Summit cafe boosts peak railway

The railway runs eight engines up to 25 times a day to the summit of Snowdon

The Snowdon Mountain Railway says there is an unprecedented demand for tickets to the mountain summit, following the opening of the new visitor centre.

The railway said ticket sales were up nearly 30% on its predictions since Hafod Eryri opened earlier this month.

More than 1,000 visitors a day have been using the 106-year-old rack-and-pinion trains to reach Snowdon's peak.

The railway's general manager said it meant that bookings on some services are being sold out two days in advance.

"After all the wonderful coverage that the opening Hafod Eryri received, a lot of people want to go and have a look at it," said the Snowdon Mountain Railway's head, Alan Kendall.

"We've had queues in the morning for tickets, and pretty much all the half-hour services we run are selling out."

The train company, which also operates the visitor centre and cafe on the summit, said the demand for places on the trains had sometime meant long waits for telephone booking.

Hafod Eryri sits at 3,488ft (1,085m) above sea level on the summit

"We have eight inquiry lines, but unfortunately some visitors have found they are waiting an hour to get through - and then we've got nothing to sell them, all the services are fully booked," said Mr Kendall.

He said the company had anticipated selling around 4,000 rail tickets in the first full week the summit centre was opened - instead it sold close to 6,000.

But he also said he believed other factors were working in the rail company's favour.

"There has been a definite increase in the number of visitors who are holidaying in the UK, with some telling us it is the first time they have decided to come to north Wales in 25 years," explained Mr Kendall.

"The other thing that has been in our favour is the weather. On the bank holidays and now, we've had the sunshine.

"It has meant that even mid-week, when the kids are in school, we have been busy.

"It is really three good news stories for us, and for the rest of the area."