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The Elan Valley dams
  A Royal passenger for the railway  
 

Part of the railway line which was built to the farthest of the dams is shown on this section from a 1905 map. The new dam at Craig Goch is at the top left hand corner, and the large rocky outcrop which caused a lot of problems at Devil's Gulch is off the map at the bottom right.

 
Link to map
1905 map of Craig Goch The railway line
which carried stones,
cement, and the King
to Craig Goch dam.
But not all at the
same time !
This way to Devil's Gulch !
 

King Edward VII at Elan ValleyThe Elan Valley Railway was built to haul loads of stone, timber and other building material around the enormous building site. But just three years after the death of Queen Victoria, the line was smartened up to carry the new King to inspect the newly finished dams. This souvenir postcard shows King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra walking from the train towards Craig Goch dam at the end of the line, when they came to the Elan Valley in July, 1904, to officially turn on Birmingham's new water supply.

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