Many locals may have fond memories of the Ffestiniog Railway’s famous beer trains, which until 1996 were the only place to get a drink when Dwyfor’s pubs were still closed on a Sunday. Others will have treasured family memories of visiting the newly revived railway during summer holidays. People in Blaenau Ffestiniog might have witnessed the first train arriving back in 1982…
All of these stories are invaluable pieces of the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways past. As part of the National Lottery Heritage Fund Interpretation & Boston Lodge Project there is a fantastic opportunity for people to tell their stories. This ongoing project is an ambitious £5.2 million endeavour that will tell the story of the railway and it’s 200-year history to thousands of visitors. The project will involve more people in the railway and help those people to develop skills. Historic buildings will be rescued, and some new buildings created. Boston Lodge Works is the oldest continuously operating engineering works in the world. Through this ambitious and exciting project, we will tell the story of the railway and so help thousands of visitors understand the area’s pioneering spirit and global impact and explain how the industry has shaped the landscape and community over 200 years.
General Manager, Paul Lewin, commented:
“We can feel our history slipping through our fingers – we must act now to save that history.”
Your stories must be recorded now before they’re lost forever.
Upcoming tours of Boston Lodge Works (the engineering works of the railway) mean that now is the chance to weave your stories with the well-established history of the railway to bring the past to life for visitors and the local community.
The collection of these stories forms just a small part of the project, which focuses on improving how the history of the railway is told, as well as building works at Boston Lodge.
If you’re interested in telling your story, please contact the Interpretation Team at interpretation@ffwhr.com. Interviews can be conducted in-person or remotely. These will then be kept in the Company archives, one of the oldest railway archives in the world.
Of course, there are always opportunities for those who wish to get involved with the project more broadly. Opportunities include attending workshops, behind the scenes tours, or even volunteering! More details can be found on the project website: nlhfproject.festrail.co.uk.
