Corris Railway
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Rheilffordd Corris |
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| Maespoeth Junction locomotive shed during early 1980s restoration work. | |
| Locale | Mid-Wales |
| Terminus |
(Original) Machynlleth & Aberllefenni (Current) Maespoeth & Corris |
| Connections |
Ratgoed Tramway at Aberllefenni Cambrian Railways at Machynlleth Assorted minor quarry tramways |
| Commercial operations | |
| Name | Corris Railway Company |
| Built by | Corris, Machynlleth & River Dovey Tramroad |
| Original gauge | 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) |
| Preserved operations | |
| Owned by | Corris Railway Company Ltd |
| Operated by | Corris Railway Society |
| Stations | 2 |
| Length | 58 chains (1,170 m) (operational) |
| Preserved gauge | 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) |
| Commercial history | |
| Opened | 1859 onwards (as below) |
| 1859 | Opened to freight (horse-drawn) |
| 1878 | Locomotive operation commenced |
| 1883 | Opened to passengers |
| 1931 | Closed to passengers |
| 1948 | Closed to freight |
| Preservation history | |
| 1966 | Supporters' group formed |
| 1970 | Corris Railway Museum opened |
| 1971 | Demonstration track laid |
| 1981 | Maespoeth shed purchased |
| 2002 | Passenger services restored |
| 2005 | Steam motive power restored |
| Headquarters | Maespoeth Junction |
| Website | |
| http://www.corris.co.uk | |
The Corris Railway (Welsh: Rheilffordd Corris) is a narrow gauge preserved railway based in Corris on the border between Merionethshire (now Gwynedd) and Montgomeryshire (now Powys) in Mid-Wales.
The line opened in 1859, and originally ran from Derwenlas, south east of Machynlleth north to Corris and on to Aberllefenni. Branches served the slate quarries at Corris Uchaf, Aberllefenni, the isolated quarries around Ratgoed and quarries along the length of the Dulas Valley.
The railway closed in 1948, but a preservation society was formed in 1966, initially opening a museum; a short section of line between Corris and Maespoeth was re-opened to passengers in 2002. The railway now operates as a tourist attraction. A new steam locomotive was built for the railway, which was delivered in 2005. The two surviving locomotives, plus some of the original rolling stock, are preserved on the nearby Talyllyn Railway.
The gauge of the railway is 2 ft 3 in (686 mm).
Proposals to construct a line to connect the slate quarries in the district around Corris, Corris Uchaf and Aberllefenni with wharves on the estuary of the Afon Dyfi west of Machynlleth first appeared around 1850 with Arthur Causton as engineer.
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Wikipedia