Gwyn Briwnant Jones was born and educated in Machynlleth. He is the author of several books on Welsh railway history. A retired art teacher and local history enthusiast, he now lives in Cardiff. His most recent publications are Tales of the Old Corris and Cip ar Gymru / Wonder Wales: Cledrau Cymru / Rails Across Wales.
English review follows Mae Cledrau Cymru yn rhoi cip brysiog a bywiog ar y diwydiant rheilffyrdd yng Nghymru i'r darllenydd. Yn ddiddorol ddigon, yng Nghymru Pen y Darren i fod yn fanwl gywir yr aeth y tren stm cynta yn y byd ar gledrau. A minnau o Lanelli, rwyn ei chael hin anodd esgusodi Gwyn Briwnant Jones am anghofio am gamp arloesol Alexander Raby a fun byw yn y dre honno! Agorodd Raby reilffordd ir Tymbl yn 1803. Ond mae na sylw haeddiannol yn y gyfrol i reilffordd Ystumllwynarth -- ar y rheilffordd honno yn 1807 y cludwyd y teithwyr cynta yn y byd i dalu am eu tocyn. Heb os, fel y dengys y gyfrol hon, mae Cymru wedi chwarae rhan bwysig yn natblygiad y diwydiant rheilffyrdd, a theg dweud nad yw Cymru wedi cael sylw dyledus yn y maes. Maer gyfrol hon yn gwneud iawn am hynny. Mae yn y gyfrol luniau cyfareddol yn cofnodi datblygiad rheilffyrdd yng Nghymru. Braf hefyd yw gweld ambell boster ac amserlen y cyfan yn dod hiraeth a balchder i nir Cymry am gyfnod llewyrchus y diwydiant. Mae Gwyn Briwnant Jones yn feistr ar ei bwnc ac mae wedi llwyddo i greu llyfr syn atyniadol i bawb boed y rheini'n arbenigwyr neu'n newydd-ddyfodiaid ir maes. Maer hanesion diddorol a geir yma yn addas ar gyfer pob oedran. Stuart Cole ********************** Rails Across Wales gives a quick flick through Waless railway industry. Many people abroad (particularly England) tend to forget that the first steam engine in the world to run on rails did so at Pen y Darren. While not quite excusing Gwyn Briwnant Jones for excluding Alexander Raby of Llanelli, whose railway to Tumble opened in 1803, he does point to Waless other railway first when the Oystermouth railway (1807) carried the first fare-paying passengers in the world. No doubt, as this book clearly shows, Wales has played a vital part in the development of the rail industry. But due to the lack of Welsh spin doctors in earlier years we are not fully aware of Waless contribution. Rails Across Wales reminds me of the rails stamped with Port Talbot steel which I saw at Francistown Junction in Botswana (1981) and which created Cardiff as the worlds coal centre. In this book, Gwyn Jones has included high quality photographs of long closed lines which were once grand and extensive railways. We also have glimpses of nostalgic posters and timetables which highlight the importance of the railway in the growth of seaside resorts from Barry to Llandudno. Even then, passengers were attracted by discount tickets despite never having heard of yield management. Here is an author with the skill to extract, from his extensive knowledge of Waless railways, those essential elements which Sellar and Yeatman (1066 and All That) referred to as all you can remember about the railways in Wales. Rails Across Wales completes the story on board the Gerallt Gymro fast service between north and south Wales with its dining car providing breakfast in true Edwardian style for no less a person than our Deputy First Minister. Stuart Cole Gellir defnyddio'r adolygiad hwn at bwrpas hybu, ond gofynnir i chi gynnwys y gydnabyddiaeth ganlynol: Adolygiad oddi ar www.gwales.com, trwy ganiatd Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru. It is possible to use this review for promotional purposes, but the following acknowledgment should be included: A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Welsh Books Council. -- Welsh Books Council
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