The preservation of the Talyllyn Railway feels like the sort of idea you come up with in a pub with mates after a few pints. "You know what I wanna do?" "Tom what idea do you have?" "Theres this lovely little railway in Wales, and we should save it!" "YES!!! THAT'D BE AMAZING!"
I’m actually a member of the Talyllyn Railway so seeing all this history of the railway posted online makes me very happy to see. I usually go on the railway every summer. 😊🚂
What an amazing experience that must be! I'm from the states and have been a big fan of Thomas and the Reverend Awdry's work since I was little. It's always been a dream of mine to visit that little railway. I did however get to visit the narrow gauge railway of New Romney Hythe and Dymchurch or the RH&DR? It was a gorgeous line in itself and it made me think of you guys!
Real-life events for Awdry's Skarloey and Mid-Sodor stories as well as for mountain engines: * Skarloey remembers - How Talyllyn was retired in the shed, Dolgoch left for an overhaul, and life on the Talyllyn before new engines arrived. * Sir-Handel - Sir-Haydn's derailments. * Peter-Sam & The Refreshment Lady - Awdry once caused a train on the Talyllyn to leave the driver's mother-in-law behind. * Old faithful - Talyllyn being worned-out yet used for emergency tasks. * Trucks! - Possibly the 1902/1904 Abergynolwyn quarry accident. * Home at last - When Talyllyn returned from being overhauled and Douglas's cab scraping against roofs. * Rock-n-roll - Douglas's rough-riding and derailments, and Minlander's maintenance work. * Little old twins - The BBC TV visiting the Talyllyn. * Special funnel - The 1948 washout on the Corris, and Edward-Thomas's brief Gisel injector. * Steam-roller - An Irish steamroller collied into a train. * Passengers and polish - How Douglas was said to have once stalled on a bridge. * The gallant old engine - How Dolgoch saved the Talyllyn from closure. * Mountain engine - Snowdon's #5's inspection trial before the Snowdon opened to the public. * Bad look-out - Snowdow's opening day accident with #1. * Danger points - Snowdon's #6 derailed at summit. * Devils-back - Snowdon's #6 rescued people and changed names. * Crosspatch - When Talyllyn was first built and had steaming problems. * Bucking bronco - Talyllyn bouncing as a 0-4-0. * Stick-in-the-mud - Possibly if there was ever a mudslide on the Talyllyn. * Duck and dukes - The Talyllyn's centenary. * Grand-puff - A locomotive as a stationary boiler at Ffestington, and the Corris' closure. * Bulldog - Linda's leap on the Ffesington. * You can't win - Possibly an event on either the Corris or the Ffesington. * Sleeping beauty - An abandoned steam locomotive rediscovered in Amazon.
@@lawrencerutherford4260 Awdry was incredibly inspired by the Talyllyn and other Welsh Heritage Narrow Gauge Railways because he wrote most of his books at the Talyllyn and worked there as a volunteer so most of his stories probably come from him being told the actual events by other volunteers and then deciding to write about them.
I managed to see this Railway for myself last year. After growing up with the Railway Series and Thomas, I can’t begin to describe how amazing it was to see it for myself
In terms of order, the first four preserved lines would be the Talyllyn, followed by the Ffestiniog, helped by Alan Peglar, while the latter two is a bit of a debate on who was the first, that being between the Bluebell and the Middleton
A few years later, the Puffing Billy Railway near Melbourne, Australia was preserved after members of the public drew inspiration from Tallylyn and not long after Tallylyn started operating on a voluntary basis. So you could say it didn't take long for Tallylyn to impact people on the other side of the world.
As the story began I said to myself "Those two engines look exactly like Skarloey and Rheneas!" Then as the story progressed I realized it was exactly like The Railway Series! Number 1 breaking down, Number 2 keeping the line runinng by itself, Number 3 and 4 joining the railway(and looking exactly like Sir Handel and Peter Sam I must add)! By the time you said they acquired a diesel engine, I said to myself "Show me a picture! I bet it looks exactly like Rusty!" The final "I knew it moment" was when you explained about "Duncan"! From the shape to the name of the engine, it confirmed my theory! But what I didn't know was Wilbert Awdry got his inspiration for those stories by volunteering on the T.H Railway himself! Thanks to you I learned many new things today and I thank you for that! Keep up the amazing work!!!🚂🚃🚃
Awdry may have not helped it get preserved, but I’m sure we can all be thankful for him helping to get the word out and getting people interested in railways like this one.
I remember seeing the,”Railway with a Heart of Gold”,and being so shocked at them mulling over a part falling off of Dolgoch that I actually laughed out loud and said to myself,”a heart may be all that’s left if they reach the last station”,and that started my love for the Talyllyn,and I have made a promise that I will one day go and volunteer at the railway.
People forget just how much of a renaisance man Lionel Thomas Caswall Rolt was, not only through his efforts in helping to form the preservation society along with others that helped save the Talyllyn Railway, but also through his writing of Narrowboat detailing his journey with his then wife in their narrowboat Cressy through England in 1939 which became the catalyst for the Inland Waterways Association. he also wrote a book on journeying through the Irish Republic by canal and river as well as his histories on train accidents (Red For Danger) as well as history books and biographies of famous engineers.
As one of the many volunteers of the railway I love seeing videos like this ! My Grandpa joined the society in 1957 and was a volunteer for a few decades. Me and my Dad now volunteer on it and we both love it ! The railway is unique is ways that can’t be described and it will forever be an absolute treasure !
I read "Railway Adventure", it's such a wonderful book. These first generation volunteers really must have felt like they were in a Wild West film. Also so fun to see were "Titfield Thunderbolt" and Wilbert Awdry got their inspiration from
As my late father, who came from Wrexham way, said many a time, "If you can see the Berwyn mountains, its going to rain. If you can't see the Berwyns, it IS raining.
On the topic of Thomas and Friends major influence on the Talyllyn Railway, maybe you should do a video focusing on Thomas and friends and the Railway Series and its influence on real trains and railways
Just lovely. Thank you - I enjoyed seeing some old photos of the early days which are new to me. When I first visited Towyn they had 'Cambrai' , a French metre gauge Corpet 0-6-0 sitting outside, and I fell in love with little engines like that. Nowadays (60 years later) I model them, and my efforts turn up occasionally on youtube films of shows - so that was a far reaching event too.
As a lover of steam engines since I was a tot and reading about and loving the Skarloey Railway in Wilbert Awdry's books, this railway never ceases to amaze me. This is such a lovely inspirational story that just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! I do hope to someday be able to travel this railway. Have made plans with my cousin to do so the next time I go to see her in the UK.
No railway means no work. No work means we get sold. Is getting sold means we'll be separated likely. Us being separated means we never see each other again. That means we die
@@mikesanders5433 specifically the entirety of "Four Little Engine", most of "Little Old Engine" (except Trucks), most of "Gallant old Engine" (except Steam Roller and the first part of Special Funnel) and most likely all of "Very old Engines"
Another Amazing Video that lets my Heard for the old Steam Trains Go faster. Thanks for your Good Videos that helps to preserve the History of Trains from all around the Globe! With best regards from Germany 🇩🇪👍
Another thing is that if it hadn’t been Reverend Wilbert Awdry writing the Skarloey Railway Stories, the Talyllyn Railway wouldn’t be as much of a crowd drawer as it is today.
I look forward to seeing the Glyn Valley Tramway operating steam services again. 88 years since it originally closed, it had its first horse drawn passenger services in preservation a couple of weeks ago
I grew up in nearby Aberdyfi and rode the Tal-y-llyn most weekend during my childhood. Its; the source of my love of steam and I adore visiting the railway every time I head back down there
Gosh memories flood back to the fifties. Being next to a driver on the cab step for a photo and smelling the steam coal! Good to see it thriving today alongside so many more.
I love the talyllyn so much because if it did not exist, most of my childhood would not have been the same, and hell most of my current interests are those exact same things, so I owe the railway so much! I wish I could be there!
My number one want to visit destination on the planet… and it looks like I will get the chance soon… I’ve been to it’s twin railway, puffing billy in Australia (because I live down under) but I am extremely keen on visiting Talyllyn!
This railway is on my bucket list of places to go to if I'm ever able to visit the U.K. again, mainly because it's probably the easiest way to see the real-life counterparts for Thomas the Tank Engine characters that I spent my childhood watching on TV.
Im amazed on how Talijyn and Dolguch (Rheneas and Skarloey) are in working order after so many years. Their builders must've did a great job constructing those two with thr best materials known to man. What do you guys think?
They did a very, very good job because both engines kept going for some 80+ years before needing total rebiuilding. You'd have to ask the folks at Pendre shed just how much of the original engines is left though - probably the wheels and a few other bits.
@@JohnDavies-cn3ro Wheels are pretty common to replace on engines that have been in service for a long time, I'd expect they have been replaced. That said if any engines could get away with not replacing them for 50+ years, it'd be these tiny wonders.
Wheel centres on the driving wheels of both engines are original. The tyres, crankpins and axles will have been replaced multiple times as they are subject to mechanical wear but the wheel centres are big lumps of cast iron that aren't subject to mechanical wear nor a great deal of corrosive wear. Other original parts on No.2 Dolgoch are the cylinders (bores lined out), coupling rods (the original coupling rods were replaced earlier his year), various buffer housings, top of dome and various other components I can't think of right now. There are fewer original parts again on No.1. One curious fact is that the valve rods on No.1 are made from the original marine-style coupling/connecting rods from No.4. Having said that, even lots of the non-original parts are pretty old and ultimately make up the remarkable history of these two engines. From a Talyllyn volunteer :).
They did a good job, though the degree of rebuilding needed in the 1950s/60s to put them in good order would probably not be done nowadays - you'd be more likely to conserve the original locos as historical artefacts and build replicas to be the working engines.
First rode the TR summer of 1961 , started my love of Welsh narrow gauge railways which prevails to this day last visited the TR 2018 last rode Festiniog Railway 2022. Hoping to visit both again someday whilst I can. Not so agile at 82!
I just came back from a trip to this Railway. It's something special to experience firsthand. Awdry Extravaganza was something fun all day, even if the weather tried to disagree. Even got a personal favourite shot of Sir Haydn pulling the up-service across the viaduct from the viewpoint
Could you give a source on the built half an inch over gauge for Talyllyn's wheelbase thing? The way I heard it when I researched the Talyllyn for a school project was that it was built to the proper 2'3", but Dolgoch's boxing slowly spread the rails, and that, combined with Sir Haydn being half an inch under gauge compared to both the Talyllyn engines and Edward Thomas, gave enough play for the engine to drop between the rails. If it were just that the line was always a bit over gauge, you'd expect Edward Thomas and the Corris coaches to drop between the rails too, but it was only ever Sir Haydn that had the issue.
From memory of 'Railway Adventure' part of the problem was that Sir Hayden had narrower tyres than the other engines. Given the state of the track in those early days, even a half an inch was too big a difference. Incidentally, if you get chance to watch "Railway with a Heart of Gold", you see No 3 display her fondness for the ballast - the film was being shot from the leading carriage window, and caught it on camera
@@JohnDavies-cn3ro I'm familiar with both of those sources, which is why I was wondering where the contradictory statement in the video came from. Also, a bit of a fun thing I noticed in Railway with a heart of gold: I'm about 90% certain the dude struggling with the switch and the slate cart is the Rev. W. Awdry, and the kid watching him is is son Christopher. The timeline lines up, Awdry was I think the 70-somethingth member of the society, so he would have joined around the time the film was shot, and comparing to a couple of photos of them from around the same time, I'm pretty sure that's them. The documentary didn't air until the 60s, but was actually shot in the 50s. I'd really love to find someone who knows more on the subject than me who can confirm whether it's actually him, but it seems very plausible that that particular clip was shot when he was volunteering on the railway.
I've always wondered something. At the time the Titfield Thunderbolt script with being written, Wilbert Audrey was volunteering at the talyllyn railway. Did T.E.B Clarke meet Wilbert and base the vicar Mr Weech on him...?
I have been on the Ffestiniog prior to the completion of the Welsh Highland connection and the Llangollen. I think I popped by the Tallylyn when seeing King Arthur's cave.
Talyllyn Railway had also Inspired many railway Preservation including USA or Australia such as the Zig Zag Railway, Richmond Vale Railway or in Victoria Puffing Billy
I'm just glad Thomas and Friends made their way back into these videos ever since ToT did that shitpost on Thomas himself. Knowing that more love and effort was put into preserving this little railway before Rev Awdry's involvement just makes me want to visit the railway even more to pay my respects.😊😊😊
The most surprising thing about this for me, is that in the 1860s they cared about Health and Saftey. It seems like the bridge not being wide enough to let people off wouldn't have been a thing back then.
Railway safety was always developing ahead of factory safety. Today we cannot imagine the speed of railway construction in the country. One certain route from London to Birmingham and not so many places north springs to mind.
I have the book "Railway Adventure" by Tom Rolt. It says: "When they were delivered, neither locomotive possessed a cab or even a weather board (...). Cabs were built later on both engines". It doesn't say when or where this was done, but presumably some time after 1867. There is a picture of Talyllyn on the viaduct from that year, without a cab, but with a 'weather board'. You can see that picture on Wikipedia.
@@ciarangleeson2880 just the front wall of the 'cab', a very vain attempt at protecting the crew from smoke, wind and rain commonly found on pre-1950s locos.
The Talyllyn Railway is on my list if I ever make it over to the UK! Now how about a video on its American counterparts in Pennsylvania, the standard-gauge Strasburg Railroad and narrow-gauge East Broad Top Railroad?
Unless you remember the Edaville Railroad. In which case, its the "2nd" Preseved Railway. ;) I know. Lots of technicalities in that statement. But worth pointing out.
There s a race they do in twynn called race the train where most of course follows railway s route apart from the start and finsh line thats on public highway in the town i seen lots of people doing the race while been in the area
Imagine being preserved for over 150 years and still having a square cab
That might be something to be impressed about.
*t h e y a r e t h e n a r r o w g a u g e e n g i n e s r u n n i n g o n t h e n a r r o w g a u g e t r a c k*
Hmmmm
Come to talyllyn I’m here for Awdry extravaganza
Lmao
The preservation of the Talyllyn Railway feels like the sort of idea you come up with in a pub with mates after a few pints.
"You know what I wanna do?"
"Tom what idea do you have?"
"Theres this lovely little railway in Wales, and we should save it!"
"YES!!! THAT'D BE AMAZING!"
The brilliant thing is that is exactly what it was. Many of the original society meetings of TRPS was done over a pint!
That's literally how trains were invented...
Sort of
Peter griffins million dollar idea
pretty much the same for the Middleton railway in Leeds, a bunch of uni students went, why not
I’m actually a member of the Talyllyn Railway so seeing all this history of the railway posted online makes me very happy to see. I usually go on the railway every summer. 😊🚂
What an amazing experience that must be! I'm from the states and have been a big fan of Thomas and the Reverend Awdry's work since I was little. It's always been a dream of mine to visit that little railway. I did however get to visit the narrow gauge railway of New Romney Hythe and Dymchurch or the RH&DR? It was a gorgeous line in itself and it made me think of you guys!
It would be awesome to visit The Talyllyn Railway, let alone work on it!
Real-life events for Awdry's Skarloey and Mid-Sodor stories as well as for mountain engines:
* Skarloey remembers - How Talyllyn was retired in the shed, Dolgoch left for an overhaul, and life on the Talyllyn before new engines arrived.
* Sir-Handel - Sir-Haydn's derailments.
* Peter-Sam & The Refreshment Lady - Awdry once caused a train on the Talyllyn to leave the driver's mother-in-law behind.
* Old faithful - Talyllyn being worned-out yet used for emergency tasks.
* Trucks! - Possibly the 1902/1904 Abergynolwyn quarry accident.
* Home at last - When Talyllyn returned from being overhauled and Douglas's cab scraping against roofs.
* Rock-n-roll - Douglas's rough-riding and derailments, and Minlander's maintenance work.
* Little old twins - The BBC TV visiting the Talyllyn.
* Special funnel - The 1948 washout on the Corris, and Edward-Thomas's brief Gisel injector.
* Steam-roller - An Irish steamroller collied into a train.
* Passengers and polish - How Douglas was said to have once stalled on a bridge.
* The gallant old engine - How Dolgoch saved the Talyllyn from closure.
* Mountain engine - Snowdon's #5's inspection trial before the Snowdon opened to the public.
* Bad look-out - Snowdow's opening day accident with #1.
* Danger points - Snowdon's #6 derailed at summit.
* Devils-back - Snowdon's #6 rescued people and changed names.
* Crosspatch - When Talyllyn was first built and had steaming problems.
* Bucking bronco - Talyllyn bouncing as a 0-4-0.
* Stick-in-the-mud - Possibly if there was ever a mudslide on the Talyllyn.
* Duck and dukes - The Talyllyn's centenary.
* Grand-puff - A locomotive as a stationary boiler at Ffestington, and the Corris' closure.
* Bulldog - Linda's leap on the Ffesington.
* You can't win - Possibly an event on either the Corris or the Ffesington.
* Sleeping beauty - An abandoned steam locomotive rediscovered in Amazon.
Holy shit I forgot how much narrow gauge content there was! Thanks for writing these all down :)
Damn talk about inspiration
I was literally just coming to say that this is basically the Skarloey railway
@@lawrencerutherford4260 Awdry was incredibly inspired by the Talyllyn and other Welsh Heritage Narrow Gauge Railways because he wrote most of his books at the Talyllyn and worked there as a volunteer so most of his stories probably come from him being told the actual events by other volunteers and then deciding to write about them.
I wonder if some Arlesdale railway stories are inspired on happenings of the ravenglass and eskadale railway
I managed to see this Railway for myself last year. After growing up with the Railway Series and Thomas, I can’t begin to describe how amazing it was to see it for myself
They Talyllyn Railway is hosting the Awdry Extravaganza this weekend.
@@joshuaW5621 they are indeed and someday I’d love to see that as well
I can’t believe this inspired the narrow gauge engines stories
@@sukottotsukeshi. it’s amazing, isn’t it?
@@MyNameIsNigel very
The Railway that started it all
Hey its the guy who uploaded the original thomas episodes
@@weird1012 the rws episodes
@@scotsleader8304 yea the model series is pog
In terms of order, the first four preserved lines would be the Talyllyn, followed by the Ffestiniog, helped by Alan Peglar, while the latter two is a bit of a debate on who was the first, that being between the Bluebell and the Middleton
True.
A few years later, the Puffing Billy Railway near Melbourne, Australia was preserved after members of the public drew inspiration from Tallylyn and not long after Tallylyn started operating on a voluntary basis. So you could say it didn't take long for Tallylyn to impact people on the other side of the world.
Just had lunch at a pub right next to the PB tracks yesterday and saw it passing by!
@xr6lad I think I know the one you're talking about, we've both Tallylyn to thank for that view!
Used to live in Cockatoo, Puffing Billy went past my back fence. Two of the four VR 2'6" lines are preserved and expanding.
Hearing the Rev. Wilbert Awdry mentioned in a trains of thought video warms my heart
Same
As the story began I said to myself "Those two engines look exactly like Skarloey and Rheneas!" Then as the story progressed I realized it was exactly like The Railway Series! Number 1 breaking down, Number 2 keeping the line runinng by itself, Number 3 and 4 joining the railway(and looking exactly like Sir Handel and Peter Sam I must add)! By the time you said they acquired a diesel engine, I said to myself "Show me a picture! I bet it looks exactly like Rusty!" The final "I knew it moment" was when you explained about "Duncan"! From the shape to the name of the engine, it confirmed my theory! But what I didn't know was Wilbert Awdry got his inspiration for those stories by volunteering on the T.H Railway himself! Thanks to you I learned many new things today and I thank you for that! Keep up the amazing work!!!🚂🚃🚃
We just need a boulder related incident
This must have been one of the best moment in Awdry’s life
Awdry may have not helped it get preserved, but I’m sure we can all be thankful for him helping to get the word out and getting people interested in railways like this one.
It's quite uncanny just how much the narrow gauge stories in The Railway Series paid homage to the trains and events on the Talyllyn Railway.
I remember seeing the,”Railway with a Heart of Gold”,and being so shocked at them mulling over a part falling off of Dolgoch that I actually laughed out loud and said to myself,”a heart may be all that’s left if they reach the last station”,and that started my love for the Talyllyn,and I have made a promise that I will one day go and volunteer at the railway.
People forget just how much of a renaisance man Lionel Thomas Caswall Rolt was, not only through his efforts in helping to form the preservation society along with others that helped save the Talyllyn Railway, but also through his writing of Narrowboat detailing his journey with his then wife in their narrowboat Cressy through England in 1939 which became the catalyst for the Inland Waterways Association.
he also wrote a book on journeying through the Irish Republic by canal and river as well as his histories on train accidents (Red For Danger) as well as history books and biographies of famous engineers.
As one of the many volunteers of the railway I love seeing videos like this ! My Grandpa joined the society in 1957 and was a volunteer for a few decades. Me and my Dad now volunteer on it and we both love it ! The railway is unique is ways that can’t be described and it will forever be an absolute treasure !
I read "Railway Adventure", it's such a wonderful book. These first generation volunteers really must have felt like they were in a Wild West film. Also so fun to see were "Titfield Thunderbolt" and Wilbert Awdry got their inspiration from
The wonderful Welsh weather! In Wales, there are only two seasons of the year, August and Winter.
Don’t you mean Autumn? August is a month.
@@ciarangleeson2880 No August is Summer! The rest of the year it's raining, if it's not raining, it's overcast, and it's bloody cold all the time.
You can keep your English weather. It's sunny in tywyn
As my late father, who came from Wrexham way, said many a time, "If you can see the Berwyn mountains, its going to rain. If you can't see the Berwyns, it IS raining.
I’m Irish! The weather in my country is the same as in yours!
Going to this railway tomorrow for the Awdrey Extravaganza! It's a lovely line, well worth a visit from any railway lover
Skarloey and Rheneas were my childhood. I hope I get to visit the real Talyllyn Railway to pay respect to the inspiration for the Skarloey Railway.
On the topic of Thomas and Friends major influence on the Talyllyn Railway, maybe you should do a video focusing on Thomas and friends and the Railway Series and its influence on real trains and railways
The Talyllyn Railway, the real life Skarloey Railway.
Just lovely. Thank you - I enjoyed seeing some old photos of the early days which are new to me. When I first visited Towyn they had 'Cambrai' , a French metre gauge Corpet 0-6-0 sitting outside, and I fell in love with little engines like that. Nowadays (60 years later) I model them, and my efforts turn up occasionally on youtube films of shows - so that was a far reaching event too.
1:25 I've Might Go To The Talyllyn Railway In Towyn In North Wales Near Holyhead One Day. Thanks Mate. X
As a lover of steam engines since I was a tot and reading about and loving the Skarloey Railway in Wilbert Awdry's books, this railway never ceases to amaze me. This is such a lovely inspirational story that just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! I do hope to someday be able to travel this railway. Have made plans with my cousin to do so the next time I go to see her in the UK.
"Passengers are our coal and water" - skarloey from thomas and friends
Without passengers means no trains and no trains is no railway
No railway means no work. No work means we get sold. Is getting sold means we'll be separated likely. Us being separated means we never see each other again. That means we die
Was this the reason Wilbert Awdry decided to make a few books based on it?
Absolutely, yes.
Well given that he was known as a railway enthusiast, I say most likely
Yes... Tot said it in the video.
Yep it was. Those stories in the books broadly happened on this line in real life 😊
@@mikesanders5433 specifically the entirety of "Four Little Engine", most of "Little Old Engine" (except Trucks), most of "Gallant old Engine" (except Steam Roller and the first part of Special Funnel) and most likely all of "Very old Engines"
I was wondering if you'd do a video like this. Very interesting to hear the history of what inspired the Skarloey Railway
It’s amazing how the railway series author Reverent Wilbert Awdry once volunteered on Europes most historic railway.
I am a volunteer on the talyllyn railway and this weekend we celebrate rev.w.awdry and the locomotives will be in their skarloe characters
This is such a great story! Thanks for sharing it.
Another Amazing Video that lets my Heard for the old Steam Trains Go faster. Thanks for your Good Videos that helps to preserve the History of Trains from all around the Globe!
With best regards from Germany 🇩🇪👍
Its such a cute little railway , i hope to one day see it for myself!
Another thing is that if it hadn’t been Reverend Wilbert Awdry writing the Skarloey Railway Stories, the Talyllyn Railway wouldn’t be as much of a crowd drawer as it is today.
It was nice to meet you at the extravaganza! Love your videos!
I look forward to seeing the Glyn Valley Tramway operating steam services again. 88 years since it originally closed, it had its first horse drawn passenger services in preservation a couple of weeks ago
2:58 exactly like on Sodor. where the loaded cars love to crash into Sir Handel
I grew up in nearby Aberdyfi and rode the Tal-y-llyn most weekend during my childhood. Its; the source of my love of steam and I adore visiting the railway every time I head back down there
I managed to acquire 2 original Talyllyn Railway photographs, from 1939 and 1949, one with No.1 in and one with No.2 in - the smell is phenomenal!
I'm so glad to finally see this railway on hear
Man Awdry took alot of inspiration for the Skarloey railway
When I saw the pictures of the two engines, and heard they worked for a quarry, my first though was "That's Skarloey and Reneas!"
5:13 And there's Sir Handle and Peter Sam! :D
6:50 Aaaand there's Rusty :D
6:59 And Finally Douglas.
This is literaly the skarloey railway from the Railway series / Thomas the tank engine.
Gosh memories flood back to the fifties. Being next to a driver on the cab step for a photo and smelling the steam coal! Good to see it thriving today alongside so many more.
I love the talyllyn so much because if it did not exist, most of my childhood would not have been the same, and hell most of my current interests are those exact same things, so I owe the railway so much! I wish I could be there!
My number one want to visit destination on the planet… and it looks like I will get the chance soon…
I’ve been to it’s twin railway, puffing billy in Australia (because I live down under) but I am extremely keen on visiting Talyllyn!
This railway is on my bucket list of places to go to if I'm ever able to visit the U.K. again, mainly because it's probably the easiest way to see the real-life counterparts for Thomas the Tank Engine characters that I spent my childhood watching on TV.
The Welsh are always and should always be proud of this. The love they show to their own ideas, objects is just beautiful 🥹
I was waiting until you mentioned the Rev
Glad to hear him
Im amazed on how Talijyn and Dolguch (Rheneas and Skarloey) are in working order after so many years. Their builders must've did a great job constructing those two with thr best materials known to man. What do you guys think?
They did a very, very good job because both engines kept going for some 80+ years before needing total rebiuilding. You'd have to ask the folks at Pendre shed just how much of the original engines is left though - probably the wheels and a few other bits.
@@JohnDavies-cn3ro Wheels are pretty common to replace on engines that have been in service for a long time, I'd expect they have been replaced. That said if any engines could get away with not replacing them for 50+ years, it'd be these tiny wonders.
Wheel centres on the driving wheels of both engines are original. The tyres, crankpins and axles will have been replaced multiple times as they are subject to mechanical wear but the wheel centres are big lumps of cast iron that aren't subject to mechanical wear nor a great deal of corrosive wear. Other original parts on No.2 Dolgoch are the cylinders (bores lined out), coupling rods (the original coupling rods were replaced earlier his year), various buffer housings, top of dome and various other components I can't think of right now. There are fewer original parts again on No.1. One curious fact is that the valve rods on No.1 are made from the original marine-style coupling/connecting rods from No.4. Having said that, even lots of the non-original parts are pretty old and ultimately make up the remarkable history of these two engines. From a Talyllyn volunteer :).
They did a good job, though the degree of rebuilding needed in the 1950s/60s to put them in good order would probably not be done nowadays - you'd be more likely to conserve the original locos as historical artefacts and build replicas to be the working engines.
First rode the TR summer of 1961 , started my love of Welsh narrow gauge railways which prevails to this day last visited the TR 2018 last rode Festiniog Railway 2022. Hoping to visit both again someday whilst I can. Not so agile at 82!
I definitely knew most of them were inspirations for Thomas and friends just from little snippets
The story about this railway is truly wholesome and sweet.
Random people came together to save the railway…a little help goes a long way lol
Enjoy the weekend, Miss working with you man
I just came back from a trip to this Railway. It's something special to experience firsthand. Awdry Extravaganza was something fun all day, even if the weather tried to disagree. Even got a personal favourite shot of Sir Haydn pulling the up-service across the viaduct from the viewpoint
Could you give a source on the built half an inch over gauge for Talyllyn's wheelbase thing? The way I heard it when I researched the Talyllyn for a school project was that it was built to the proper 2'3", but Dolgoch's boxing slowly spread the rails, and that, combined with Sir Haydn being half an inch under gauge compared to both the Talyllyn engines and Edward Thomas, gave enough play for the engine to drop between the rails. If it were just that the line was always a bit over gauge, you'd expect Edward Thomas and the Corris coaches to drop between the rails too, but it was only ever Sir Haydn that had the issue.
From memory of 'Railway Adventure' part of the problem was that Sir Hayden had narrower tyres than the other engines. Given the state of the track in those early days, even a half an inch was too big a difference. Incidentally, if you get chance to watch "Railway with a Heart of Gold", you see No 3 display her fondness for the ballast - the film was being shot from the leading carriage window, and caught it on camera
@@JohnDavies-cn3ro I'm familiar with both of those sources, which is why I was wondering where the contradictory statement in the video came from.
Also, a bit of a fun thing I noticed in Railway with a heart of gold: I'm about 90% certain the dude struggling with the switch and the slate cart is the Rev. W. Awdry, and the kid watching him is is son Christopher. The timeline lines up, Awdry was I think the 70-somethingth member of the society, so he would have joined around the time the film was shot, and comparing to a couple of photos of them from around the same time, I'm pretty sure that's them. The documentary didn't air until the 60s, but was actually shot in the 50s. I'd really love to find someone who knows more on the subject than me who can confirm whether it's actually him, but it seems very plausible that that particular clip was shot when he was volunteering on the railway.
GOOD TO HEAR ! -- I'd love to see it!
there is an annual event, in which you can run alongside the rail way (through fields and roads) called race the train, over several distances
Very good presentation. I've volunteered on this railway, but the initial over-gauge problem is one that I'd not heard of before!
Skarloey, Rheneas, Peter Sam, Sir Handel(originally Stuart and Falcon), Rusty, Duncan, and Duke
Fascinating I never knew many of those connections thank you
I wish someone did the same with the railway that used to pass through my hometown...😢
If I lived closer, I'd turn up and just start blasting your videos and watch people's reactions. We'd soon find u😊
Was just there in June, my buddy got a cab ride in Douglas
As I’ve travelling to the TR, you upload this video! What are the chances!
As someone who became a train enthusiast from Thomas the tank engine books and old tv episodes. This is a trip I want to go on ASAP.
This video feels so wholesome.
I've travelled on this line. A very enjoyable day.
Someone sent this my way, as a Welshman not knowing where you are from, can I just say you did a fantastic job with the place names
I actually plan on going to the Talyllyn Railway next year for my 18th Birthday
What is great is they have a RUclips channel.
What a excellent presentation
I've always wondered something. At the time the Titfield Thunderbolt script with being written, Wilbert Audrey was volunteering at the talyllyn railway. Did T.E.B Clarke meet Wilbert and base the vicar Mr Weech on him...?
Wish you'd put out the video a 2 weeks ago made plans for this weekend so cant go for a chance to meet you)(shame about the weather)
The Talyllyn and J13 No. 1247, little things that started monumental movements.
what a great heartwarming story😀
The tallylyn railway, I still can't pronounce it correctly.
I gotta ask, but was it really a trendsetter or was it just the earliest examples of rail preservation
It was the very first. You tell me!
Honestly a beautiful story. Seriously
I have been on the Ffestiniog prior to the completion of the Welsh Highland connection and the Llangollen. I think I popped by the Tallylyn when seeing King Arthur's cave.
Talyllyn Railway had also Inspired many railway Preservation including USA or Australia such as the Zig Zag Railway, Richmond Vale Railway or in Victoria Puffing Billy
I'm just glad Thomas and Friends made their way back into these videos ever since ToT did that shitpost on Thomas himself. Knowing that more love and effort was put into preserving this little railway before Rev Awdry's involvement just makes me want to visit the railway even more to pay my respects.😊😊😊
I remember as a kid, going to the Strasburg Railroad, a heritage railroad in Pennsylvania.
so amazing
It's a dream of mine to move to Tywyn and be a regular volunteer at the Talyllyn Railway :3
I know that one of the stories that Awdry wrote was the result of him causing a minor incident.
Yes, he was the guard of the last train of the day and departed a station without a volunteer who was working at that station.
Who also happened to be the driver’s mother in law!
"less of an engine and more of a self-propelled bomb"
... exactly the way I like my trains to be described.
Perfect timing since the Awdry Extravaganza is this weekend.
The most surprising thing about this for me, is that in the 1860s they cared about Health and Saftey. It seems like the bridge not being wide enough to let people off wouldn't have been a thing back then.
Railway safety was always developing ahead of factory safety. Today we cannot imagine the speed of railway construction in the country. One certain route from London to Birmingham and not so many places north springs to mind.
Do you know what year talyllyn got its cab or was that just a railway series thing?
I have the book "Railway Adventure" by Tom Rolt. It says:
"When they were delivered, neither locomotive possessed a cab or even a weather board (...). Cabs were built later on both engines".
It doesn't say when or where this was done, but presumably some time after 1867. There is a picture of Talyllyn on the viaduct from that year, without a cab, but with a 'weather board'. You can see that picture on Wikipedia.
What is a weather board?
@@ciarangleeson2880 just the front wall of the 'cab', a very vain attempt at protecting the crew from smoke, wind and rain commonly found on pre-1950s locos.
The Talyllyn Railway is on my list if I ever make it over to the UK!
Now how about a video on its American counterparts in Pennsylvania, the standard-gauge Strasburg Railroad and narrow-gauge East Broad Top Railroad?
Unless you remember the Edaville Railroad. In which case, its the "2nd" Preseved Railway. ;)
I know. Lots of technicalities in that statement. But worth pointing out.
They really should do slate services again, too, and extended the line longer
Lovely !!
Talyllyn Railway is the the best Railway in the world!😄🚂
There s a race they do in twynn called race the train where most of course follows railway s route apart from the start and finsh line thats on public highway in the town i seen lots of people doing the race while been in the area
if i ever went to The UK, this is the first thing id go to
If I won the lottery I'd want an old mining steam engine. Ravenglass and Eskdale has some of the most beautiful tiny engines
I love the talyllyn railway.
me sees this video my head: now playing a railway with a heart of gold and next is the skarloey railway theme
i went to the tallyllyn railway and i got to see Edward thomas in his red video and even took a video of it
I’ve wanted to go there since I was a child! Perhaps by the time I do, I’ll finally be able to pronounce it.
What a great story 🙂🚂🚂🚂