#talyllyn

Talyllyn was built to the company's C Class design, but it was the first member of its class to be built in a gauge less than 813mm (2 ft 8 in). Originally built with a whyte of 0-4-0ST. Early tests show that Talyllyn was moving unsatisfactory, so Talyllyn was sent back to be rebuilt to have a whyte of 0-4-2ST. Due to this the railways gauge was increased to between 698 mm (2 ft 3.5 in) and 710 mm (2 ft 4 in). A new cab was also fitted at the railways workshop at Pendre railway station.

Talyllyn in red, date unknown

Talyllyn returned to Fletcher, Jennings & Co around 1900 for an unknown reason. A new set of frames from W. G. Bagnall's were fitted around this time. Repairs and alterations ware done over the years at the Pendre workshop, these included the fitting of a footplate at the front of Talyllyn, a sandbox and alterations to the cab.

Talyllyn remained in service for most of the original railway's existence, but by the 2nd world war, Talyllyn had fallen into a very bad state of repair, as Talyllyn was the most popular of the 2 engines used by the railway and had been used the most frequently. Talyllyn retired in 1945 when the boiler and firebox were found to be beyond further repair, at the time Talyllyn still had its original 1864 boiler.

After the rescue of the Talyllyn Railway in 1951 by the newly formed Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society, Talyllyn was inspected and found to be too costly to be repair at the time. However, due to the railways financial situation improving, in 1957 Talyllyn was sent away to the Gibbons Brothers' Brierley Hill engineering works at Lenches Bridge in Pensnett for a complete renewal. A new boiler, saddletank and bunker were built and Talyllyn returned to service in 1958.

Talyllyn in the Great Eastern Railway inspired blue livery, photo taken in 2024

Talyllyn was taken out of service back in 2018 for a 6-year overhaul which finished in may of 2024 and is currently painted in a Great Eastern Railway inspired blue livery. Talyllyn still is run by the Talyllyn railway alongside 9 other locomotive, 5 other steam engines and 4 diesel engines.

In 1952, The Reverend Wilbert Awdry volunteered at the Talyllyn, the railway inspiring Awdry to create the Skarloey Railway in the Railway Series, which introduce the character Skarloey, who was based on Talyllyn.

all photos are from the Talyllyn railway.

No.1 ‘Talyllyn’ – Talyllyn Railway

Talyllyn Railway – Steam railway in Snowdonia

videos of the Talyllyn:

Talyllyn Railway - YouTube

160 Year Old Steam Locomotive! - Engine Stories: Talyllyn Revisted