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The Talyllyn Railway |
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Location: (Tywyn) 52 33N 4 05W; UK National Grid Ref: SH 591009 Location: (Nant Gwernol) 52 37N 4W; UK National Grid Ref: SH 682067 Talyllyn
Railway, Wharf Station, Tywyn, Telephone: +44 (0)1654 710472 Search WalesRails .......... Message Board |
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Talyllyn Railway topics.
History....The line today....Locomotives and rolling stock ....Days, times and fares....How to get there
The Talyllyn Railway, which celebrated its golden anniversary in 2000, is one of The Great Little Trains of Wales, a group of Welsh narrow gauge
railways which offers bargain travel through its Discount Card 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
which 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 features 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 signalling 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.
Copies of the Guide may be obtained from the Centre of Alternative Technology (CAT), which
is devoted to practical demonstration of renewable energy, energy conservation and
recycling technology. Among CAT's attractions is a water-powered cliff railway, and the
Centre offers half-price admission to visitors arriving by cycle, or travelling to the
district by train.
There is a link to CAT's web site at the end of this page.
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
travelling 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.
Since
1950, determination and hard work has resulted in the attractive railway of today, with
its locomotives' brasswork glinting in the sunlight and its kempt stations.
Tywyn (Wharf), the main station on the Talyllyn, has refreshment rooms and souvenir
shop with car park and toilet facilities.
It is also the location of the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum with free admission.
Celebrating the Museum's 50th anniversary, it charts the development of the
exhibits from modest beginnings to the present day. Over seventy railway
companies are represented, and displays, artefacts, locos and wagons record the
200-year history of narrow gauge railways in Great Britain and Ireland.
Pendre was the old passenger station on the route (Tywyn Wharf was used for the
transfer of slate to the national rail network). The Railway's locomotive sheds and
engineering works are located here. The Walks book describes a 4-hour walk to the
banks of the River Dysynni.
Rhydyronen serves the hamlet of the same name, and caravan and camping sites.
Three of the walks described in the book start from here, one to another section of the River Dysynni,
one to Pendre, and another is a woodland walk to Brynglas, the next station up the line.
Brynglas (pictured above) is the base for a strenuous walk to the summit of
Trum-gelli.
Dolgoch is a popular halt by virtue of its proximity to the Dolgoch ravine. A web
of trails and footpaths lead though woodland to a series of waterfalls, with walks ranging
in length from 30 minutes to over two hours. There is also a walk to Bird Rock, a craggy
outcrop overlooking the Dysynni Valley, and another to Abertrinant. A picnic site is close to the station.
Abergynolwyn is the main inland station on the Talyllyn, with a railway adventure
children's playground, a refreshment room, shop, toilets and car park. The station has
picnic tables on the platform, and is the start of a forest walk and of two
circular walks, one via the Dysynni Gorge and one to Castell-y-Bere.
Nant Gwernol has been the terminus since the line was extended in 1976, and is
situated in a ravine which 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.
The Talyllyn's collection of locomotive and coaches comprise what could be called a living museum: artefacts 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
Diesel Locomotives
The Talyllyn Railway's 2009 programme includes a number of special trains and events throughout the season which are given after the main timetable.
Train times are as under (all dates inclusive):
January 1and 2;
February 13 to 21; March 7, 14, 21, 28, 29, 30 and 31; April 1 and 17
to 30;September 27 to 30; October 1 to 23 and 31; November 2, 3 ,4 and 6;
and December 26 to 31
* Trains run from Tywyn at 10.30am and 1.50pm
* Return from Nant Gwernol at 11.35pm and 2.55pm.
In adverse weather conditions, check with Talyllyn Railway that train services are
not affected.
April 2 to 6; May 1 to 3;
July 19 to 25 and 31; August 1. 7, 8, 14, 15, 22, 28, 30 and 31; September 1
to 3
* Trains run from Tywyn at 10.30am, 11.40am, 1.20pm, 2.30pm and 4.10pm
* Return from Nant Gwernol at 11.35am, 12.45pm, 2.25pm, 3.35pm and 5.27pm.
Victorian Train runs in addition on Thursdays June
4, 11, 18, 25; July 2, 9 and 16; and September 10, 17 and 24.
June 1 to 4; July 26 to 30; August 2 to 6; 9 to 13; 16 to 20,
23 to 27, and 29
* Trains run from Tywyn at 10.30am, 11.40am, 12.15pm, 1.20pm, 2.30pm, 3.05pm and
4.10pm
* Return from Nant Gwernol at 11.35am, 12.45pm, 1.20pm, 2.25pm, 3.33pm, 4.10pm and
5.27pm
Extra trains run in addition on Thursday 28th May
and Thursday 27th August for the Children's Duncan Days
Extra trains run on August 15
(accommodation is limited) for the Race the Train event
Special events remaining in 2010 are as follows:
(Special Times and fares apply)
Duncan, the children's favourite engine, will be hauling trains on Spring Bank Holiday May 31st May to June4th; Mondays to Fridays July 26th to August 27th; October 23rd to 30th; and at Christmas
Fares 2010
Day Rover (unlimited travel from any station
on day of issue)
Adult £12.50; Accompanied children 5-15 years £3.00
Children under 5 travel free.
Eight Day Runabout ticket (obtainable only at Tywyn Wharf) giving unlimited travel over eight consecutive days: Adults £36.00; Accompanied children £6.00.
Reduced fares available for Senior Citizens and Disabled passengers, and for parties of 15 and over.
There are individual fares between different stations, and a small charge for bicycles and dogs.
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Tywyn is on the A493 road north of the Dovey estuary.
The Talyllyn Railway's Tywyn (Wharf) station is a quarter-of-a-mile from the Cambrian
Coast Line station of Tywyn.
Abergynolwyn station is off the B4405 road between Tywyn and Talyllyn Lake.
For details of connecting bus services, including travel planner and timetables,
visit the Traveline Cymru website.
Select this link to access the Talyllyn Railway's
web site, or here for the Narrow Gauge Railway
Museum.
Select this link to access the Centre for Alternative
Technology's web site.
Copyright © 1996/7/8/9/2000/1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10 by Deryck Lewis.
Photograph copyright © 1994. All rights reserved.
Page created July 14 1996; Redesigned March 29 1999; Last updated May 29 2010
If you have any suggestions, comments, or glitches to report, please contact the author at
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