The Saints’ Way: A Failed Mission Ffordd y Saint

Foreword
The Welsh Highland Railway, one of the world's most iconic narrow gauge lines celebrated its 100th anniversaries in 2022 and 2023 namely the re-opening of the old North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways Company's route from Dinas to Rhyd Ddu in 1922 and the completion of the route via Beddgelert to Porthmadog in 1923. The Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways, Cymdeithas Rheilffordd Eryri', the Welsh Highland Railway Heritage Group and the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway worked together to organise a very comprehensive and successful programme of special trains and events in both years. In addition, the organisers arranged a research competition for the best piece of original research on the history and background of the WHR and its predecessor, the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways Company.

The contest, carried a prize of £500 and was sponsored by Mortons Media (publisher of Heritage Railway and its sister title The Railway Magazine. It is noteworthy that both publications have over many years, played an important role in reporting on the story of the Welsh Highland and its predecessors. A final list of three entries was selected by the two judges, Dr Dafydd Gwyn, who advisedGwynedd Council on its successful bid for UNESCO World Heritage status for the slate landscape of North West Wales, and Gareth Haulfryn Williams, a former county archivist of Merioneth and who retired as head of culture for Gwynedd Council in 2003. Both are Welsh speakers and are very much involved with various aspects of both the WHR and the Festiniog Railway.

All three essays had their merits and were of a very high standard, and the judges faced a challenging task choosing a winner. However, after lengthy consideration, the two eminent historians selected Stephen Murfitt's submission titled The Saints' Way: A failed mission - Ffordd y Saint. We are pleased to publish Stephen's excellent monograph as part of the WHR Heritage Group's programme of researching and recording all relevant aspects of the railway's history, both ancient and modern.