Class 26 reaches LR’S new Corwen station

AFTER THE much-publicised financial problems on the Llangollen Railway following the collapse into receivership of Llangollen Railway PLC and services restarting on the railway in July under the auspices of the Llangollen Railway Trust, it has reported a successful first operating season under its new structure.

Work continues on the reconstruction of the extension to Corwen (see Railways Illustrated, December 2021) and engineering trains have been making regular visits to the new terminus to drop ballast around the new trackwork in preparation for reopening the extension to the station next spring.

On November 20, it was the turn of Class 26 D5310 to haul the Corwen engineering train, making history as the first main line diesel locomotive to reach the new station in preservation. The last visit of a main line diesel to the site was as part of the demolition trains lifting track on the route after closure by British Railways.