This is a list of past and present rolling stock used on the Talyllyn Railway (), a narrow gauge preserved railway line running for 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. Despite severe under-investment, the line remained open, and in 1951 it became the first railway in the world to be preserved as a heritage railway by volunteers.
When first opened, the railway owned two steam locomotives, Talyllyn and Dolgoch, and five carriages, including one brake van. There were no additions to the rolling stock until the line was taken over in 1951. Two ex-Corris Railway locomotives were then purchased from British Railways, and subsequent additions have brought the total up to six steam locomotives, four diesels and twenty-three carriages. , Boston Lodge Works is constructing three bogie carriages, one composite with disabled access and two third class, numbered No. 24 to 26. The first of these, No. 24, was delivered to the railway in August 2023.
Locomotives The railway has six steam locomotives for passenger trains and four diesel locomotives that usually haul only works trains. It is unusual for all steam locomotives to be operable at one time, as there is usually at least one locomotive undergoing an overhaul. In the early days of preservation Rev. W Awdry, the author of the Railway Series books, visited the railway on a family holiday and became involved as a volunteer soon afterwards.Potter, page 89 He, and later his son Christopher, wrote the Talyllyn Railway into the books as the Skarloey Railway, and most locomotives on the Talyllyn have a fictional counterpart in that series. These are listed in the right hand column.
Steam locomotives
NumberNameImageWheel ArrangementBuilderWorks numberDate builtCurrent status()Railway Series equivalent
Returned to service in 2020 following a ten-yearly overhaul.
Diesel locomotives NumberNameImageTypeBuilderDate builtPower (hp)Wheel diameterRailway Series equivalent5Midlander Ruston & Hornsby194148RustyThis locomotive was purchased in 1957 from Jee's quarries at Hartshill, and contains parts that were cannibalised off an identical locomotive. It was named after the Midlands area group of the preservation society that donated the locomotive.9Alf Hunslet Engine Co.195075FredThis is an ex-National Coal Board locomotive, from Huncoat Colliery in Lancashire. It was named after Alf Robens, chairman of the National Coal Board.11Trecwn Baguley1983–8499One of three Baguley diesels that were purchased from RNAD Trecwn in South Wales in 2008. The third diesel is used for spares. These were originally bought by a consortium of volunteers, but have since been purchased from this group by the railway. They were re-gauged from to the Talyllyn's gauge. This loco was originally numbered T 0006 00 NZ 32 (BD 3764) and entered service on the Talyllyn in 2014.12St. Cadfan Baguley1983–8499The second of the three Baguley diesels that were purchased from RNAD Trecwn in South Wales in 2008. This loco was originally numbered BD 3779 and named after St Cadfan's Church in Tywyn.
Self-propelled engineering vehicles NameImageTypeBuilderDate builtTobyPermanent Way TrolleyJohn Bate1954Small trolley used by engineers for transportation to worksites. Built from a second hand Austin 7 engine and gearbox, mounted on a custom-made chassis. It was damaged in a shunting accident in 2008 and taken out of service, but returned to use in 2019. –Flail MowerTalyllyn Railway1998Rail mounted self-propelled vehicle used to clear lineside vegetation. Designed by John Bate (Chief Engineer 1963–1994) and built from chassis components from two Ruston & Hornsby locomotives, the framing and motor components of a Smalley excavator, the flail mechanism and cab from a McConnel flail mower and a new Perkins diesel power unit.Idris Track TamperMatisa2021Rail mounted track tamper bought by the railway in 2021, but suffered issues with the loading gauge that needed to be rectified before re-entering service. A seat and toolbox were also added during the overhaul.
Former locomotives and engineering vehicles NumberNameNames in inverted commas refer to unofficial nick-names, not formally applied.ImageTypeBuilderDate builtPower (hp)Year with-drawn5"The Lawnmower" David Curwen1952201953This lightweight locomotive was built by member David Curwen using a Ford Model T engine and transmission from L.T.C Rolt's narrowboat and the wheels from a Talyllyn Railway slate wagon. It worked the Fridays-only winter passenger service until 1953, when it was taken out of use with a failed gearbox. It was dismantled in 1954, and converted to flat wagon No. 19 (see below). It is proposed to rebuild it as a memorial to David Curwen, using a replacement engine and bodywork.7"Charlie's Ant" Talyllyn Railway1954c.1958A Mercury tractor that had been adapted to push standard gauge rolling stock by the addition of a buffer beam. It was further adapted in 1954 for use on the Talyllyn, and later converted to run on paraffin instead of petrol. It was little used after 1958 and later scrapped. It was nicknamed after Charles Uren, the railway's chief engineer.8Merseysider Ruston & Hornsby1964502016This was originally built using parts from three gauge locomotives from Park Gate steelworks in Rotherham, acquired in 1969. The superstructure was replaced c. 2000. It has a Dowty hydrostatic transmission. The name was chosen by the donor of the locomotive. This locomotive was sold in 2016 to an enthusiast. 10Bryn Eglwys Motor Rail19851102014This was originally a gauge National Coal Board locomotive from Hem Heath colliery near Stoke-on-Trent. It arrived on the Talyllyn September 1997, and was re-painted into standard Talyllyn livery during summer 2005. The locomotive was named after the Bryn Eglwys slate quarries. The loco was sold to the North Gloucestershire Railway, and left the railway in August 2014 when the first Baguley loco entered service. – – Track TamperMatisa19902021Rail mounted track tamper. Built from parts of two ex-MOD standard gauge tampers that were acquired in 1989. It was designed and assembled by John Bate, and commissioned on 26 June 1990. In 2021 it was sold when a new tamper was purchased.
Visiting locomotives there have only been four visiting locomotives capable of running on the Talyllyn Railway's unusual gauge. These are Motor Rail Simplex diesel No. 5 Alan Meaden, Winson Engineering No. 7 a Tattoo class similar to the Talyllyn's No. 4, battery-electric Clayton shunter No. 9 Aberllefenni and Corris Railway No. 10, a new build Falcon similar to the Talyllyn's No. 3. All these locomotives are from the Corris Railway.
In July 2015 a gala was held to mark the railway's 150th anniversary, and two gauge locomotives visited the railway: George England and Co. locomotive Prince from the Ffestiniog Railway and Hunslet Engine Company Russell from the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway, both in Porthmadog. Two lengths of temporary track were laid at to allow the locomotives to operate over a short distance.
In July 2016, another gala was held, with three visiting locos, all built by Fletcher, Jennings and Co. Together with Talyllyn and Dolgoch, this was an assembly of all five surviving locos in the UK built by this firm. As with the previous gala, temporary track was laid due to the differing gauges. One of the locomotives, Captain Baxter, ran on a short section of standard gauge track. The other two Fletcher Jennings locomotives, William Finlay and Townsend Hook, were static exhibits only and are therefore not listed below. William Finlay remained at Tywyn after the event and is now on display at the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum.
In September 2021, to mark the centenary of No. 4, Corris Railway No. 7 made another visit to the Talyllyn, along with the other preserved Kerr Stuart Tattoo class, Stanhope, and Sirdar class Diana. Stanhope and Diana ran on temporary track laid at Wharf station, and No. 7 pulled several trains along the full length of the line.
NumberNameImage Type BuilderDate built5Alan MeadenMotor Rail Simplex1965A former gauge diesel from Staveley Lime Products, Hindlow, Derbyshire, named in honour of the Corris Society's founder. It visited the Talyllyn in 1983 and 1990.7(unnamed)Winson Engineering and Drayton Designs2005Built for the Corris Railway, based on the Kerr Stuart "Tattoo" class design of Corris No. 4. It visited the Talyllyn in 2011 and 2021.2PrinceGeorge England and Co.1864Prince was built in 1863 or 1864 for the Ffestiniog Railway and is the oldest FR locomotive still in operating condition. It has spent all of its working life on the FR, but in 2015 ran on a short length of gauge track laid at Tywyn Wharf station as part of the TR's 150th anniversary celebrations.(unnumbered)RussellHunslet Engine Co.1906Built in 1906 for the NWNGR, Russell later ran on the Welsh Highland Railway. After the WHR closed in 1937 it moved to the Brymbo Ironworks railway and then in 1946 to Fayle's Tramway in Dorset. It was rescued for preservation in 1954 and between 1955 and 1965, Russell was on display as a static exhibit outside the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum at Tywyn. Since 1965 the locomotive has belonged the WHHR. It visited Tywyn again in 2015 as part of the TR's 150th anniversary celebrations.3Captain BaxterFletcher, Jennings and Co.1877A standard gauge locomotive, built in 1877 for the Betchworth Quarry Railways in Surrey. It is preserved by the Bluebell Railway in West Sussex.2395StanhopeKerr, Stuart and Co.1917A locomotive, built for the Penrhyn Quarry Railway. It is preserved by the Apedale Valley Light Railway in Staffordshire.1135DianaKerr, Stuart and Co.1917A locomotive, formerly on the Kerry Tramway. It is preserved by the Amerton Railway in Staffordshire.9AberllefenniClayton Equipment Company1974A four-wheeled battery-electric locomotive from Aberllefenni quarry and now owned by the Corris Railway. It visited the Talyllyn in September 2023 as part of a heritage weekend.
Carriages The Talyllyn railway has a total of 23 carriages, with two more under construction . The first five are the original carriages built for the railway, though they were not provided with numbers until preservation in 1951. After that time, the remaining carriages were built by the railway or acquired from elsewhere. With the exception of ex-Corris carriage No. 17, all the bogie coaches were built for the railway after preservation; the smaller four wheeled coaches are generally older.
All the stock is third class only, unless otherwise stated. Where two figures are given for the number of seats, the larger figure is the maximum number of passengers than can be carried in a heavily loaded train.
Four wheeled carriages