The Valley Tramway Trust is close to finalizing a purchase that would secure 300 meters of trackbed that was formerly utilized by the Glyn Valley Tramway (GVT). Between Hand Lane Bridge (the road bridge over the national network line at Chirk station) and Ty Ririd cutting lies a portion known as "Chirk Straight."

The restoration of trains on the Valley Tramway is now a possibility thanks to a trackbed arrangement.

Charity to restore tramways

The Chirk Welsh small gauge railroad is being restored.

The Caravan Club of Great Britain will grant the trust a 60-year lease (on a peppercorn basis) encompassing both the portion of trackbed and "Tunnel Field," which adjoins the trackbed at Chirk, under the terms of the agreement. The Glyn Valley Tramway Trust will be able to build access to its planned locomotive shed near to Hand Lane Bridge on the Chirk Straight side as a result of this. The Ceiriog Bridge was completed in the early 1790s by Thomas Telford, one of his first bridges as County Surveyor for Shropshire; it was widened in reinforced concrete in the 1920s and faced with the original masonry. The canal aqueduct and railway viaduct may both be seen from here.There was a coal mine on the field between the bridge and the aqueduct in the early nineteenth century. The mine workings weakened the Canal, and the embankment collapsed in December 1816, flooding the mine. The canal business was declared accountable after a legal dispute since it had not purchased the mining rights.Cross the bridge and turn right at the Bridge Inn onto the road that rises to the right.

Come and be transported back in time on our historic trams

Know all about history of the trams

Which are home to the National Tramway Museum. Visit the stores and have refreshments from the tearooms and the Red Lion tavern to soak up the ambience of our period street. From September 6th to October 31st, 2021, we are open Saturdays through Thursdays, plus Friday, October 29th (except for Wednesday 20th October, which is a Members Only day).

Train travel in the United Kingdom should be enjoyable, not stressful. So, if you're traveling by train in the United Kingdom, begin your journey here. We have plenty of suggestions, tips, and recommendations to help you navigate the city, travel smoothly, and arrive in style by train.Back to the top Photo of the Chirk Railway Station.

Train travel in the United Kingdom and all about that

Keep walking down the canal. You'll notice where the Canal narrows once it curves to the left. Quinta Bridge stood on the narrows until 1903, when it was dismantled to supply material for filling in a nearby breach. Stop planks can be placed in the grooves. Follow the towpath until you reach a chute at the end of a tramway from Quinta Quarry on the other side of the canal, just before Chirk Bank Bridge. This was only temporary, since the drop was discovered to split up the coal. The bridge (which the group had already crossed) demonstrates an early usage of cast iron beams to support a deck, allowing the road grade to be reduced.

Chirk's new station will connect to the national network.

Cleaning the trackbed in preparation for track laying and more

2012

In February 2012, the Glyn Valley Tramway Trust received approval to restore a mile-long portion of the historic GVT from Chirk station to Pontfaen, west of Ty Ririd cutting. With a deal in place for the first section of trackbed, progress on resurrecting a portion of the long-forgotten route should pick up significantly.During 2015, the focus will be on cleaning the trackbed in preparation for track laying, as well as boosting public awareness of the resurrection project. The trust intends to repair the original GVT platform at Chirk, which was immediately below the main line platform, and build a narrow gauge line station essentially on the same site as the original. The remains of the original platform at Chirk have already been discovered during exploratory digging.

1801

Pass through the aqueduct. The ten masonry arches of the Chirk Aqueduct, which was finished in 1801, are 68 feet above the Ceiriog River. The aqueduct connects England and Wales. Henry Robertson was the engineer and Thomas Brassey was the contractor for the railway viaduct, which was erected between 1846 and 1848. A weighbridge and a wharfinger's cottage were once located at Chirk Basin Wharf. On the other side of the railway, 'Telford Lodge' was most likely the resident engineer's home during the construction of the aqueduct.

460

Chirk Tunnel will be in front of you once you finish crossing the Aqueduct. The 460-yard tunnel was finished in 1801. It was mostly constructed using the 'cut and cover' method, which entails digging a trench and then covering it with a roof. It was one of the first tunnels in the country to feature a towpath. A trail heading back up to the road can be found to your right. Ascend the trail, turning right at the summit. While the route is distinct from the other classic narrow gauge lines of North and Mid-Wales, its resurrection signifies unfinished business in the field of railway preservation. The Talyllyn and Vale of Rheidol lines were never closed and are now in good hands, while the Ffestiniog, Welshpool & Llanfair (save for the Welshpool town section) and Welsh Highland railways have all been rebuilt and are thriving. Trains are now running on a piece of the ancient Corris Railway trackbed (complete with a replica of an early Corris locomotive and another under construction), as well as a small section of the Penrhyn Railway at Felin Fawr.