Talyllyn Railway

Talyllyn Railway















Reference: http://www.talyllyn.co.uk/ Peter J Smith
http://www.carendt.us/microplans/index.html July 2009
Talyllyn Railway


The Talyllyn Railway, which celebrated its golden anniversary in 2000, is one of Great Little Trains of Wales, a group of Welsh narrow gauge railways that offers bargain travel through its Wanderer Ticket scheme.The Talyllyn operates over 7¼ miles of 2ft. 3in. gauge track along the Fathew Valley from Tywyn Wharf near the coast of Cardigan Bay, to Nant Gwernol, three miles from the lake that gives the railway its name.Much of the route is within the Snowdonia National Park, and leaflets are available detailing scenic walks from many of the stations.
The Talyllyn Railway is featured in the Green Guide to the Dyfi Valley, which highlights the use of environmentally friendly initiatives in the tourism industry. Those adopted by the Talyllyn include the use of solar cells to power signaling equipment at Brynglas and Quarry Siding, using timber from a sustainable local forest, new composting toilets at Dolgoch, and filling the boilers of its steam locomotives with water from the river.
History
The line opened in October 1865, and it is surprising to learn that it still uses two of the original locomotives and coaching stock. In fact three of the locos are over a century old. The Victorian train run on certain Saturdays offers the unique experience of traveling in the original coaches behind an original Victorian locomotive.The line was the first narrow gauge railway to be designed to be operated with steam locomotives, and was built, like many of the narrow gauge railways in North Wales, including the Corris Railway, to serve the slate industry, but also carried passengers almost from the outset. The line ran only as far as Abergynolwyn, from where Bryn Eglwys quarry was reached by cable-worked inclines.The quarry closed in 1946, but the railway's owner pledged to keep the line open for as long as he lived. He died in 1950, but the line was saved from closure by a group of enthusiasts who formed a preservation society (the world's first) dedicated to safeguarding its future.

The railway today
Since 1950, determination and hard work has resulted in the attractive railway of today, with its locomotives' brass work glinting in the sunlight and its kempt stations.
The quarry, situated in a ravine, has no road access. It is, however, the starting point for a series of walks, which take in the surrounding woodland, and relics of the slate industry to which the railway owes it existence.
Locos and Rolling Stock
The Talyllyn's collection of locomotive and coaches comprise what could be called a living museum: artifacts a century old, yet still fulfilling the purpose for which they were made. Two of the locos (Nos. 3 and 4) worked the Corris Railway (2ft 3in gauge being relatively rare) and were brought to the Talyllyn in 1951.

Steam Locomotives
Fletcher Jennings 0-4-2ST No 1 Talyllyn, built 1864
Fletcher Jennings 0-4-0WT No 2 Dolgoch, built 1866
Hughes Engineering 0-4-2ST No 3 Sir Haydn, built 1878
Kerr Stuart 0-4-2ST No 4 Edward Thomas, built 1921
Barclay 0-4-0WT No 6 Douglas, built 1918
Barclay 0-4-2T No 7 Tom Rolt, built 1948
Diesel Locomotives
Ruston Hornsby 4DWM No 5 Midlander, built 1940
Ruston Hornsby 4WDH No 8 Merseysider, built 1964
Hunslet 0-4-0DM No 9 Alf, built 1950
















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History

Originally called King's Station after a local landowner, it was not a passenger station at first, but a place for transhipment of slates from the narrow gauge to the adjoining Cambrian Railway. Passenger trains started at the next station, Pendre.
Even after passenger services started running, the station had no run-round loop; shunting was carried out by propelling trains up the gradient out of the station and allowing them to run in under gravity. It was only after the line had been preserved in 1951 that a loop was finally provided.
As with all stations on the railway, there is only one platform, on the north side of the line, and the coaches have doors on that side only. This is due to tight clearances under the bridges. There are also sidings, a water tower and coaling station. Llechfan, the hostel provided for volunteers on the railway, is a former private house on the opposite side of the line.
Station Environment
As the line leaves the station it passes under a road bridge that carries the A493 Macyhynlleth to Barmouth road. This bridge was rebuilt in 1955 by Merioneth County Council (as it was at the time), as it had become unsafe due to the heavier traffic passing over it. The council had argued that the Talyllyn, as builders and therefore owners of the bridge, should pay for repairs. However, the secretary of the society replied that the contribution towards repair would be "limited to the cost of putting the decking into a safe condition to carry the loads for which it was originally designed. If the council wishes the bridge to carry heavier loads than those envisaged in 1865 then it would have to be responsible for the additional strengthening required."
Narrow Gauge Railway Museum
The Narrow Gauge Railway Museum was first built in 1955 in a disused gunpowder store, housing some relics and locomotives that had been donated to the Talyllyn but for various reasons were not suitable for use. This was later moved into a separate building. Since then, the station building and museum have both been extended, culminating in the opening in 2005 of a brand new museum, shop and cafe by Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall, following demolition of the previous museum building.









Layout




Layout of King's Station in 1865


Layout of Wharf station in 1964






















Bryn Eglwys