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Technical Information
The Rack and Pinion System
The rack and pinion system used is that patented by the German engineer Dr Roman Abt. The railway uses double rack rails, fastened to steel sleepers between the running rails. Each locomotive is equipped with toothed pinions (cogwheels), which engage the rack and provide all the traction necessary to scale the steepest inclines. On the way down, the rack and pinion system also acts as a brake.
The railway, laid to a gauge of 2ft 7 1⁄2 in (800 mm) which is common to most mountain railways, consists of a single track with 3 passing loops spaced equidistantly between Llanberis and the Summit. (Hebron at 1069 ft (326 m), Halfway at 1641 ft (500 m) and Clogwyn at 2556 ft (779 m)). The average speed of the trains is 5 mph (8 kph).
The Gradient
The total length of the railway is 4 miles 1188 yards (7.53 km), with an average gradient of 1 in 7.86. The steepest gradient on the route is 1 in 5.5. The gradients on the route make it unsuitable for a normal adhesion railway, so a rack and pinion system was installed. Snowdon Mountain Railway is the only public rack and pinion railway in the British Isles.Steam Locomotives
The company currently operates 4 coal-fired steam locomotives manufactured by the Swiss Locomotive & Manufacturing Co. of Winterhur. Three of which are the original ones dating from 1895 and 1896, whilst the remaining one was built in 1922. The first of the original locomotives cost £1525.
The boilers are inclined on the locomotives to ensure that the boiler tubes and the firebox remain submerged when on the gradient, a standard practice on mountain railways. The locomotive always runs chimney first up the mountain pushing a single carriage in front of it. For safety reasons the carriage is not coupled to the locomotive.
| No | Name |
Works No |
Date | Status |
| 2 | Enid | 924 | 1895 | Operational |
| 3 | Wyddfa | 925 | 1895 | Operational |
| 4 | Snowdon | 988 | 1896 | Operational |
| 5 | Moel Siabod | 989 | 1896 | Out of service |
| 6 | Padarn | 2838 | 1922 | Operational |
| 7 | Ralph | 2869 | 1923 | Out of service |
| 8 | Eryri | 2870 | 1923 | Out of service |
Diesel Locomotives
Between 1986 and 1992 the company took delivery of 4 British built diesel locomotives to complement the steam fleet at a cost of £250,000 each. These locomotives are powered by 320 Horsepower (238 kW) six cylinder turbocharged Rolls Royce diesel engines of 12 litres capacity. Manufactured by Hunslet Engine Co. Leeds| No | Name |
Works No |
Date | Status |
| 9 | Ninian | 9249 | 1986 | Operational |
| 10 | Yeti | 9250 | 1986 | Operational |
| 11 | Peris | 9305 | 1991 | Operational |
| 12 | George | 9312 | 1992 | Operational |
Diesel Electric Railcars
Snowdon Mountain Railway took delivery in 1995 of three diesel-electric railcars capable of multiple unit operation and manufactured in South Wales by HPE Tredegar Ltd. Each unit is capable of being coupled with one or two other units for multiple unit operation under the control of a single driver and guard.| No | Works No |
Date |
| 21 | 1074 | 1995 |
| 22 | 1075 | 1995 |
| 23 | 1076 | 1995 |
Carriages
The original carriages were open above the waist and had canvas curtains, which provided little protection against the elements. Between 1951 and 1957 the superstructure of the original carriages was modified to produce the enclosed bodies that they sport today.
Each carriage has a capacity of 54 passengers, plus a guard. Every passenger carriage has its own set of pinions, with automatic brakes as an added precaution. If the train's speed exceeds 7.5 mph for any reason, the brake comes on.
Manufacturer: Lancaster Carriage & Wagon Co. Ltd
| No | Date |
| 2 | 1895 |
| 3 | 1895 |
| 4 | 1895 |
| 5 | 1895 |
| 8 | 1895 |
Manufacturer: Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft, Neuhausen
| No | Date |
| 6 | 1923 |
| 7 | 1923 |
Manufacturer: East Lancashire Coach Builders Ltd
| No | Date |
10 |
1987 |
Carriages
Manufacturer: Lancaster Carriage & Wagon Co. Ltd
Date |
1895 |
Caboose Car
Manufacturer: Rebuilt from 1895 Lancaster Carriage & Wagon
Co. Ltd carriage frame.
Traffic Control
A Traffic Controller at Llanberis, who is responsible for the overall
movement of traffic, controls the movement of trains. Communication
between Llanberis, the Summit and Clogwyn, as well as the guard of
each train is by means of two-way radios.
