Tonfanau

Tonfanau
The Station Master's old house and Tonfanau quarry
Tonfanau Location within Gwynedd
OS grid reference	SH 56154 03798
Community	Llangelynin
Principal area	Gwynedd
Ceremonial county	Gwynedd
Country	Wales
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	TYWYN
Postcode district	LL36
Dialling code	01654
Police	North Wales
Fire	North Wales
Ambulance	Welsh
UK Parliament	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
List of places UK Wales Gwynedd 52°36′45.1″N 4°07′29.2″W / 52.612528°N 4.124778°W / 52.612528; -4.124778Coordinates: 52°36′45.1″N 4°07′29.2″W / 52.612528°N 4.124778°W / 52.612528; -4.124778

Tonfanau is a coastal village in the community of Llangelynin, in Gwynedd (formerly Merionethshire), Wales. It is 2.4 miles (3.9 km) north of Tywyn. The village is served by Tonfanau railway station.

During the Second World War an army base was created near the village. Around 600 men were stationed at the camp, which specialised in training personnel in anti-aircraft artillery.

Until 1992, a granite quarry existed to the north of the village.

All Arms Junior Leaders' Regiment[]

From May 1959 until August 1966 the camp was the home of the All Arms Junior Leaders' Regiment (A.A.J.L.R.).^[1]

PYTHON site[]

From 1968 the camp was one of the designated sites for plan PYTHON, the plan for continuity of government in the event of nuclear war. It was only the temporary PYTHON site for Wales and Aberystwyth University became the designated site soon after.

Refugee Camp[]

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In 1972, six years after closing in 1966, the base was reopened and used as a refugee centre. Over 3,000 Ugandan Asians, fleeing from persecution by Idi Amin, were housed there for six months before being settled elsewhere.^[2][3]

Motor Racing[]

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There is a one mile long racing circuit named after the village which is mainly used for motorbike races, although car racing is also done on the track.^[4]

Transport[]

Tonfanau Railway Station is located on the Transport For Wales Cambrian Line. It has close connections to Birmingham (New St), Shrewsbury, Llandudno, and Aberystwyth. The next station south is Tywyn, and the next station north is Llwyngwril.

Granite Quarry[]

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In 1892, a group of local miners opened a granite quarry to the north of the village. Among them was , who was a draper from Tywyn and attempted to open many quarries in the district – among them were Dolgoch quarry, , and (which were all unsuccessful^[5] – Tonfanau quarry was his only enduring mining venture).^[6]

During the First World War, several German prisoners of war (who were being housed in Tywyn worked at the quarry between June 1918 and November 1919 (after which they were transferred to Frongoch internment camp near Bala); one of them experienced a fatal accident – they died from the injuries in Machynlleth Cottage Hospital.^[7]

The quarry closed in 1998, 106 years after opening.^[6]

See also[]

• Tonfanau railway station

References[]

External links[]

• Tonfanau quarry's entry on the National Monuments Record of Wales (NMRW)'s website
• The tramway to Tonfanau quarry, on the NMRW's website
• The engine shed and works for the Tonfanau quarry tramway, on the NMRW's website
• Tonfanau army camp, on the NMRW's website
• Tonfanau farm, on the NMRW's website