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Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society

Talyllyn Railway
Rheilffordd Talyllyn
A green saddle-tank engine stands in front of a large brick station building. Behind the engine are four red coaches.
Locomotive No. 4 Edward Thomas stands at Tywyn Wharf station – April 2005
Locale Wales
Terminus Tywyn Wharf
Coordinates 52°35′01″N 4°05′20″W / 52.583647°N 4.088783°W / 52.583647; -4.088783Coordinates: 52°35′01″N 4°05′20″W / 52.583647°N 4.088783°W / 52.583647; -4.088783
The Talyllyn Railway starts from Tywyn, on the coast of Cardigan Bay which forms a large part of the western coast of Wales. The nearest large towns are Barmouth/Abermaw to the north and Aberystwyth to the south. The railway runs inland in an approximately north-easterly direction.
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 4 and 8 halts
Length 7.25 miles (11.67 km)
Preserved gauge 2 ft 3 in (686 mm)
1865 Royal Assent achieved
1866 Opened
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
2001 Railway celebrated 50 years of preservation
2005 New station building and museum opened at Tywyn
2011 Railway celebrated 60 years of preservation

The Talyllyn Railway (Welsh: Rheilffordd Talyllyn) is a narrow gauge preserved railway in Wales running for 7.25 miles (11.67 km) from Tywyn on the Mid-Wales coast to Nant Gwernol near the village of Abergynolwyn. The line was opened in 1865 to carry slate from the quarries at Bryn Eglwys to Tywyn, and was the first narrow gauge railway in Britain authorised by Act of Parliament to carry passengers using steam haulage. Despite severe under-investment, the line remained open, and in 1951 it became the first railway in the world to be preserved as a heritage railway by volunteers.

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 2001, the preservation society celebrated its 50th anniversary, and in 2005 a major rebuilding and extension of Tywyn Wharf station took place, including a much-expanded facility for the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum.

The fictional Skarloey Railway, which formed part of The Railway Series of children's books by The Rev. W. Awdry, was based on the Talyllyn Railway. The preservation of the line inspired the Ealing Comedy film The Titfield Thunderbolt.


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Wikipedia

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