Tonfanau


Tonfanau is a coastal village in the community of Llangelynin, in Gwynedd, Wales. It is 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.

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

In 1972, eight 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.

Motor Racing

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.

Transport

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

Granite Quarry

In 1892, a group of local miners opened a granite quarry to the north of the village. Among them was W. W. Jones, who was a draper from Tywyn and attempted to open many quarries in the district – among them were Dolgoch quarry, Melinllynpair quarry, and Nantcynog quarry.
During the First World War, several German prisoners of war worked at the quarry between June 1918 and November 1919 ; one of them experienced a fatal accident – they died from the injuries in Machynlleth Cottage Hospital.
The quarry closed in 1998, 106 years after opening.