| Official Name: | Tonfanau |
| Country: | Wales |
| Static Image Name: | The Station Masters old house and Tonfanau Quarry - geograph.org.uk - 332810.jpg |
| Static Image Caption: | The Station Master's old house and Tonfanau quarry |
| Os Grid Reference: | SH 56154 03798 |
| Coordinates: | 52.6125°N -4.1248°W |
| Community Wales: | Llangelynnin |
| Unitary Wales: | Gwynedd |
| Lieutenancy Wales: | Gwynedd |
| Constituency Westminster: | Dwyfor Meirionnydd |
| Constituency Welsh Assembly: | Dwyfor Meirionnydd |
| Post Town: | TYWYN |
| Postcode District: | LL36 |
| Postcode Area: | LL |
| Dial Code: | 01654 |
Tonfanau is a coastal village in the community of Llangelynnin, in Gwynedd (formerly Merionethshire), 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.
See main article: 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]
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.
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]
There is a one mile long racing circuit named after the village which has been used 4 times per year for motorbike racing since 1993
Racing is now organised by TRAC (Tonfanau Racing Association Club Tonfanau Road Racing) which took over when the existing team from Crewe and South Cheshire Motorcycle Club retired
Rallying was held once in 1990 but it has been exclusively motorcycles since
.[4]
See main article: Tonfanau railway station. 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 QuarryDuring 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]