Opened in 1836 as a horse tramway using gravity to carry slate from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Porthmadog by the 1920s the Festiniog Railway had left its years of technical innovation & high profits long behind After the First World War the railway s path led inexorably to closure to passengers in 1939 & goods in 1946 After years of abandonment visionary enthusiasts found a way to take control of the railway & starting its restoration in 1955 Not only did they have to fight the undergrowth they also had to fight a state-owned utility which had appropriated a part of the route All problems were eventually overcome & a 2 mile deviation saw services restored to Blaenau Ffestiniog in 1982 Along the way the railway found its old entrepreneurial magic building new steam locomotives & carriages & rebuilding the Welsh highland Railway to become a leading 21st century tourist attraction Historian Peter Johnson well known for his books on Welsh railways has delved into the archives & previously untapped sources to produce this new history a must-read for enthusiasts & visitors alike The Festiniog Railway s pre-1921 history is covered in Peter Johnson s book Festiniog Railway the Spooner era & after 1830-1920 also published by Pen & Sword Transport