Plans to develop popular heritage railway line station in Snowdonia
A new station building is set to be built on a popular Snowdonia heritage railway line within Snowdonia.
The Snowdonia National Park planning authority has been asked to approve plans to develop a station in the popular tourist village of Beddgelert.
The proposals, on the site north of Oberon Wood, have been lodged by the Ffestiniog Railway Company. They are an updated redesign of a previous application which had been approved 10 years ago but never completed.
The latest scheme includes the construction of a railway station building to include ticket office, café, indoor and outdoor seating, toilets, office and covered waiting area and other associated infrastructure.
Beddgelert is a popular base for tourists and day trippers to Snowdonia, many of whom traditionally come from across the border in Shropshire and the West Midlands.
A proposal put forward by the popular heritage line states: "The station will include a covered waiting area, staff room and WCs, ticket office with small railway related retail area and coffee shop with small kitchen, external covered seating area and terrace. The construction of the new station building would enable the removal of the covered shelter."
The Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway's director and general manager Paul Lewin said: "When the railway received its transport and works order it included 'deemed planning consent' for a station at Beddgelert.
"But the further arrangement was that we would go through the planning procedures to agree its design and look with the national park's planning authority. Over 10 years ago we did submit a design for a station, and that was approved. We started work on it, but we only got as far as starting the foundations, due to funds available at the time and we stopped.
"But we have returned to look at the site and we have re-evaluated the design and done several things to make the plans lighter, there is an overall lighter lower visual impact, so it meets modern building regulations and to improve its environmental credentials."
The original corrugated Beddgelert Station was built in 1923 and was knocked down in 1937.
Mr Lewin told the Daily Post: "Beddgelert it is a popular destination, and our passengers need somewhere they can wait for the train in the dry, and with quality toilets in keeping in with modern expectations."
