Talyllyn marks its 70th

The Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society operated a commemorative train on 14th May, as briefly reported in NGW157, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the running of the first-ever preservation train.

Crewed by members of the then recently formed TRPS, the first train on 14th May 1951 left Tywyn Wharf station for the short trip to Rhydyronen, marking the start of heritage railways as we know them today.

Five original TRPS members from 1951, Phil Sayers, John Smallwood, Olwyn Bate, John Bate and David Mitchell, were able to join the commemorative train.

In 1951 the train was sent off after a ribbon-cutting ceremony performed by Bill Trinder, then chairman of the Talyllyn Railway Company and the newly formed TRPS. The same ribbon was used for a similar ceremony on the 50th anniversary in 2001, and for the 70th anniversary the ceremony was repeated again with the same ribbon.

This time the cutting was undertaken by John Bate. A pioneer volunteer from the beginnings of the TRPS he served as the line’s first civil engineer in a volunteer capacity from 1958 and employed as the first paid chief engineer from 1963 until his retirement in 1994. John has been a vice-president of the Society since then.

John was introduced by David Mitchell, now president of the TRPS, and current Society chairman Jonathan Mann.

The commemorative train was double headed by locomotives no 2 ‘Dolgoch’ and no 4 ‘Edward Thomas – these two engines maintained services in the highly difficult first two years of operation in preservation. The train stopped at Rhydyronen before continuing to Abergynolwyn for passenger refreshments and then returning to Tywyn Wharf.

Photos: Barbara Fuller/TR and TR Archive Above: Flanked by TRPS chairman Jonathan Mann and president and fellow original member David Mitchell, John Bate prepares to cut the celebratory ribbon, replicating the scene in 1951 (inset).

Photo: Frank Nolan/TR Five members who were there in 1951 were present for the 70th celebration.