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PorthmadogPorthmadog is a popular busy town situated on the borders of Snowdonia and the Llyn Peninsula. Known as Portmadoc until 1974, the town is named after William Maddocks whose ambitious 'Cob' embankment scheme led to the town being built upon land reclaimed from the sea in 1811. Its prosperity owes much to the slate trade, brought down from Blaenau Ffestiniog, which was exported all over the world from the harbour at Porthmadog. In 1836, it was decided to build a narrow gauge railway. The trains travelled down by gravity with horses travelling in the rear, the horses were then used to pull the empty trucks back up to Ffestiniog. As a result of the expanding slate trade Porthmadog grew steadily through the middle decades of the nineteenth century and a maritime community sprang up. The commercial future of Porthmadog as a harbour began to decline with the arrival of the Cambrian Railway in 1867, which offered an alternative means of transport to the towns in England. The last of Porthmadog's fleet of ships had disappeared by 1945. For a more in depth history of the seafarers of the town visit the maritime museum situated on the harbour side. Today, the little trains of the Ffestiniog Railway carry hundreds of thousands of visitors between Porthmadog and Blaenau Ffestiniog every year, and has become world famous. Another railway currently being restored in Porthmadog is the Welsh Highland Railway, which takes visitors on the short trip to Pen-y-Mount. Included in the fare is a tour of the fascinating works at Pen-y-Mount where the restoration effort is based and coaches and other rolling stock may be seen in the process of restoration. Eventually, this railway will provide a narrow gauge railway link from Porthmadog all the way to Caernarfon. More InformationBusiness in PorthmadogBusiness Services in Porthmadog Council & Government in Porthmadog Health & Fitness in Porthmadog Holiday Accommodation in Porthmadog House & Home in Porthmadog Attractions in Porthmadog Places to Eat in Porthmadog Shopping in Porthmadog Charities in Porthmadog Education in Porthmadog Community Groups & Youth Centres in Porthmadog Add your pictures to this articleIf you have pictures that you would like to add to this article use the form below to send them to us.Information Provided by Index Wales[Add to this article] [Submit new article linked to this page] |
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