Editing Corris Railway (section)

==== {{anchor|The Tramroad Era|1858 to 1878}}The Tramroad Era: 1858 to 1878 ====
After more than eight years of proposals, the 1859 scheme was the one that was built. Construction proceeded quickly, and by April 1859 the tramroad opened between Machynlleth and Corris.{{sfn|Johnson|2011|p={{page needed|date=August 2021}}}} The section from Aberllefenni to Corris was built later that year.<ref>{{cite news |journal=Chester Chronicle |title=Montgomeryshire and Merionethshire |page=4 |date=30 July 1859}}</ref> The section from Machynlleth to [[Morben]] was opened later. It is thought that the tramroad never extended beyond Morben.{{sfn|Johnson|2011|p={{page needed|date=August 2021}}}}<ref name=mrfs>{{cite journal |title=Corris Railway Stations at Machynlleth Before Steam |journal=[[Narrow Gauge and Industrial Railway Modelling Review]] |last1=MRFS |first2=Dan |last2=Quine |author-link2=Dan Quine |publisher=RCL Publications |issue=139 |date=July 2024}}</ref>

On 3 January 1863, the standard gauge [[Newtown and Machynlleth Railway]] had opened, followed on 1 July of the same year by the [[Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway]]'s (A&WCR) line from Machynlleth to [[Borth]]. These two lines became part of the [[Cambrian Railways]] by August 1865. The opening of the standard gauge line to Borth made the section of the {{abbr|CM&RDT|Corris, Machynlleth and River Dovey Tramroad}} from Machynlleth to Morben obsolete. It was much easier to transship slates to the main line at Machynlleth and most of the lower section of the tramway was abandoned, probably in 1869.<ref name=mrfs/>

{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = Corris Railway Act 1864
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act to authorize the Corris, Machynlleth, and River Dovey Tramroad Company to make a new Railway; to abandon Part of their existing Undertaking; to amend their Act; and for other Purposes.
| year                  = 1864
| citation              = [[27 & 28 Vict.]] c. ccxxv
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 25 July 1864
| commencement          = 
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = {{ubli|Corris, Machynlleth, and River Dovey Tramroad Act 1858}}
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = 
| repealing_legislation = 
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = 
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Vict/27-28/225/pdfs/ukla_18640225_en.pdf
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = 
| collapsed             = yes
}}
In 1862, a new bill was deposited, seeking to extend the [[Upper Corris Tramway]] to iron ore mines at '''Tir Stent''', near the [[pub]] at ''Cross Foxes''. The bill also sought powers to raise further capital for the tramroad and allow the use of locomotives. But the directors of the {{abbr|A&WCR|Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway}} objected and the bill failed.{{sfn|Johnson|2011|p={{page needed|date=August 2021}}}} Another similar bill was deposited in December 1863, and again the {{abbr|A&WCR|Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway}} opposed it. This time, however, they withdrew their objection; the {{abbr|CM&RDT|Corris, Machynlleth and River Dovey Tramroad}} company had been acquired by [[Thomas Savin]], who was the principal contractor in the construction of the tramroad, and Savin had offered to sell the company to the {{abbr|A&WCR|Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway}}.{{sfn|Johnson|2011|p={{page needed|date=August 2021}}}} The second bill passed on 25 July as the '''{{visible anchor|Corris Railway Act 1864}}''' ([[27 & 28 Vict.]] c. ccxxv); it formally converted the tramroad to a railway changing the company's name to the ''Corris Railway Company'', allowed the use of [[steam locomotive]]s and allowed the abandonment of the section west of Ffynnon Garsiwn in Machynlleth.{{sfn|Boyd|1965|page=23}}

In 1863, a new transshipment wharf was built at {{stnlnk|Machynlleth|Corris Railway}} to allow slate to be loaded from {{abbr|CM&RDT|Corris, Machynlleth and River Dovey Tramroad}} waggons into standard gauge wagons. Passenger and goods trains continued to run to Machynlleth Town station on the west side of Machynlleth, with some slate trains continuing to the wharfs at Morben.<ref name=mrfs/>

It took until the 1870s for work to begin to upgrade the Corris Railway to a standard where locomotives could be used. The original tramroad was laid with light [[bridge rail (rail)|bridge rail]] suitable for waggons <!-- Please note that 'waggon' is the correct contemporary local spelling--> to traverse as they were pulled by horses. These rails would not support the weight of much heavier steam locomotives.{{sfn|Boyd|1965|page=24}} Although the Corris Railway Act 1864 did not permit passengers to be carried, a timetabled passenger service was started in 1872.<ref name=early-passenger/> In 1874, a new goods warehouse and horse stable was built besides the transshipment wharves at Machynlleth, this was later converted to form the first passenger station here.<ref name=mrfs/>

In 1878, control of the railway passed to the [[Imperial Tramways Company]] of London. The new owners ordered new [[Passenger car (rail)|passenger carriages]] for the railway.{{sfn|Boyd|1965|page=24}} They also appointed Joseph R. Dix, son of the main-line stationmaster at Machynlleth, as Manager in succession to David Owen.