Edward Thomas’s 100th birthday celebrations

Galas at Talyllyn and Corris – Kerr, Stuart visitors boost festivities at Tywyn

TALYLLYN Railway (TR) celebrated the 100th birthday of its Kerr, Stuart ‘Tattoo’ class 0-4-2ST 4047/1921 No.4 Edward Thomas over September 11/12. Following No. 4’s visit to the Corris Railway, it returned to Tywyn with the CR’s 2005-built No. 7, a near-replica of No. 4.

In addition to a visiting loco on TR’s 2ft 3in gauge tracks, John Rowlands’ ex-Penrhyn Kerr, Stuart 0-4-2ST Stanhope and Phil Mason’s Kerr, Stuart ‘Sirdar’ class 0-4-0T 1158/1917 Diana, visiting from Apedale Valley Light Railway and Amerton Railway respectively, made guest appearances steaming on short lengths of 2ft gauge track at Wharf station.

CLIFF THOMAS CLIFF THOMAS Right: The 2ft gauge visitors: Ex-Penrhyn Kerr, Stuart 0-4-2ST Stanhope (right) and Kerr, Stuart ‘Sirdar’ class 0-4-0T 1158/1917 Diana (left) attended from the Apedale Valley Light Railway and Amerton Railway respectively. On their way ‘home’ to Staffordshire, the pair called in to Diana’s former stomping ground at Kerry, near Newtown, Powys on September 13 – the loco having originally operated on the Kerry Tramway. Left: Corris Railway’s visiting 0-4-2ST No. 7, a near-replica of the original Corris No. 4, pulls away from Tywyn Wharf station piloting Talyllyn Railway’s ex-Corris Hughes 0-4-2ST No. 3 Sir Haydn on September 12, during its visit to Talyllyn Railway (TR). No. 7’s performance was significantly better than during its previous visit to TR in 2011, thanks to work undertaken in the intervening years. The Corris Railway is currently constructing a nearreplica of No. 3 which will carry No. 10.