Duffws railway station

Duffws is a former railway station in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales, housed in a stone building that survives from the industrial era. The structure originally had two platforms serving both standard and narrow gauge trains that connected the slate quarries and surrounding region.

The station opened in 1866 and operated trains until 1931, when passenger services moved to a different Great Western Railway station. This closure marked the end of an era for this particular location, though the region kept its rail connections.

The building reflects how important railways were to the slate mining communities of this area, serving workers and materials moving in and out daily. Walking through Blaenau Ffestiniog, you can still sense the connection between transport and the industry that shaped the town.

The former station building now serves as a public toilet facility in a central car park of Blaenau Ffestiniog. Visitors can easily find it in the town center, where it functions as an active building serving the community.

When slate mining was at its peak, five different railway stations operated at the same time in Blaenau Ffestiniog, showing how essential rail transport was to the industry. This abundance of stations is hard to imagine today when only scattered buildings remain.