Waiting game over the borders
HERITAGE railways in Wales and Scotland were having to wait longer to see when lockdown restrictions would be lifted sufficiently to allow their services to restart.
As we closed for press, the next formal review of Welsh Government restrictions was due on March 12, but there was a growing feeling that the April 23 review might open the door.
The Talyllyn Railway is now selling tickets from May 1 onwards. It is planning to stage a private event on March 17 to commemorate the arrival of Corris Railway Nos. 3 and 4 to Tywyn 70 years ago. It is likely to be streamed online.
May 14 will mark the 70th anniversary of the first volunteerrun services on the line and therefore that of the operational heritage railway sector.
General manager Stuart Williams said some VIPs would be invited.
The Corris and Talyllyn railways have rescheduled their 100th anniversary gala events for Kerr Stuart 0-4-2ST No. 4 from May 8-9 to September 4-5.
The Corris gala weekend will see the return visit of the locomotive, named Edward Thomas after it moved to the Talyllyn, to its original line.
It will be the first time that it has headed passenger trains there since 1930. It will work a mixture of passenger and freight trains in company with the modern-day Corris No. 7, a 2005 recreation of the 1921 design.
Following the event, Nos. 4 and 7 will visit the Talyllyn for a special birthday event on September 11 and 12. Both railways hope to announce further dates when No.4 will run before September 17, when its is due to be taken out of traffic for statutory boiler work.