eme narrowness of the
ground to work upon, sometimes tapering away to practically no ground at
all, hampered the task at every step, and the difficulty of building a
track along which heavy trains could run at high speed was never quite
surmounted. Even to-day trains descending the 1 in 60 decline are
carefully regulated in speed, no bad arrangement, after all, since this
stretch of line commands, on a clear day, one of the finest peeps of the
whole charming panorama of scenery along the coast of North Wales.

But engineer and contractor had something better to do than admire the
view. Below them and beyond, even when Barmouth Junction was reached in
July, 1865, there lay another obstacle which could not be avoided by any
but the widest detour. Trains could, and were eventually carried around
the narrow neck of the Dovey; they must cross the estuary of the Mawddach
almost at its widest point in order to gain the Barmouth shore.
Meanwhile, the line was carried along the southern bank of the river, by
what is now the Dolgelley branch, to Penmaenpool, and the public had to
remain content with such facilities as this localised service could
provide.

And a wonderful service it appears to have been! Old inhabitants still
tell tales of how goods trains would pull up at remote wayside spots
while driver and guard went trapping hares that made good prices in the
neighbouring markets, where no inconvenient questions were asked
concerning their capture. Or it might be that, now and again, a waggon
load of beer barrels was consigned to some village inn. It was then the
business of those in charge so to marshal the train that the "stuff" was
placed in convenient proximity to the engine, and, in the seclusion of
some cutting, a halt would be made for some mysterious reason. To
clamber over the tender into the adjacent waggon was a simple matter.
Still simpler, in expert hands, was the process of forcing up the hoop of
one of the barrels, tapping it and drawing it till the engine bucket
foamed alluringly, then plugging it up again, and drawing back the hoop
into its original position. On delivery the consignee might complain of
short weight, but that it was a question for the brewer and the company
to settle as best they could. None of the running staff knew anything
about it; and, as for the lateness of the train, well, was any train ever
punctual in those days, and who bothered about half an hour's delay?

Besides, there