Yesterday I headed off to Porthmadog to shop and to take a look at the Ffestiniog's vintage themed operations. I was struck that when it turns it's mind away from being a modern commercial enterprise to a guardian of history then it does a pretty fair job of it. Shame thinks I that this thought isn't uppermost more often.
It's a source of regret that their other operation, the WHR (Caernarfon) seems to have lost the heritage component of their DNA. On my way from Porthmadog to visit a friend in Cwm y Glo, curiosity drove me to take a peak at the effective southern terminus of the WHR, Pont Croesor. It's a beautiful location with what has to be one of the best approaches to Snowdonia spread out in front of one, but man what an ugly wart of a station.
3 comments:
Hi Neil,
I couldn't agree more, we visited the area earlier this year and I thought the whole arrangement was a blot on the landscape.
I don't know if you have seen the station at Beddgelert? Though not perfect it does look a little better.
Geoff (sparky)
...and the FR during its early years wasnt ugly? Lets be honest,the deviation was hardly pretty, indeed few railway extensions are, but until trains start running and money is earned pretifying has to wait.
To Geoff, yes I've seen Beddgelert, it does look better. It does look a bit raw (only to be expected) but a bit clinical too. Very business park if you see what I mean.
To Chris, an eyesore is an eyesore. I argue that it's not pretty that I want (rather like the old WHR wiggly tin, scruffy farmyards and tumble down buildings) but some sympathy for the location and some soul of the old WHR to allowed to shine through. For instance siting the portakabins in the car park and painting them something less garish than the lime green they sport would help as the platform shelter isn't too bad.
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