Park Avenue, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales, Tel: +44 01970625819

Street View of Vale of Rheidol Railway | Map of Vale of Rheidol Railway location

A journey on the Vale of Rheidol passes through wide open fields, woodland and rugged mountain scenery as the line twists and turns clinging to the hillside gradually climbing nearly 700ft (200m)from Aberystwyth to reach Devil’s Bridge. Birds of prey such as Red Kite and Buzzards are regularly seen soaring high above the valley floor and breathtaking views can be enjoyed by all. The line is a masterpiece of engineering, opened in 1902 to carry lead ore, timber and passenger traffic. The narrow track gauge allows the railway to follow the contours of the terrain with many sharp curves and steep gradients. The vintage steam engines and carriages were built for the line by the Great Western Railway in the 1920s and 30s. Now restored, they are still operating the trains today. The railway has survived through many changes of ownership and threats of closure to become the last steam railway operated by British Rail until privatised in 1989. Now owned by a charitable trust dedicated to restoring the line to its former glory. This has included the renewal of the track, bridges and re-building of locomotives and carriages. At Devil's bridge, there are walks to Mynach Falls, Devil's Punchbowl and Jacob's Ladder. (Operated as a separate attraction) All trains normally wait 1 hour at Devil's Bridge before returning, and although you can catch a later train if you need more time for sightseeing, make sure you do not miss the last train of the day. If in doubt, confirm last times with the Guard.....