Talyllyn Railway
Talyllyn Railway Rheilffordd Talyllyn | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Locomotive No. 1 Talyllyn arrives at Nant Gwernol terminus. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Locale | Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Terminus | Tywyn Wharf | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 52°35′01″N 4°05′19″W / 52.5837°N 4.0887°W | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Map showing location of Talyllyn Railway | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Commercial operations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Name | Talyllyn Railway | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Original gauge | 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preserved operations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Operated by | Talyllyn Railway Company, supported by Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stations | 7 (3 request) and 5 halts | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Length | 7.25 miles (11.67 km) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preserved gauge | 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1865 | Royal Assent achieved | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1866 | Opened for passenger services | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1911 | Sold to Henry Haydn Jones | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1946 | Quarry closed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preservation history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1951 | Taken over by the Preservation Society | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1976 | Opening of extension to Nant Gwernol | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2005 | New station building and museum opened at Tywyn | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2021 | Railway celebrated 70 years of preservation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2021 | Railway designated part of a World Heritage Site | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Talyllyn Railway (
Since preservation, the railway has operated as a tourist attraction, expanding its rolling stock through acquisition and an engineering programme to build new locomotives and carriages. In 1976, an extension was opened along the former mineral line from Abergynolwyn to the new station at Nant Gwernol. In 2005 a major rebuilding and extension of Tywyn Wharf station took place, including a much-expanded facility for the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum, and in 2021 the railway was designated a World Heritage Site as part of the slate landscape of north-west Wales.
The fictional
Name
The origin of the railway's name is uncertain: it may refer to the parish of Tal-y-llyn, which contains its eastern terminus,[9] or it may come from Tal-y-llyn,[b] a large glacial ribbon lake at the foot of Cadair Idris 3 miles (4.8 km) further east.[11]
Gauge
The
History
Commercial history
Origins and construction: up to 1866
Slate quarrying began in the hills above Tywyn in the 1830s, but although many small quarries and test levels were established, only one major quarry was developed in the region, the Bryn Eglwys quarry, 7 miles (11 km) north east of the town. Underground working began in the early 1840s,[13] and by 1847 the quarry was being worked by local landowner John Pughe. The finished slates were sent by packhorse to the wharf at Pennal, transferred to boats for a river trip to Aberdyfi (also spelled as Aberdovey), and then finally loaded into seagoing vessels, a complex and expensive transportation arrangement which limited the quarry's output.[14] In 1861 the outbreak of the American Civil War cut off supplies of cotton to the mills of the north west of England and as a result a number of prosperous mill owners looked for new business opportunities to diversify their interests. One such owner was William McConnel of Lancashire who, in 1859, had purchased Hengwrt Hall near Dolgellau, north of Tywyn. In January 1864, McConnel formed the Aberdovey Slate Company, which leased the land including Bryn Eglwys from the landowner, Lewis Morris of Machynlleth.[15]
McConnel set about improving Bryn Eglwys to increase its output. He focused on providing rail transport for the isolated quarry, and in April 1864 he reached agreement with local landowners to purchase the land necessary to build a railway towards Tywyn and onwards to the port of Aberdyfi. Construction was well underway by July 1864.
Tyler's report led to an unusual alteration, as it was discovered that the internal width of the
Tyler did not approve the opening until his listed improvements were completed, although slate trains and unofficial passenger trains were running in 1865.[3] During November of that 1866, Tyler returned to Tywyn and re-inspected the railway following which, subject to some further minor improvements, he approved its formal opening for passenger service. The first public passenger timetable was issued in December 1866,[23] and the first purpose-built, steam-worked, narrow gauge public railway in Britain opened for service.[24]
Prosperity under McConnel: 1866–1880s
The railway opened with two locomotives, one carriage and several goods vehicles in use and was operated under a "
At the time of the line's opening, stations were provided at Pendre and Abergynolwyn. In 1867, the halt at Rhydyronen opened,[27] followed by Dolgoch later that year[28] and Brynglas in 1872.[29] Some time shortly after the opening of the railway a branch to Abergynolwyn village was provided. A steep incline dropped from the mineral line east of Abergynolwyn station to the village below, where a series of tram lines radiated. Coal, building materials and general goods were delivered down the incline and the contents of the village cesspits were hauled back up for disposal along the lineside.[25]
The railway used
The line operated successfully during its early years, serving the quarry and the local district. By 1880, Bryn Eglwys employed 300 workers and was producing 8,000 long tons (8,100 t) of finished slate per year, all shipped via the railway.[13] Passenger traffic was substantial, rising from 11,500 passengers carried in 1867 to over 23,000 (roughly equivalent to 40,000 passenger journeys) in 1877.[32]
Declining fortunes: 1880s–1910
In 1879, McConnel bought out the other shareholders of the Aberdovey Slate Company, and became the sole owner of the railway, the quarry and much of Abergynolwyn village.[33]
From the 1880s onwards the "
Haydn Jones era: 1911–1950
The Bryn Eglwys quarry was the primary employer in the Abergynolwyn district, so its closure caused significant distress. In 1910, local landowner
The 1920s also saw an upsurge in holiday traffic, as Britain recovered from the war and tourism gained in popularity. The Talyllyn saw summer passenger numbers grow significantly and regularly had to supplement its formal passenger stock with slate wagons fitted with planks as seats.
The lease on Bryn Eglwys expired in 1942, but was extended on an annual basis. The October 1942 Bradshaw's Guide shows two return passenger trains operating only on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays, taking 45 minutes in each direction. No passenger service was provided on other days. Overnight on 26 December 1946, several weakened support columns in the quarry gave way, resulting in a significant collapse; the quarry was deemed unsafe and closed immediately. Haydn Jones had promised to continue operating the railway as long as he was alive and so, despite the closure of the quarry, the railway continued to run trains on a shoestring budget. In 1947 the British railway system was nationalised and the Talyllyn was one of the few operating railways not included. The reasons for this are unclear, but it is significant that all official mention of the railway had ceased several decades before and it is likely that the line was simply forgotten by officialdom.
Preservation
Rescue: 1951–1960
The author and biographer Tom Rolt visited the line in 1949, along with the locomotive engineer David Curwen.[43] In the summer of 1950, Rolt wrote a letter to the Birmingham Post newspaper suggesting that a rescue of the Talyllyn be undertaken. He received sufficient positive response for a meeting of interested enthusiasts to be held on 11 October 1950 at the Imperial Hotel in Birmingham. Around 70 people, including Patrick Whitehouse, attended the meeting, with Rolt proposing the formation of a committee to look into the acquisition of the railway. With the support of the meeting, the committee – with Rolt as chairman and Whitehouse as Secretary – met for the first time on 23 October and immediately entered into negotiation with Haydn Jones' executors.[44]
The transfer of ownership to the committee was legally complex, but both parties agreed that all shares in the railway company would be transferred from Haydn Jones' estate to a new company called Talyllyn Holdings Ltd., whose board consisted of two directors from the executors and two from the committee. The transfer took place on 8 February 1951, at which point the newly formed Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society effectively took control of the railway. The Society immediately began to publicise its efforts, hoping to raise funds and find further volunteers to help reopen the railway, and by May nearly 650 members had joined the society.[45] The railway re-opened under the control of the Society for the first time on the Whit Monday bank holiday, 14 May 1951,[46] with trains running between Wharf and Rhydyronen stations. Regular trains began to run on 4 June and continued through the summer,[47] with David Curwen acting as the first Chief Mechanical Engineer.[46] One of the volunteers who worked on the railway that month was Vic Mitchell.[48]
In the early years of preservation, the line struggled to operate using the original rolling stock. When the line was taken over in 1950 Dolgoch was the only operating locomotive and it was apparent that it was in need of a major overhaul. To enable operations to continue, two further steam locomotives, Nos. 3 and 4, were purchased from the recently closed Corris Railway in 1951 and named Sir Haydn and Edward Thomas respectively. Because both railways were built to the unusual gauge of 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) it was relatively easy to adapt the Corris locomotives to work on the Talyllyn. No. 3 became the first new locomotive to travel on the railway for over 80 years in 1951, but it frequently derailed, and on inspection it turned out that the Talyllyn track was laid approximately half an inch (13 mm) wider than the official gauge, a deliberate policy by the old company to accommodate the long wheelbase of Talyllyn. Both Talyllyn and Dolgoch had unusually wide wheel treads that allowed them to stay on the wide-of-gauge track. This problem was eventually cured by relaying the railway to its correct gauge and altering Talyllyn's trailing wheels to allow them to swivel horizontally, shortening the locomotive's fixed wheelbase.[49] No. 4 was unserviceable when it arrived, but John Alcock,[50] the chairman of the Hunslet Engine Company, was a member of the Preservation Society and had No. 4 overhauled free of charge at his works.[51] No. 4 then began service on the railway in 1952 and worked the majority of the trains that season.[52]
Another early addition to the locomotive fleet was No. 6
On 22 May 1957 the
An important development during this period was the establishment of the
Securing the infrastructure: 1960–1969
The 1960s proved to be a decade of consolidation for the Talyllyn. Pendre works underwent several much-needed expansions, adding additional covered storage for carriages and more workshop room. Modern machine tools, along with proper lighting and a new power supply were added. Substantial improvements to Tywyn Wharf station were also made, along with continued relaying and upgrading of the track to Abergynolwyn.[58] Passenger numbers continued to climb after the 1957 BBC broadcast; in 1960, 67,000 passenger journeys were made, increasing to 78,500 in 1964.[59] In response to this growing popularity the railway undertook a programme of new rolling stock construction.[60]
By the early 1960s Tywyn Wharf station was in need of major improvements. Before preservation, the station had contained only a fan of sidings, which meant that there was no way for the locomotive of an arriving train to run round the carriages. As a result, trains were pushed from behind as far as Pendre, where the locomotive could be moved past the carriages to the front of the train. A loop was installed at Wharf in 1952, being used from the start of the 1952 season, to avoid having to propel trains to Pendre,[61] but in the winter of 1964/65 a major upgrade of the station was carried out. This improved the track layout and extended the original office building to provide covered accommodation for passengers and a shop.[62]
As passenger numbers continued to grow during the late 1960s it became clear that further motive power was needed, especially as the rebuilt No. 1 was not performing well. The Talyllyn's unusual track gauge and restricted loading gauge meant that it was unlikely that a locomotive could be found that could work on the line unaltered,
Extension to Nant Gwernol: 1969–1980
The preservation society had long held ambitions to extend the railway along the former mineral extension from Abergynolwyn to the foot of the Alltwyllt incline, and as early as 1959 work had begun to trace the owners of the land that the extension traversed. Planning began in the mid-1960s, but construction did not start until 1968 when the winding house for the Abergynolwyn village incline was demolished.[65] To bring the line up to passenger standards some of the curves needed to be eased, and this required blasting work, as the line runs on a narrow ledge on the hillside at this point.[66] The extension and new station at Nant Gwernol were opened on 22 May 1976 by Wynford Vaughan Thomas who drove in the ceremonial "golden spike" to complete the extension.[67] Despite this official opening ceremony, minor work still remained to bring the extension to the standard required to run regular passenger trains, but regular train services began on 29 May 1976.[68]
Although the extension of the railway was completed in 1976, work in the vicinity continued with the creation of footpaths connecting to the new station. A new footbridge was built crossing the Nant Gwernol gorge and connecting the station with the existing path on the east side of the river. The bridge and paths were opened on 3 May 1980 by Lord Parry, the chairman of the Wales Tourist Board.[69] By the mid-1970s, it had become clear that passenger numbers were no longer increasing. After 1973, the peak year for passengers on the Talyllyn with 186,000 passenger journeys made,[70] numbers were to decline consistently until the 1990s.[71] Preliminary work on the conversion of Irish Pete for use on the Talyllyn, which had begun in the early 1970s, was put on hold in 1975 and the chassis and boiler were put into storage at Pendre.[72]
Consolidation: 1980–2001
With passenger numbers falling and the line extended to Nant Gwernol, the railway entered a period of consolidation. By 1987, the boiler on locomotive No. 6 Douglas was life expired and in need of replacement. Consideration was given to reviving the project to build a new locomotive from the components of Irish Pete instead of purchasing a new boiler for Douglas and in early 1988 work recommenced on the rebuilding of the ex-Bord na Mona locomotive. A new design for an 0-4-2 side tank locomotive was prepared by the railway's Chief Engineer John Bate, which reused the chassis and boiler from the locomotive with a new superstructure and the addition of trailing wheels, and the new locomotive, officially named Tom Rolt after the Preservation Society's first chairman, was put into service on 6 May 1991.[73] During this period further expansions of both Tywyn Wharf and Pendre stations were undertaken and Abergynolwyn station, which had been rebuilt as part of the Nant Gwernol extension in the 1970s, was expanded further to provide an additional attraction at the eastern end of the line.[71]
One major anomaly remained in the railway's operations: the 1889
New museum: 2001–present
The Preservation Society celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2001, and as part of the year of celebrations a major new project was launched to once more extend and improve facilities at Tywyn Wharf station. For many years the station had been home to semi-permanent buildings housing the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum, but the new plans for the station included the construction of a new two-storey building to house the museum and the extension of the existing station building to house a new cafe and booking office. Work began on the first phase of the project in January 2002.
The railway struggled financially for several years after the banking collapse of 2007, but slowly began to recover. In 2008 a large amount of equipment was purchased from the 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge military railway at RNAD Trecwn, including a large quantity of track components and three diesel locomotives. In 2011 the railway celebrated the 60th anniversary of its rescue by the volunteers of 1951.[78]
In April 2012 locomotive No.2 Dolgoch appeared at the Steel Steam and Stars Gala at the
Today
The Talyllyn Railway remains a successful and popular tourist attraction. The original 1860s locomotives and passenger stock still run regularly alongside the roster of more modern rolling stock. The railway is promoted as one of
Special events
The railway operates a programme of special events throughout the year. These have include in the past the Anything-Goes Gala, Have-A-Go Gala, Tom Rolt Steam and Vintage Rally and Victorian Week. Occasional events are based on locomotives masquerading as their fictional counterparts from the Skarloey Railway.[86] Since 1984 there has been an annual running event called Race the Train, which follows the railway track 7 miles (11 km) from Tywyn to Abergynolwyn and back again.[87] The challenge is for runners to complete the 14-mile (23 km) cross country route faster than the train, which takes around 1 hour 47 minutes.[88]
Young Members Group
The Young Members Group (YMG) are members and volunteers of the Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society who are between the ages of 14 and 25. On occasions during the peak season, the Railway has held Young Members Days in which the youngest qualified people available that day run the railway.[89]
Route
Map of the Talyllyn Railway. |
Original passenger line
The main terminus of the line is at
From Pendre, the railway passes over a gated
More local halts follow at Fach Goch, and Cynfal, the latter having a small platform.[90] The section from Cynfal to Rhydyronen was relaid in 1951 using rail purchased from the Corris Railway after the latter line's closure in 1948. Rhydyronen, a request stop, was the first intermediate station built on the line, opening in 1867. A siding at the station was shortened in 1957 and removed completely circa 1975. A short steep climb under a road bridge follows the station, followed by a slight downhill gradient. Unlike the Ffestiniog Railway, the Talyllyn was not designed to be worked as a gravity line, however this is the only downhill section between Pendre and Nant Gwernol.[92] Another minor halt follows at Tynllwynhen, before the passing loop and request stop at Brynglas.[93]
Above Brynglas, the line crosses the Cwm Pandy stream and enters a shallow cutting, climbing as it goes. The cutting ends at a road overbridge after which the line runs through open countryside as it starts to ascend the valley side on a ledge. After approximately 0.75 miles (1,210 m) it enters woodlands west of Dolgoch, climbing steadily, then curves to the south east and crosses the Dolgoch gorge on the Dolgoch viaduct, which carries the line 51 ft (16 m) above the Dolgoch ravine.[94] Dolgoch station is immediately east of the viaduct, situated on a left-hand curve at 187 ft (57 m) above sea level, and is the main intermediate station on the line, being popular with tourists visiting the nearby falls. The railway continues in a north easterly direction, curving through the woods and climbing the valley side. It shortly passes Quarry Siding, where a halt and passing loop are located; this is the site of a small old shale quarry, the rock from which was used for ballasting on the railway. A large permanent way and storage shed opened on the site in 2013.[95] The line continues its ascent towards Abergynolwyn station, situated on a ledge cut into the hillside.[96]
Abergynolwyn to Nant Gwernol
The original terminus of the statutory railway was Abergynolwyn, beyond which the railway continued as a 0.75-mile (1.21 km) long mineral extension, now converted for passenger use. The extension was originally sharply curved, as the line turns south east into the steeply sided Nant Gwernol gorge but these curves were eased when conversion for passenger use took place in 1976. The whole section is within woods, now owned by the Natural Resources Wales. Shortly after crossing over the forestry road the line reaches Tŷ Dŵr, where the original locomotive shed stood from 1865 until it was demolished after Pendre works opened in 1867. A slate water tower at this point was in use into the 1950s,[97] and was rebuilt in 2022.[98]
After passing the site of Ty Dwr the railway bends around 'Amen' corner and soon after the Village Incline is reached. From here the line runs into the gorge, high above the river on a narrow ledge, ending at the foot of the first incline leading to the Bryn Eglwys quarry. The original line fanned out into a set of three sidings, used to marshal trains of loaded slate wagons coming down from the quarry and empty wagons waiting to ascend.[99] Nant Gwernol station, the eastern terminus of the line, was built on the site of the sidings.[100][101]
The village of
Galltymoelfre Tramway
Until the closure of the quarries in 1946, the line east from Abergynolwyn was worked as a mineral tramway – only slate and goods trains serving Bryn Eglwys ran on this section. The quarry lay about one mile (1.6 km) south-east of Nant Gwernol station and 300 ft (91 m) above it, with a further mineral tramway connecting the quarry with the railway.[104] What is now Nant Gwernol station was the terminus of the Talyllyn Railway proper. Here the line fanned out into a set of sidings where inbound trains were left and outbound slate trains assembled. The sidings were located on a narrow ledge in the side of the Nant Gwernol gorge.[101]
Rising south-east from the end of the sidings was the 633 ft (193 m) long, double track gravity operated, Alltwyllt incline,[105] from the top of which the Galltymoelfre Tramway ran south-east towards the quarry for about 0.5 miles (800 m). The tramway was laid in light bridge rail and worked for its entire existence using horses. The tramway ended at the foot of the Cantrybedd incline, a 440 ft (130 m) long double track, gravity operated incline. This final incline rose to the north edge of Bryn Eglwys quarry, reaching a height of 612 ft (187 m) above sea level.[104]
Operation
The line has six steam locomotives for passenger trains and four diesel locomotives, which are primarily used for shunting and to haul works trains. It is unusual for all steam locomotives to be operable at the same time, as at least one is normally scheduled for overhaul.[106] The railway also owns 23 carriages and vans, including all of the original carriages and the brake van built for the railway.
The railway is
Each passing loop is controlled by a small
In popular culture
The Railway Series
The Talyllyn Railway is represented in
The Titfield Thunderbolt
The preservation of the Talyllyn Railway by volunteers was the inspiration for the 1953 film
Railway with a Heart of Gold
In 1953, the American film producer Carson "Kit" Davidson produced a documentary film entitled Railway with a Heart of Gold,[c] portraying the early days of preservation. Some incidents were staged for the film, such as a piece falling off the locomotive, which Davidson later described as "corny".[121] However most of the film was simply a record of the work and incidents that took place on the railway at the time, including a dramatic shot of Sir Haydn derailing due to the poor condition of the track at the time.[121] The film, which was preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2012,[122] ends with the quote "It is a relic, this railway, a bit of ornamental scrollwork lifted from the pattern of yesterday and kept as a memento."[123]
See also
- British narrow gauge railways
- List of 2 ft 3 in gauge railways
- List of British heritage and private railways
- Tourism in Wales
Notes
- ^ The spelling of local place names has changed during the history of the railway; for example Tywyn was generally spelled as "Towyn" until 1975.[2] Modern place name spellings are used throughout this article.
- ^ According to the Ordnance Survey, the name of the lake is hyphenated. In the early days of the preservation society, it was decided that the name of the railway would be unhyphenated.[10] This convention has been applied to the railway ever since, and is used throughout this article.
- ^ The film is available to view on the Internet Archive at Railway with a Heart of Gold.
References
- ^ Boyd 1965, page 85
- ^ Bate 2001, page 186
- ^ a b Drummond 2015, page 17
- ^ Mitchell and Eyres, 2005 page 7
- ^ Boyd 1988, page 44
- ^ Rolt 1965, page 50
- ^ Thomas 2002, page 32
- ^ Ransom 1996, page 139
- ^ Johnson 1999, page 27
- ^ "No Names, No Hyphens, No Packdrill" (PDF). Talyllyn News. 2. Talyllyn Railway: 1. November 1953. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 February 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
- ^ Boyd 1965, page 61–62
- ISBN 978-0253001498. Archivedfrom the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ a b c d Richards 1999, page 195
- ^ Boyd 1965, pages 62–63
- ^ Boyd 1988, page 9
- ^ Drummond 2015, page s 9-11
- ^ Boyd 1965, page 64
- ^ Boyd 1988, page 45
- ^ Potter, page 11
- ^ Boyd 1965, page 65
- ^ Boyd 1965, pages 68–69
- ^ a b Boyd 1965, page 70
- ^ Rolt 1998, page 13
- ^ Boyd 1965, pages 68–70
- ^ a b c Boyd 1965, page 71
- ^ Boyd 1988, page 149
- ^ Drummond 2015, page 97
- ^ Drummond 2015, page 118
- ^ Drummond 2015, page 97
- ^ Rolt 1965, pages 82–83
- ^ Rolt 1998, pages 5–6
- ^ Boyd 1965, page 118
- ^ "Death of Mr. William McConnell". The Cambrian News and Merionethshire Standard. John Askew Roberts, Edward Woodall & Richard Henry Venables. 17 October 1902. Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
- ^ Rolt 1998, pages 24–25
- ^ a b c Boyd 1965, pages 72–73
- ^ Quine, Dan (March 2015). "The Talyllyn Railway in the late Haydn Jones era". Vol. 200. Heritage Railway.
- ^ Ransom 1996, page 130
- ^ Boyd 1965, pages 116–117
- ^ Rolt 1998, page 21
- ^ Boyd 1965, pages 73–74
- ^ Quine, Dan. "Not to be: The sad end of the Corris Railway". Vol. 220. Heritage Railway.
- ^ Boyd 1965, page 74
- ^ Potter, page 59
- ^ Rolt 1965, pages 52–53
- ^ Rolt 1965, pages 54–55
- ^ a b Potter, page 78
- ^ Rolt 1965, page 56
- ISSN 0033-8923.
- ^ Boyd 1988, page 260
- ^ Rolt 1998, picture facing page 109
- ^ Johnson 1997, page 57
- ^ Rolt 1998, page 132
- ^ Boyd 1965, pages 99–100
- ^ Goddin 2002, page 46
- ^ Rolt 1965, pages 61–62
- ^ Mitchell and Eyres, 2005 page 25
- ^ Rolt 1965, pages 112–114
- ^ Bate 2001, chapter 5
- ^ Rolt 1965, page 99
- ^ Potter, page 208
- ^ a b Boyd 1965, page 77
- ^ Mitchell and Eyres, 2005 page 19
- ^ Mitchell and Eyres, 2005 page 87
- ^ Bate 2001, page 155
- ^ a b Thomas 2002, page 34
- ^ Bate 2001, page 181
- ^ Bate 2001, pages 184–185
- ^ Bate 2001, page 189
- ^ "Narrow Gauge News-Centre". Railway Times. 18: 11. June 1980.
- ^ Bate 2001, page 169
- ^ a b c d Thomas 2002, page 35
- ^ Bate 2001, page 234
- ^ Bate 2001, pages 234–237
- ^ "Facelift for 'Thomas' station". BBC News. 14 March 2003. Archived from the original on 14 October 2007. Retrieved 16 March 2008.
- ^ "Royal couple on track at station". BBC News. 13 July 2005. Archived from the original on 8 March 2006. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
- ^ Robinson, John S (26 July 2007). "The annual TRPS Council Meeting report, 2006". Talyllyn Railway Company. Archived from the original on 25 September 2011. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
- ^ "Top engineering honour for railway that helped inspire Thomas the Tank Engine". Institution of Mechanical Engineers. 30 October 2011. Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
- ^ Drummond 2015, pages 58–59
- ^ "No 2 Dolgoch at Steam Steel and Stars 3". Talyllyn Railway. 26 April 2012. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
- ^ "Queen honours Talyllyn Railway". Heritage Railway Magazine. 2 June 2013. Archived from the original on 21 January 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
- ^ Drummond 2015, page 60
- ^ "Wales' slate landscape wins World Heritage status". BBC News. 28 July 2021. Archived from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- ^ "Bryneglwys Slate Quarry, Abergynolwyn Village and the Talyllyn Railway". Llechi Cymru. Archived from the original on 28 July 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- ^ Bate 2001, page 157
- ^ Yarborough, Bruce. "The Great Little Trains of Wales website". Great Little Trains of Wales. Archived from the original on 14 May 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2008.
- ^ "Peter Sam's 65th birthday". Talyllyn Railway. Archived from the original on 19 August 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
- ^ "Race the Train website". Tywyn Rotary Club. Archived from the original on 4 April 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2008.
- ^ "Course - Rotary Challenge". Tywyn Rotary Club. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
- ^ "Young Members". Talyllyn Railway Company. Archived from the original on 23 August 2009. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
- ^ a b Potter, page 226
- ^ "Talyllyn Railway history". Talyllyn Railway Company. Archived from the original on 14 May 2010. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
- ^ Potter, page 228
- ^ Potter, page 229
- ^ Boyd 1965, pages 82–83
- ^ "The 'Guest House' opening at Quarry Siding". Talyllyn Railway. 13 May 2013. Archived from the original on 19 August 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
- ^ Boyd 1965, pages 83–84
- ^ Mitchell and Eyres 2005, page 70
- ^ "Talyllyn Railway wins National Rail Heritage Award". Talyllyn Railway. 22 December 2022. Archived from the original on 15 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
- ^ Boyd 1965, pages 84–86
- ^ Holmes 2009, page 126
- ^ a b Boyd 1988, page 159
- ^ Boyd 1988, page 153–162
- ^ Potter, page 126
- ^ a b Boyd 1988, page 165
- ^ Boyd 1988, page 162
- ^ Willans, Karen (29 August 2007). "Talyllyn website – 100% availability". Talyllyn Railway Company. Archived from the original on 21 December 2014. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
- ^ Potter, pages 130–131
- ^ Potter, pages 132–133
- ^ "History Part 8: The Nant Gwernol extension". Talyllyn Railway. Archived from the original on 1 January 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
- ^ Potter, page 222
- ^ Bate 2001, pages 128 & 186
- ^ Rolt 1965, page 102
- ^ Potter, page 89
- ^ "The Awdry Connection". Archived from the original on 4 June 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- ^ "An amazing Awdry Extravaganza weekend!". 21 August 2021. Archived from the original on 4 June 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- ^ Herbert, Ian (19 April 2000). "True home of Thomas the Tank Engine to defy threats by 'Fat Controller'". Independent. Archived from the original on 7 May 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- ^ Huntley 1969, page 77
- ^ Rolt 1998, page 115
- ^ Castens, page 5
- ^ Holmes 2009, page 40
- ^ a b Fuller, volume 2, pages 96–98
- ^ "Preserved Projects". Academy Film Archive. Archived from the original on 8 August 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
- ^ Fuller, volume 2, page 330
Bibliography
- Bate, J. H. L. (2001). The Chronicles of Pendre Sidings. RailRomances. ISBN 1-900622-05-X.
- ISBN 0-85361-024-X.
- ISBN 0-906867-46-0.
- Castens, Simon (2001). On the Trail of The Titfield Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt Books. ISBN 0-9538771-0-8.
- Cozens, Lewis (1948). The Tal-y-llyn Railway. Privately printed.
- Drummond, Ian (2015). Rails Along The Fathew. Holne Publishings. ISBN 978-0-9563317-8-6.
- Fuller, Martin (2017). Talyllyn & Corris Steam Locomotives, Volume 2: Early Preservation and Locomotive Rebuilds. Sara Eade Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9935828-3-7.
- Goddin, Geoff (September 2002). "Whose Heritage Railway is it? A Study of Volunteer Motivation" (PDF). Japan Railway & Transport Review. 32: 46–49. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 March 2009. Retrieved 1 May 2009.
- Holmes, Alan (2009). Talyllyn Revived. The Talyllyn Railway. ISBN 978-0-900317-07-1.
- Household, H. G. W. & Eldson, O. (June 1926). "The Tal-y-llyn Railway". Railway Magazine. Vol. 58. pp. 431–435.
- Huntley, John (1969). Railways in the Cinema. Ian Allan.
- ISBN 0-7110-2511-8.
- ISBN 0-7110-2654-8.
- ISBN 0-7110-1711-5.
- Mitchell, David J. & Eyres, Terry (2005). The Talyllyn Railway. Past and Present Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85895-125-9.
- Potter, D. (1990). The Talyllyn Railway. David St John Thomas. ISBN 0-946537-50-X.
- Ransom, P. J. G. (1996). Narrow Gauge Steam: Its origins and world-wide development. Oxford Publishing Co. ISBN 0-86093-533-7.
- Richards, Alun John (1999). The Slate Regions of North and Mid Wales, and their Railways. Carreg Gwalch. ISBN 0-86381-552-9.
- ISBN 0-330-02783-2.
- Rolt, L. T. C., ed. (1965). Talyllyn Century. David & Charles.
- ISBN 1-902827-05-8.
- Waite, James (2023). Talyllyn Railway: A Journey By Steam. Narrow Gauge Album No. 2. Chippenham, Wilts, UK: Mainline & Maritime. ISBN 9781900340663. Archivedfrom the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- Woodcock, G. George (September 1938). "The Tal-y-llyn Railway". Railway Magazine. Vol. 83, no. 495. pp. 197–200.