The Ffestiniog Railway is the oldest independent railway company in the World - being founded by an Act of Parliament in 1832.
Sunday December 23rd, and 'The Earl' leaves Porthmadog with the 10.30 Santa Special

The railway was built as a gravity and horse drawn line to transport slate from the quarries in the mountains around Blaenau Ffestiniog. As the slate industry flourished, so did the railway and the town of Porthmadog. Slates from Blaenau Ffestiniog were exported to ports all over the globe - many in ships built in Porthmadog.