List of Talyllyn Railway rolling stock.html



This is a list of the rolling stock on the Talyllyn Railway (Welsh: Rheilffordd Talyllyn), a 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) narrow gauge preserved railway line running for 7.25 miles (11.67 km)¹ from Tywyn on the Mid-Wales coast to Nant Gwernol near the village of Abergynolwyn. The line was opened in 1866 to carry slate from the quarries at Bryn Eglwys to Tywyn, and was the first narrow gauge railway in Britain authorised by Act of Parliament to carry passengers using steam haulage.²³ Despite severe under-investment,⁴ the line remained open, and in 1951 it became the first railway in the world to be preserved as a heritage railway by volunteers.⁵⁶

When first opened, the railway owned two steam locomotives, Talyllyn and Dolgoch, and five carriages, including one brake van. There were no additions to the rolling stock until the line was taken over in 1951. Two ex-Corris locomotives were then purchased from British Railways, and subsequent additions brought the total up to six steam locomotives, four diesels and 23 carriages.

Locomotives

The line has six steam locomotives for passenger trains and four diesel locomotives that usually haul only works trains. It is unusual for all steam locos to be operable at one time, as there is usually one loco undergoing overhaul.⁷ As of October 2007, loco No 6 Douglas has been stripped down for boiler overhaul, and will be unavailable for the 2008 season.⁸

Steam locomotives

No.	Name	Image	Type	Builder	Works number	Date built	Cylinder size	Boiler pressure
1	Talyllyn		0-4-2 ST	Fletcher, Jennings & Co., Whitehaven	429	1864	8⅝ in x 16 in (219 mm x 406 mm)10	160 psi (1,100 kPa)10
			Original locomotive. Built as an 0-4-0 without a cab. By 1866 trailing wheels had been added to improve stability. At the same time it had a cab installed. Named after the railway.
2	Dolgoch		0-4-0 WT	Fletcher, Jennings & Co., Whitehaven	6311	1866	7⅝ in x 16 in (194 mm x 406 mm)10	150 psi (1,000 kPa)10
			Original locomotive. Ran under the name Pretoria for several years after the Boer War. Built without a cab, it later had one added. Named after the intermediate station and local waterfalls.
3	Sir Haydn		0-4-2 ST	Hughes, Falcon Works, Loughborough	32311	1878	7⅛ in x 12 in (181 mm x 305 mm)10	160 psi (1,100 kPa)10
			Ex-Corris Railway locomotive. Purchased in 1951 and subsequently named after Sir Henry Haydn Jones, owner of the railway prior to preservation.
4	Edward Thomas		0-4-2 ST	Kerr Stuart, Stoke on Trent	404711	1921	7⅛ in x 12 in (181 mm x 305 mm)10	160 psi (1,100 kPa)10
			Ex-Corris Railway locomotive. Purchased in 1951 and subsequently named after the general manager of the line prior to preservation.
6	Douglas		0-4-0 WT	Andrew Barclay, Kilmarnock	143111	1918	6⅞ in x 10¾ in (175 mm x 273 mm)10	160 psi (1,100 kPa)10
			A "Modified E Class",12 built for the depot railway serving RAF Calshot. Donated to the Talyllyn in 1953 and regauged from 2 ft (610 mm) gauge. Named after Douglas Abelson, who donated the locomotive.13
7	Tom Rolt		0-4-2 T	Talyllyn Railway	n/a	1991	8½ in x 12 in (216 mm x 305 mm)10	180 psi (1,200 kPa)10
			Built by TR from components from a Bord na Móna (Irish Peat Board) Andrew Barclay locomotive. It was originally intended to give the loco the jocular name Irish Pete. However, prior to completion of the loco, it was decided to name it in honour of L.T.C. Rolt, one of the founders of the TR Preservation Society.

Diesel locomotives

No.	Name	Image	Type	Builder	Date built	Power (hp)	Wheel diameter
5	Midlander		4wDM	Ruston & Hornsby	1940	4810	1 ft 6 in10
			Purchased in 1957 from Jee's quarries at Hartshill.14 It contains parts that were cannibalised off an identical locomotive. Named after the Midlands area group of the preservation society that donated the locomotive.
8	Merseysider		4wDH	Ruston & Hornsby	1964	5010	1 ft 6 in10
			This was originally built using parts from three 3 ft (914 mm) gauge locomotives from Park Gate steelworks in Rotherham, acquired in 1969.15 The superstructure was replaced c.2000. Has a Dowty hydrostatic transmission. The name was chosen by the donor of the locomotive.16
9	Alf		0-4-0DM	Hunslet Engine Co.	1950	7510	2 ft10
			Ex-National Coal Board, from Huncoat colliery in Lancashire.15 Named after Alf Robens, chairman of the National Coal Board.17
10	Bryn Eglwys		4wDH	Motor Rail	1985	11010	1ft 11 in10
			Originally a 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge National Coal Board locomotive from Hem Heath colliery near Stoke-on-Trent.18 It arrived on the Talyllyn September 1997,19 and was re-painted into standard Talyllyn livery during summer 2005. The locomotive is named after the Bryn Eglwys slate quaries.

• DH = Diesel-Hydraulic - Diesel loco with hydraulic transmission (incorporating a torque converter)
• DM = Diesel-Mechanical - Diesel loco with mechanical transmission

Self-propelled engineering plant

Name	Image	Type	Builder	Date built	Notes
"Toby"		Permanent Way Trolley	John Bate	1955	Small trolley used by engineers for transportation to worksites. Built from a second hand Austin 7 engine and gearbox, mounted on a custom-made chassis.20
-		Ballast tamper	Matisa21	1990	Rail mounted track tamper. Parts of two ex-MOD standard gauge tampers were acquired in 1989 and one complete machine was assembled and commissioned on 26 June 1990.22
-		Flail Mower	Talyllyn Railway	1998	Rail mounted self propelled vehicle used to clear lineside vegetation.23 Designed by John Bate (Chief Engineer 1963-1994) and built from chassis components from two Ruston & Hornsby locomotives, the framing and motor components of a Smalley excavator, the flail mechanism and cab from a McConnel flail mower and a new Perkins diesel power unit.24

Former locomotives

• PM = Petrol-Mechanical -Petrol loco with mechanical transmission

Visiting locomotives

Because of the unusual gauge, there has only been one visiting locomotive to date (spring 2008). This was Motor Rail Simplex diesel No. 5 Alan Meaden from the Corris Railway. However, there are plans for Corris loco number 7 to visit the Talyllyn in 2009, as part of the celebrations of the 150th anniversary of that line.

No.	Name	Image	Type	Builder	Date built	Notes
5	Alan Meaden		4w DM	Motor Rail Simplex	1965	Ex-Staveley Lime Products, Hindlow, Derbys. Formerly 2 ft (610 mm) gauge. Named in honour of the Corris Society's founder.

Carriages

The Talyllyn railway has a total of 23 carriages:²⁹

No.	Image	Builder	Date built	Notes
1		Brown, Marshalls30	c. 18679	Original 4-wheel carriage, seating 18.
2		Brown, Marshalls31	c. 18679	Original 4-wheel carriage, seating 24.
3		Brown, Marshalls32	1866	Original carriage, seating 22. No. 3 was the first to be delivered,33 and is 1 foot shorter than Nos. 1 and 2.34
4		Lancaster Wagon35	1867	Known as "Limping Lulu" to railway staff. Original carriage, seating 24.
5		Brown, Marshalls36	c. 1866 9	Original guards van.
6		Falcon Works37	1885	Guards Van, ex-Corris Railway.
7		Believed de Winton. Converted by the Talyllyn Railway.38	Unknown. Converted in 1953.	Ex-Penrhyn Quarry Railway carriage 'H'. Converted in 1986 to a wheelchair saloon with guards compartment.39
8		Penrhyn Quarry Railway. Converted by the Talyllyn railway.40	Between 1904 and 1908. Converted in 1953.	Open sided, ex Penrhyn carriage 'P'.
9		W.G. Allen & Tisdales41	1954	Bogie carriage, capacity 48.
10		W.G. Allen & Tisdales42	1954	Bogie carriage seating 30, with guards compartment.
11		Penrhyn Quarry Railway. Converted by the Talyllyn Railway43	Unknown. Converted in 1955.	Open sided 4 wheel carriage, seating 24.
12		Talyllyn Railway44	1956	Open sided.
13		Talyllyn Railway45	1957	Open sided.
14		Midland R.C.&W.46	1892	Ex-Glyn Valley Tramway.
15		Midland R.C.&W.47	1892	Ex-Glyn Valley Tramway.
16		Kerr Stuart & TR48	1961	Guards compartment.
17		Metropolitan C.&W.49	189850	Ex-Corris Railway.
18		Talyllyn Railway51	1965
19		Talyllyn Railway & Tisdales52	1969
20		Talyllyn Railway & Tisdales53	1970	Wheelchair saloon.
21		Talyllyn Railway & Tisdales54	1971	Wheelchair saloon.
22		Talyllyn Railway & Tisdales55	1972	Guards compartment.
23		Talyllyn Railway & Tisdales56	1975

Goods wagons

The original Talyllyn Railway was primarily constructed for conveying slate. It had a large number of slate wagons for this purpose, some of which survived into the preservation era. It also had a number of other general and special purpose goods wagons. Since the takeover of the railway by the Preservation Society a large number of additional wagons have been purchased and built. The following table lists the main types of wagon used during both periods:

Body Type	Image	Builder	Modern numbers	Number owned	Capacity	Origin	Notes
Corris open end door		unknown	128	1	2 tons	Corris Railway	Acquired in 1951 from the Corris Railway.9 One remains in use.28
Corris open side door		unknown	428	1	1 ton	Corris Railway	Acquired in 1951 from the Corris Railway.9 One remains in use.28
TR open end door		unknown	5, 8, 11, 13, 15, 1728	10			A variety of general purpose open wagons. 57
Underframe only		unknown	6, 7, 928
Flat wagon		David Curwen	1928	1			Converted from the original locomotive No. 5
Ballast hopper		unknown	20, 21, 22, 23, 2428	5		Winchburgh Shale Oilworks	Acquired in 1956.9 One remains in service.28
MoD covered van		unknown	2828	1		Ministry of Defence	Obtained from Trecwn and regauged from 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge
Tool van		unknown	2928	1
FR Bolster wagon		unknown	30, 31, 3328	3		Ffestiniog Railway	Open frame wagons used in pairs to carry timber. 57
FR Flat wagon		unknown	32, 34, 3528	3	3 tons	Ffestiniog Railway	Acquired in 1956, regauged from 1 ft 11½ in (597 mm) gauge. 9
Bowaters flat		unknown	3628
Bowaters flat with crane		unknown	3728
Tipper wagon		various	40, 41, 42, 43, 50, 52, 53, 54, 5528	9		Cefn Coch quarry	A set of 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge wagons obtained in 1975. Four, Nos. 40-43 remain in service as tipping wagons.58
MoD flat wagon		unknown	60, 61, 6228	3		Ministry of Defence
MoD bogie brake van		unknown	7028	1
MoD Boflat		unknown	71, 7228	2		Ministry of Defence
Slate wagon		unknown	101, 136, 16428	115 9			2- and 3-bar wooden slate wagons. 57 Three remain in the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum collection: two 2-bar and one 3-bar wagons.28
Incline wagon		unknown	11728	5	1 ton		General purpose wagon, built with sheet iron sides and designed to prevent spillages while hauled on the Abergynolwyn village incline. 57
Covered van		unknown	14628	3			All withdrawn by 1932. 57 One remains in the museum.28
Gunpowder van		unknown		1			Special purpose wagon for transporting blasting powder to Bryn Eglwys. Scrapped in 1955. 57
Corris mail wagon		unknown	28			Corris Railway

Liveries

The standard livery for locomotives on the Talyllyn is bronze deep green,⁵⁹ lined in black and yellow, although since the 1980s there has been a policy of varying some of the liveries for a period of time. It is usual to have one steam engine painted in the guise of one of its fictional counterparts from the Skarloey Railway and wearing a face on the smokebox. - this is usually No 3 or No 4, as the red livery closely resembles the colour carried by these locos on the Corris Railway.

The liveries carried by the steam locos in 2008 are as follows:-

• No 1 - Black with red and white lining.⁶⁰
• No 2 - In a lined maroon livery.⁶¹
• No 3 - In Indian Red, due to appear as "Children's Engine" Sir Handel for 2008.⁶²
• No 4 - In standard Talyllyn green.
• No 6 - This loco is dismantled for overhaul, but previously appeared as "Skarloey Engine" Duncan.
• No 7 - In standard Talyllyn green.

The vintage rolling stock and the carriages built for the line after preservation, are cherry red, lined with deep bronze green. Additionally, the railway has preserved rolling stock from other railways. These retain their original liveries.

The Corris coach (Talyllyn Number 17) and brakevan (Talyllyn Number 6) are brown lined with gold leaf and the two Glyn Valley Tramway coaches (Talyllyn Numbers 14 and 15) are green lined with white.⁵⁹

References

Bibliography

• Bate, J.H.L. (2001). The Chronicles of Pendre Sidings. RailRomances. ISBN 1-900622-05-X. 
• Boyd, James I.C. (1970). Narrow Gauge Railways in Mid Wales, 2nd edition, Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-024-X. 
• Boyd, James I.C. (1988). The Tal-y-llyn Railway. Wild Swan Publications Ltd. ISBN 0906867460. 
• Cox, David (1983). Welsh Narrow Gauge in the 1980s. Battenhall Books. ISBN 095085770X. 
• Hatherhill, Ann and Gordon (2004). Narrow Gauge & Industrial Album. RCL Publications. ISBN 0953876357. 
• Mitchell, David J. and Eyres, Terry (2005). The Talyllyn Railway. Past and Present Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1858951259. 
• Morland, R. J. (2005). The Talyllyn Railway in Colour. R. J. Morland. ISBN 0-9549893-0-9. 
• Potter, D. (1990). The Talyllyn Railway. David St John Thomas. ISBN 0-946537-50-X. 
• Ransom, P.J.G (1996). Narrow Gauge Steam: Its origins and world-wide development. Oxford Publishing Co. ISBN 0860935337. 
• Rolt, L.T.C. (ed.) (1965). Talyllyn Century. David & Charles. 
• Thomas, Cliff (2002). The Narrow Gauge in Britain and Ireland. Atlantic Publishing. ISBN 1902827058. 

v • d • e  Talyllyn Railway Main articles Talyllyn Railway • Rolling stock • Stations and halts‎ Locomotives Talyllyn • Dolgoch Locations Tywyn Wharf • Pendre • Rhydyronen • Brynglas • Dolgoch • Abergynolwyn • Nant Gwernol • Bryn Eglwys People Henry Haydn Jones • William McConnel • L. T. C. Rolt • James Swinton Spooner Miscellaneous Corris Railway Grand Tour • Narrow Gauge Railway Museum • Race the Train