Uploaded August 2022 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
On July 20, 2022 the UK's record breaking heatwave finally ended as cool air blew in from the sea. Having had to curtail services the previous day, I was delighted to see that the Talyllyn Railway in Tywyn, Wales had resumed their full Blue Timetable with locomotives Tom Rolt and Douglas at the head of five round trips over the course of the day. After a full day on the line I returned the next afternoon to see that Tom Rolt had been replaced with Edward Thomas. With three engines in steam amongst the beautiful Fathew Valley I had a great time visiting the birthplace of railway preservation.
The Talyllyn Railway was built in 1865 to connect the standard gauge Cambrian Coast Line at Tywyn to the Bryn Eglwys slate quarry in the hills above Abergynolwyn. To be compatible with the wagonways inside the quarry, the line was built to the unsual gauge of 2 feet and 3 inches. Two locomotives, Talyllyn and Dolgoch, were custom built for the line's opening and would remain the sole motive power until the preservation era. Despite the name the railway never reached the village of Tal-y-llyn further up the Fathew Valley. Shortly after opening, the Talyllyn became the first narrow gauge Railway authorized by Parliament to carry passengers. When the quarry closed in 1946, sightseeing traffic allowed the railway to continue running a minimal service until the death of its owner in 1950. With closure seeming certain, author Tom Rolt began a campaign to save the railway, founding the Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society and reopening the line in 1951 as the first ever preserved railway. When the the line reopened, Talyllyn was inoperable and Dolgoch was worn out. Conveniently, the nearby and recently closed Corris Railway was also built to the 2ft3in gauge and had two locomotives in good condition. These engines were purchased within a few months of reopening and named Sir Haydin and Edward Thomas. Douglas was the next addition to the fleet, a 2 foot gauge 0-4-0T built for use at RAF Calshot. After regauging it entered service in 1954. During these early years, Reverend Wilbert Awdry spent time volunteering on the line. He would go on to write the Talyllyn into his Railway Series books (later adapted for television as Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends) as the Skarloey Raikway. With passenger numbers and the need for motive power growing, in 1969 a 3ft gauge 0-4-0T was imported from Ireland, however the difficulty of regauging put it on the back burner for many years. The decision was ultimately made to build a "new" engine from its parts, which entered service in 1991 as the Tom Rolt, bringing the fleet to its current state of six steam locomotives.
On July 20, 2022 the UK's record breaking heatwave finally ended as cool air blew in from the sea. Having had to curtail services the previous day, I was delighted to see that the Talyllyn Railway in Tywyn, Wales had resumed their full Blue Timetable with locomotives Tom Rolt and Douglas at the head of five round trips over the course of the day. After a full day on the line I returned the next afternoon to see that Tom Rolt had been replaced with Edward Thomas. With three engines in steam amongst the beautiful Fathew Valley I had a great time visiting the birthplace of railway preservation.
The Talyllyn Railway was built in 1865 to connect the standard gauge Cambrian Coast Line at Tywyn to the Bryn Eglwys slate quarry in the hills above Abergynolwyn. To be compatible with the wagonways inside the quarry, the line was built to the unsual gauge of 2 feet and 3 inches. Two locomotives, Talyllyn and Dolgoch, were custom built for the line's opening and would remain the sole motive power until the preservation era. Despite the name the railway never reached the village of Tal-y-llyn further up the Fathew Valley. Shortly after opening, the Talyllyn became the first narrow gauge Railway authorized by Parliament to carry passengers. When the quarry closed in 1946, sightseeing traffic allowed the railway to continue running a minimal service until the death of its owner in 1950. With closure seeming certain, author Tom Rolt began a campaign to save the railway, founding the Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society and reopening the line in 1951 as the first ever preserved railway. When the the line reopened, Talyllyn was inoperable and Dolgoch was worn out. Conveniently, the nearby and recently closed Corris Railway was also built to the 2ft3in gauge and had two locomotives in good condition. These engines were purchased within a few months of reopening and named Sir Haydin and Edward Thomas. Douglas was the next addition to the fleet, a 2 foot gauge 0-4-0T built for use at RAF Calshot. After regauging it entered service in 1954. During these early years, Reverend Wilbert Awdry spent time volunteering on the line. He would go on to write the Talyllyn into his Railway Series books (later adapted for television as Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends) as the Skarloey Raikway. With passenger numbers and the need for motive power growing, in 1969 a 3ft gauge 0-4-0T was imported from Ireland, however the difficulty of regauging put it on the back burner for many years. The decision was ultimately made to build a "new" engine from its parts, which entered service in 1991 as the Tom Rolt, bringing the fleet to its current state of six steam locomotives.
