Press Release - The Talyllyn Goes Back to the 1970s

It was back to the 1970s for the Talyllyn Railway during its ‘Road to Adventure’ gala over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend. The Saturday and Sunday particularly focussed on the 40th Anniversary of the opening of the extension between Abergynolwyn and Nant Gwernol in May 1976.


To celebrate there was a 70s feel to the event with people in costume, a range of memorabilia on display, including a room full of 1970s children’s games such as ‘Mousetrap’ and ‘Subbuteo’. There was a display of Abba memorabilia at Abergynolwyn station, colloquially referred to as Aber. by Talyllyn volunteers. The Saturday evening also saw a 70s disco for members and guests at Tywyn Wharf station.

On the trains there was a special timetable on Saturday with trains running only between Tywyn Wharf and Abergynolwyn where passengers had to change trains for a special shuttle service from there to Nant Gwernol. Then on the Sunday the railway ran the peak service timetable from the summer of 1976 the year the extension was first opened.

There were also several special events over the weekend. On the Saturday there was ‘The Big Bang’ commemorating the first blast to start work in the new extension that originally took place in October 1970. This time the ‘blast’ was detonated by Tim Rolt, the son of railway preservation pioneer, Tom Rolt, who had set off the original charge.

Then on the Sunday some of those who worked on the extension project, who became known as the ‘Gwerns’, rode on the first train through to Nant Gwernol. This was fitted with the original opening headboard for the occasion. They paused for a brief ceremony at Abergynolwyn before the train headed through to its destination.

Bank Holiday Monday saw a double celebration with the 75th anniversary of the railway’s diesel locomotive No.5 ‘Midlander’, and the 25th anniversary of the railway newest steam locomotive, No.7 ‘Tom Rolt’. Tom’s sons, Richard and Tim, re-enacted the naming ceremony for the locomotive originally performed by their mother Sonia.

John Bate, for many years the railway’s chief engineer and the designer of No.7, also cut a special cake that had been made of the occasion. Among the other guests was Lawrie Ellis, who had been part of the gang that had found ‘Midlander’ at a quarry near Nuneaton and had brought it to the railway in 1957. Lawrie was also the first person to drive it on the Talyllyn.

A spokesperson for the railway commented:

‘Despite some indifferent weather the weekend was a great success, passenger numbers were up on the same weekend last year and a lot of fun was had by many people. The weekend certainly stirred up memories for a good many. Now we move on to the final gala of our 150th Anniversary celebrations, the appropriately named ‘Grand Finale’ between 1 and 3 July 2016. This promises to be an event not to be missed.’




For further information about this press release please e-mail: pressoffice [at] talyllyn [dot] co [dot] uk or phone 01654 710472.