DIFFERENT DIRECTION: Talyllyn Railway’s ex-Corris Hughes 0-4-2ST No. 3 Sir Haydn steams through Rhydyronen station with a train of TR wagons on March 23, during a photo charter. The novelty is Sir Haydn facing down the line towards Tywyn. Although Sir Haydn did operate for a period in the early days of Talyllyn preservation facing downhill, for many years normal TR practice is for the locos to run smokebox first up the line.
DAVE BOWLES
NEW COLOUR FOR SPRING: Talyllyn Railway’s (TR) ex-Corris Kerr, Stuart ‘Tattoo’ class 0-4- 2ST 4047/1921 No. 4 Edward Thomas hauls the ex-Corris carriage and two of the TR’s original four-wheel coaches into Rhydyronen station on March 23, sporting a freshly applied Corris red livery to see out the final days of its boiler ticket. Watching from the platform seat is TR stalwart David Mitchell. Following these appearances, Edward Thomas was due to go to Aberystwyth on April 17 for the Vale of Rheidol Railway to undertake its 10-year overhaul. Aside from re-tubing the boiler and boring of the cylinders not much other work is expected to be required, the axleboxes and horn guides having received machining attention in 2018.
ROBERT
FALCONER