railway
The station looking north towards Nantmor and Caernarfon in 2013
General information
Location	Porthmadog, Gwynedd Wales
Coordinates	52.95058°N 4.09684°W / 52.95058; -4.09684
Grid reference	SH592413
Owned by	Festiniog Railway Company
Managed by	Welsh Highland Railway
Platforms	2
History
Original company	Croesor Tramway
Key dates
1923	first station opened
1936	first station closed
22 May 2010	First passenger trains at present station
26 May 2010	Official opening
30 October 2010	First crossing of passengers trains
8 January 2011	Start of timetabled services south of Pont Croesor

Pont Croesor is a railway halt in Wales, on the Welsh Highland Railway, which runs through the Snowdonia National Park from Caernarfon to Porthmadog. It is located on the section between the stations of Hafod y Llyn and Pen-y-Mount Junction.

Originally, as part of the Croesor Tramway, there was a siding at this location but no station. When the WHR was initially built in 1923 a small halt was provided; however, this closed with the railway in 1936 and all trace of this was removed when the line was lifted.

The line from Pont Croesor to Porthmadog Harbour has been connected since early 2009, being available for stock transfer purposes. The station was officially opened on 26 May 2010 and was the WHR's temporary terminus, having previously opened to passengers on 22 May 2010. The previous terminus at Hafod y Llyn is now closed.

It opened to timetabled passenger services on 8 January 2011.

When the station opened there was a full-length platform on the west side of the loop only, but with the commencement of through services in both directions during 2011 a second platform was provided. The station site is adjacent to Pont Croesor bridge, which crosses the River Glaslyn, and is a hybrid road/rail bridge, as each uses the same piers. The bridge was extensively modified in appearance recently to feature standard safety barriers. The new loop was finally completed, for operational purposes, on 13 March 2010.

During the 2010 and 2011 seasons the station has featured a staffed booking office and gift shop; however with all trains terminating at Porthmadog for the 2012 season Pont Croesor is no longer a terminus, and has therefore been downgraded to an unstaffed halt. The station building has been removed to Blaenau Ffestiniog but the waiting room remains.

Preceding station	Heritage railways			Following station
Nantmor		Welsh Highland Railway Porthmadog - Caernarfon		Pen-y-Mount Jcn (special events only) Porthmadog Harbour
	Historical railways
Ynysfor Halt		Welsh Highland Railway		Portmadoc New (1923) station Portmadoc New (1933) station

Ospreys

The station is adjacent to the viewing site of the Glaslyn Osprey Project, from where the public can see the nesting place of a pair of ospreys. Chicks have been successfully raised every year since 2005. The majority of the WHR's construction in this area has been carried out whilst the birds are abroad in the winter months, in order to keep disturbance to a minimum.

See also

• Ospreys in Britain