Arriving at Blaenau Ffestiniog on the Lancaster Railtours excursion from Carnforth. The slate-coloured landscape is testament to hundreds of years of mining.

The old LNWR station at Blaenau Ffestiniog, closed in 1984 but still standing.

Ffestiniog Railway 10 "Merddin Emrys", on test after a boiler overhaul and the provision of two new power bogies. The loco had been turned out to work the 13:20 Blaenau Ffestiniog - Porthmadog special "Lancaster Railtours" service.

Coaches fill to bursting point with participants on the railtour.

The driver of "Meryddin Emrys" stands, sideways-on, in the cab, which is positioned between the two boilers of the double Fairlie locomotive. Whilst making the sighting of the track ahead much easier, it is necessary to make a sharp movement to stay inside the loading gauge at any limited-clearance point.

A rockface, pinned by bolts, juts over the loco as "Meryddin Emrys" heads downhill toward Porthmadog.

One of the new "Ffestiniog" distant signals, on the approach to Tanygrisiau.

"Blanche" waits at Tanygrisiau with a service train whilst the special approaches the island platform.

Signals at Tanygrisiau. Of a special "Ffestiniog" design, they are nevertheless electrically powered. They are electrically powewred, and show aspects through a series of holes in the circumference of the signal disc.

On leaving Tanygrisiau, the line takes a new course, away from the original route, in order to bypass the Moelwyn Resevior, built over the line of route by the CEGB in the years when the line was not operating. The railway had not, however, closed, and compensation had to be eventually paid by the electricity generating company.

On the other side of the resevior, the line describes a complete loop, designed to drop down the hillside quickly. The original route is rejoined, at the now-deserted intermediate station of Dduallt.

Minffordd station. The Cambrian Railway station is seen from the Ffestiniog sttaion, with the transfer sidings where slate for exporet was once transhipped