Plynlimon and Hafan Tramway
| Locale | Wales |
|---|---|
| Dates of operation | 1897–1899 |
| Successor | abandoned |
| Track gauge | 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) |
| Length | 7 3⁄4 miles (12.47 km) |
| Headquarters | Talybont |
Coordinates: 52°44′38″N 3°21′36″W / 52.744°N 3.360°W
The Plynlimon and Hafan Tramway was a 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) gauge narrow gauge railway in Cardiganshire (now Sir Ceredigion) in Mid Wales. It ran from Llanfihangel (later renamed Llandre) station on the Cambrian Railways via the village of Talybont and the valley of the Afon Leri into the foothills of Plynlimon Fawr. It was built to serve the lead mines at Bwlch Glas and stone quarries around Hafan and opened in 1897, closing just two years later. The line was a little over 7 miles (11 km) long and despite running a short-lived passenger service, it served no communities of more than 100 people.
Mining of minerals in the hills east of Talybont in Mid-Wales dates back as far as 1698, with the Hafan Mine, which principally produced lead ore, but also copper ore and zinc.
In 1890, Captain John Davis of Talybont and Thomas Molyneux, an industrialist of Earlestown in Lancashire, joined forces to exploit minerals from local mines including Hafan Mine, and to develop grit stone quarries on Hafan mountain. Molyneux proposed building a tramway from Hafan to the coast at Ynyslas using the Leri Valley - Hafan/Talybont/Dolybont and run down and across Cors Fochno using the canalised embankment of the Leri diversion constructed by the Aberystwyth & Welsh Coast Railway, to a Dock suitable for coasters at Ynyslas. However the Cambrian Railways would not permit the tramway to cross its line at any point between Machynlleth and Aberystwyth, leaving no alternative but to unload into barges to get under the bridge at Ynyslas, and then tranship to coasters from the barges the other side. Much thinking went on as to how to get to the sea elsewhere: in frustration, Clarach Bay was considered but ship loading would have been very difficult, a tramway under Ynyslas bridge was considered but discounted due to obvious tide problems, even a line alongside the main line to Aberystwyth Harbour was considered, the transhipping at Ynyslas was discounted as too costly a procedure. In the end it was decided the only option was to go to the Cambrian Railways. Llandre Station, even though Mr Molyneaux had previously stated that much benefit would be lost by their not having direct Port access... however, this option was the only way in the end.
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