V IN MEMORY OF TERRANCE DAVID ROBINSON
The original 5" PGR (Penrhyn Garden Railway) now the Joys of Life Railway. See JLR page for latest photos.
Terry Robinson with his Sweet Pea loco 'Faith' at Stokerton in the early days of the 5" gauge railway.
Many years ago the Robinson family came to live near Tregarth Gwynedd where they set up a family business for tourists and local people to visit and enjoy themselves. They had a cafe, various antiquarian exhibits and a small garden centre. Terry Robinson was also a keen model engineer and had built a number of 3.5" gauge and 5" gauge steam locomotives over the years. Initially he ran them on a short length of portable track in the yard, but soon realised he would like to develop a proper ground level railway. He started building a dual gauge track system that ran from Stokerton station up a deep cutting and across the private road and up a further cutting to Moleshill station near the entrance gates. Later the track was extended through a cut and cover tunnel to Highfield station and around a loop on a high embankment through the woods and over a stream.
The railway further developed with the building of two signal boxes with working semaphore signals and lever operated points. Block instruments and telephones were installed for a fully operational railway.
Various friends joined in and the Penrhyn Garden Railway Society was formed. The railway at that time was called the PGR but has recently been changed to the Joys of Life Railway since its recent refurbishment by the current owners Ieuan and Wendy Jones and a band of young hard working enthusiasts led by William High.
Terry sold the business in 2000 and left the entire railway and infrasructure including a battery electric Glyn Valley locomotive and a substantial collection of rolling stock.
Thanks must go to the late Terry Robinson for his vision and very hard work in building this fabulously scenic railway.
Sadly my old friend Terry died in April 2010
See the JLR page for current information.
See this fantastic little video by Nick Tozer of the old PGR in 1989.
The original 3.5" and 5" gauge portable track.
The following shows the railway a few years later as it developed into a fully working scenic line.
The next 12 photos were taken at the terminus Stokerton Station.
Another set of old photographs have recently turned up again showing the early days of construction work at Stokerton and other locations.
Lastly we have this photo of Terry Robinson in his last wonderful workshop when he retireed and moved near Oswestry. Sadly he gave up model engineering and gave his engines and workshop away before moving to Leicestershire where his health rapidly deteriorated. He died in April 2010.
For more information on the Penrhyn Garden Railway, the Stokerton Expess quarterly journals and its history:
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