Carrog Station: Refreshments

The council had purchased the track and stations from British Rail after closure. They offered the preservation group a five year lease on three miles of track with the condition that they should lay at least one mile of track within that time.

The Llangollen Railway (LR) ran its first passenger carrying train on 26 July 1981 over a length of line a just over a ¼ mile to Fford Junction. A major push was made to the next station at Berwyn, this section was opened in December 1985. A further extension to Deeside Hault was officially approved on 2 March 1990. Glynyfrdwy was reached in 1992 and the track to the present terminus at Carrog was officially re-opened on 2 May 1996. In future the LR plans to lengthen the line to Corwen. A long term aim is an extension in the other direction to Ruabon and the mainline.

Work commenced on the Weshpool and Llanfair Railway (WLR) in 1901, the aim was to transport goods as well as passengers to the main line station at Welshpool. To keep cost low a narrow gauge of 2ft 6 inches was used. Funds for the line came from the public and local landowners but even so the company had to loan a large sum of money. The first passenger train ran on 4 April 1903.

 From the start the railway was not very busy, though the 1914 -18 War saw an increase in usage. Originally operated by Cambrian Railways it was taken over by Great Western Railway in 1923. There was a further decline in the number of passengers and in 1931 it was decided to carry goods only. World War II saw an increase in freight traffic but afterwards it deteriorated again A major disadvantage was the fact that goods had to be transfered from narrow gauge WLR line to the standard gauge main line railway, adding to transport costs. British Railways owned the railway after the War with the last train being run on 3 November 1956. 

When closure came there were already plans to preserve the line, by 1959 the negotiations with British Railways were at such an advanced stage that volunteers began clearing the track. The Welshpool and Llanfair Light Preservation Company was formed in 1960 with the lease for the line signed at the end of 1962.

On 6 April the first passenger train for over six years went from Llanfair to Castle Caereinion. Unfortunately the Welshpool Borough Council had decided to build a road and car park in the way of the original station at Welshpool. So the railway had to have its terminus at Raven Square which was reached on 18 July 1981.

In the beginning the WLR had two steam engines built by Beyer Peacock in 1902; No.1'The Earl' 0-6-0T and No.2 'The Countess' 0-6-0T, other operational engines are No.8 'Dougal' 0-4-0T;  No.12 Kerr Stuart 'Joan' 0-6-2T and No.19 'Resita' 0-8-0T. Carriages have come from Austria, Seirra Leone and Hungary.

Devil's Bridge Station: Refreshments, shop, picnic area

 The Vale of Rheidol Railway (VOR) was built mainly to transport iron ore to the coast at Aberyswyth. To keep costs under control a narrow gauge was chosen. Permission for the railway was granted in 1897, it finally opened on 22 December 1902 after some difficulty in raising the capital required.

Built to a 1ft 11¾ inch gauge the line went from  Devil's Bridge to Aberstwyth where it connected with the mainline. An extra length of track went to the harbour were freight was delivered to be transported on by sea. Goods carried included lead ore and wood which was used in South Wales coal fields for pit props.

British Railways ran the line up to 1989, it was the last narrow gauge steam railway in BR ownership. A charitable trust now runs the VOR. They have made considerable improvements to the railway which was neglected in the later BR days.