List of stations and halts on the Talyllyn Railway

A map of the Talyllyn Railway

This is a list of the stations and halts 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.^[2][3] 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.^[5][6]

The main terminus of the line is at Tywyn Wharf (originally known as King's Station, after a local landowner), where the railway's administrative headquarters and the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum are located. Leaving this station the line passes immediately under the A493 Machynlleth to Dolgellau road and enters a long cutting that climbs towards Pendre. From Pendre, the railway climbs up to Ty Mawr bridge and on to Hendy, the first of five minor halts, which serves the adjacent farm. More local halts follow at Fach Goch, and Cynfal, the latter having a small platform.^[7] The section from Cynfal to Rhydyronen was relaid in 1951 using rail purchased from the Corris Railway after the latter line's closure in 1948.^[8] Rhydyronen, now a request stop, was the first intermediate station built on the line, opening in 1867.^[9] Another minor halt follows at Tynllwynhen, before the passing loop and station at Brynglas.

Above Brynglas, the line enters woodlands west of Dolgoch, climbing steadily, then curves to the south east and crosses the Dolgoch gorge on the Dolgoch viaduct.^[10] Dolgoch station is immediately east of the viaduct, situated on a left-hand curve at 187 ft (57 m) above sea level, and is the main intermediate station on the line, being popular with tourists visiting the nearby falls. The railway continues in a north easterly direction, passing Quarry Siding, where a halt and passing loop are located. The line continues its ascent towards Abergynolwyn station, situated on a ledge cut into the hillside.^[11] This was the original terminus of the statutory railway, beyond which the railway continued as a mineral extension, now converted for passenger use. About half way along the 0.75 miles (1.21 km) extension is the site of the Village Incline. From here the line runs into a gorge, high above the river on a narrow ledge, ending at the foot of the first incline leading to the Bryn Eglwys quarry. Nant Gwernol station, the eastern terminus of the line, was built here on the site of a set of three sidings which originally marked the end of the original line.^[12]

List of stations and halts

Name	Image	Distance from Wharf[13]	Elevation	Grid Reference	Notes
Tywyn Wharf		n/a	40 ft (12 m)[14]	SH586004	The line's western terminus and main station. Location of the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum, gift shop and cafe.[15]
Pendre		0.42 miles (0.68 km)	43 ft (13 m)[14]	SH590008	Serving the east end of Tywyn. Location of the locomotive sheds, works and carriage sheds for the line.[15]
Hendy Halt		0.94 miles (1.51 km)	57 ft (17 m)[16]	SH597012	Request stop serving Hendy farm.[17]
Fach Goch Halt		1.44 miles (2.32 km)	70 ft (21 m)[18]	SH605017	Request stop on the occupational crossing, serving Fach Goch farm. There was a siding here between 1971 and 1982, used for dumping spoil.[19]
Cynfal Halt		1.86 miles (2.99 km)	91 ft (28 m)[20]	SH610020	Request stop serving Cynfal farm. Has one of the smallest railway platforms in the UK, vying with Pentrepiod and Bryn Hynod on the Bala Lake Railway for the title of smallest.
Rhydyronen		2.15 miles (3.46 km)	100 ft (30 m)[20]	SH614021	The first intermediate station on the line, opened in 1867. A small slate quarry and manganese mine nearby once used the railway.
Tynllwynhen Halt		2.49 miles (4.01 km)	102 ft (31 m)[13]	SH618025	Request stop serving Tynllwynhen farm.
Brynglas		3.18 miles (5.12 km)	124 ft (38 m)[21]	SH628030	Serves the hamlet of Pandy.[15] A passing loop is just west of the station, along with a siding used for engineering trains.[22]
Dolgoch		4.90 miles (7.89 km)	187 ft (57 m)[23]	SH650045	Provides access to Dolgoch Falls, a popular series of waterfalls.[15]
Quarry Siding Halt		5.33 miles (8.58 km)	202 ft (62 m)[24]	SH654050	Request stop, once known as Tanycoed. Serves a small ballast quarry. A passing loop and ground frame is here to allow trains to pass.
Abergynolwyn		6.57 miles (10.57 km)	242 ft (74 m)[25]	SH670063	The original passenger terminus of the line. Most trains stop here on the return journey for refreshments, as there are no facilities at Nant Gwernol. The station has a 650 ft (198 m) long platform, capable of holding two trains.[26]
Nant Gwernol		7.25 miles (11.67 km)[2]	270 ft (82 m)[27]	SH680065	Originally the terminus of the mineral line from Abergynolwyn. The passenger station was opened in 1976.

References

1. ^ "About the Talyllyn Railway". Talyllyn Railway. 2004-10-29. Archived from the original on 2008-06-05. http://web.archive.org/web/20080605145722/http://www.talyllyn.co.uk/index-about.html. Retrieved 2008-06-15. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Mitchell and Eyres, 2005 page 7
3. ^ Boyd 1988, page 44
4. ^ Rolt 1965, page 50
5. ^ Thomas 2002, page 32
6. ^ Ransom 1996, page 139
7. ^ Potter, page 226
8. ^ Rolt 1965, page 43
9. ^ Potter, page 227
10. ^ Boyd 1965, pages 82–83
11. ^ Boyd 1965, pages 83–84
12. ^ Boyd 1965, pages 84–86
13. ^ ^{a b} Jacobs, page 24
14. ^ ^{a b} Boyd 1988, page 84
15. ^ ^{a b c d} "Stations and Facilities". Talyllyn Railway. 2006-03-27. Archived from the original on 2008-04-15. http://web.archive.org/web/20080415222201/http://www.talyllyn.co.uk/stations.html. Retrieved 2008-06-18. 
16. ^ Boyd 1988, page 98
17. ^ Morland, page 83
18. ^ Boyd 1988, page 101
19. ^ Morland, page 84
20. ^ ^{a b} Boyd 1988, page 103
21. ^ Boyd 1988, page 110
22. ^ Morland, page 123
23. ^ Boyd 1988, page 120
24. ^ Boyd 1988, page 131
25. ^ Boyd 1988, page 134
26. ^ Bate 2001, page 186
27. ^ Boyd 1988, page 159

Bibliography

• Bate, J.H.L. (2001). The Chronicles of Pendre Sidings. RailRomances. ISBN 1-9006-2205-X. 
• Boyd, James I.C. (1965). Narrow Gauge Railways in Mid Wales. Oakwood Press. ISBN 085361024X. 
• Boyd, James I.C. (1988). The Tal-y-llyn Railway. Wild Swan Publications Ltd. ISBN 0-9068-6746-0. 
• Jacobs, Gerald (ed). Railway Track Diagrams: Midlands & North West. Quail Track Diagrams. ISBN 0-9549-8660-1. 
• Mitchell, David J. and Eyres, Terry (2005). The Talyllyn Railway. Past and Present Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-8589-5125-9. 
• 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 0-9465-3750-X. 
• Rolt, L.T.C. (1998). Railway Adventure. Sutton Publishing. ISBN 0-3300-2783-2. 
• Rolt, L.T.C. (ed.) (1965). Talyllyn Century. David & Charles. 

External links

• Talyllyn Railway website