FOUND in a small seaside town in Wales is a railway that was said to be the inspiration for Thomas the Tank Engine.
Talyllyn Railway is celebrating its 75th anniversary this weekend to acknowledge the day when it became a ‘world first’, not to mention that children can enjoy hopping aboard for as little as £5.
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The Talyllyn Railway in the Welsh county of Gwynedd was saved from closure in 1951 by volunteer train enthusiasts.
This was the first time in history that a railway had been taken over by volunteers, and now it’s celebrating 75 years of being ‘The World’s First Preserved Railway’.
One of the very first railway volunteers was actually children’s author Rev Wilbert Awdry who was the creator of beloved character Thomas the Tank Engine.
It’s said that Wilbert Awdry based some of his stories on his experiences while working at the railway.
One tale in one of the books is from the time when Wilbert left a colleague, the refreshment lady behind at Abergynolwyn which is at the far end of the line.
Railway historian Tim Dunn said the Talyllyn Railway had made its way into a number of Thomas the Tank Engine books.
He even called the railway the “spiritual home” of Thomas the Tank Engine.
The railway is open seasonally with train journeys throughout spring and summer.
The best part is that children can visit the Talyllyn Railway now and hop onboard for as little as £5 with a ‘Child Explorer’ ticket.
An ‘Adult Explorer’ fare starts from £29 – if you fancy reserving whole compartments this is from £155 (which seats up to six passengers).
The one-hour return journeys start from Tywyn Wharf and head to Nant Gwernol stopping in-between at Pendre, Rhydyronen, Brynglas, Dolgoch and Abergynolwyn.
You can even add an Afternoon Tea or Welsh Cream Tea Package to your experience.
On arrival at the Abergynolwyn stop, the teas are set up with fresh scones, cream and jam with a pot of fresh pot of tea or coffee – these start from an extra £6.50 per person.
On-site, the railway has a Narrow Gauge Railway Museum with a collection of items – some of which are 200 years old.
There’s even a special collection dedicated to the author of Thomas the Tank Engine.
The King’s Café and Quarryman’s Caban at Tywyn Wharf Station are open for breakfast, Sunday lunches, takeaways – there’s even a licenced bar.
The railway is a favourite attraction amongst its visitors with over 1,200 five-star reviews on Tripadvisor.
One visitor even said: “I visited for the first time yesterday. No exaggeration, it was the best day of my life.”
Another added: “My wife and I took a trip to this historic railway during their Awdry Extravaganza weekend and loved it. The trip up the valley is beautiful on a sunny day.”
It holds events throughout the year too – and this weekend the railway is holding its 75th Anniversary Gala to celebrate Talyllyn Railway being saved by volunteers.
Across the weekend, special locomotives are taking to the tracks, like an overnight steam train which will return to the railway for the first time in 11 years.
Trains from various eras like the 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s all the way to modern day will also be on display.
Other events include Sunset Specials which run on Wednesday and Sunday during spring bank holiday week between 6PM until 9PM for pretty views.
The ‘Railway Adventure’ event is where visitors can travel behind a historic steam locomotives. Guides explain how Talyllyn Railway got to be a world first, and delve into the early days of the Preservation Pioneers.
During ‘The Slate Trail’, passengers can experience a train journey inside a Victorian-era carriage. Tickets for these two experience start from £23.75 for children and £47.50 for adults.