Editing Talyllyn Railway (section)

===Commercial history===
====<span class="anchor" id="Origins and construction"></span><span class="anchor" id="up to 1866"></span>Origins and construction: up to 1866====
[[Slate industry in Wales|Slate quarrying]] began in the hills above Tywyn in the 1830s, but although many small quarries and test levels were established, only one major quarry was developed in the region, the [[Bryn Eglwys quarry]], {{convert|7|mi|km}} north east of the town. Underground working began in the early 1840s,<ref name=AJR195>Richards 1999, page 195</ref> and by 1847 the quarry was being worked by local landowner John Pughe. The finished slates were sent by [[packhorse]] to the wharf at [[Pennal]], transferred to boats for a river trip to [[Aberdyfi]] (also spelled as ''Aberdovey''), and then finally loaded into seagoing vessels, a complex and expensive transportation arrangement which limited the quarry's output.<ref>Boyd 1965, pages 62–63</ref> In 1861 the outbreak of the [[American Civil War]] cut off supplies of [[cotton]] to the [[Cotton mill|mills]] of the north west of England and as a result a number of prosperous mill owners looked for new business opportunities to diversify their interests. One such owner was [[William McConnel]] of [[Lancashire]] who, in 1859, had purchased [[Hengwrt|Hengwrt Hall]] near [[Dolgellau]], north of Tywyn. In January 1864, McConnel formed the Aberdovey Slate Company, which leased the land including Bryn Eglwys from the landowner, Lewis Morris of [[Machynlleth]].<ref>Boyd 1988, page 9</ref>

[[File:Bryn Eglwys quarry - 2008-03-18.jpg|thumb|left|The remains of Bryn Eglwys quarry in 2008|alt=Large spoil heaps of slate appear on the hillside in a heavily wooded area. In the foreground is a small stone house, without a roof.]]

McConnel set about improving Bryn Eglwys to increase its output. He focused on providing rail transport for the isolated quarry, and in April 1864 he reached agreement with local landowners to purchase the land necessary to build a railway towards Tywyn and onwards to the port of Aberdyfi. Construction was well underway by July 1864.<ref>Drummond 2015, pages 9–11</ref> The standard gauge [[Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway]] was expanding rapidly from its base at Machynlleth, however, and in 1863 had reached Tywyn, so McConnel decided to build his line from the quarry to Tywyn, as the nearest point where slate could be transferred to the standard gauge railway. This was despite the line's initial isolation from the rest of the system because of difficulties in bridging the estuary of the [[Afon Dyfi]] to the south.<ref>Boyd 1965, page 64</ref> An [[act of Parliament (UK)|act of Parliament]], the '''{{visible anchor|Talyllyn Railway Act 1865}}''' ([[28 & 29 Vict.]] c. cccxv) allowing the company to operate passenger trains as a public railway was given [[royal assent]] on 5 July 1865,<ref>Boyd 1988, page 45</ref><ref>Potter, page 11</ref> and the company appointed [[The Spooners of Porthmadog|James Swinton Spooner]] as engineer for the construction. He laid out plans for a relatively straight line climbing steadily from Tywyn to the quarry and work quickly got underway. By September 1866 construction had advanced to the point where the [[Board of Trade]] inspector [[Henry Whatley Tyler|Captain Henry Tyler]] could make an initial inspection and report.<ref>Boyd 1965, page 65</ref>

Tyler's report led to an unusual alteration, as it was discovered that the internal width of the [[Overpass#Railway|overbridges]] was only {{convert|9|ft|1|in|cm|abbr=on}}, but the railway's [[List of Talyllyn Railway rolling stock#Carriages|passenger carriages]] were {{convert|5|ft|3.5|in|cm|abbr=on}} wide, leaving only {{convert|1|ft|10+3/4|in|cm|abbr=on}}  clearance on either side, which was {{convert|7+3/4|in|cm|1|abbr=on}} less than the minimum required [[Engineering tolerance|clearance]] of {{convert|2|ft|6|in|cm|abbr=on}}. To alleviate this problem, McConnel proposed that the doors on one side of each carriage be permanently barred and the track slewed off-centre beneath the bridges to allow adequate clearance at least on the side with doors, which would allow passengers to get out of the carriages if the train stopped underneath a bridge. Tyler agreed to this arrangement, and to this day all carriages on the Talyllyn have doors on one side only, an unusual feature for a public railway which is shared (albeit for different reasons) with the neighbouring Corris Railway.<ref>Boyd 1965, pages 68–69</ref> Tyler also required that improvements be made to the railway's first two steam locomotives, as locomotive No.&nbsp;1 suffered from excessive "vertical motion" and No.&nbsp;2 was said to suffer from "horizontal oscillation". No.&nbsp;1 was returned to its manufacturer where a set of [[trailing wheel]]s was added to reduce the rear overhang, and the [[Suspension (vehicle)#Springs and dampers|springs]] on No.&nbsp;2 were adjusted and the [[crank pin]]s shortened to reduce its oscillation.<ref name=Boyd6570>Boyd 1965, page 70</ref>

Tyler did not approve the opening until his listed improvements were completed, although slate trains and unofficial passenger trains were running in 1865.<ref name="Drummond 2015, page 17"/> During November of that 1866, Tyler returned to Tywyn and re-inspected the railway following which, subject to some further minor improvements, he approved its formal opening for passenger service. The first public passenger timetable was issued in December 1866,<ref>Rolt 1998, page 13</ref> and the first purpose-built, steam-worked, narrow gauge public railway in Britain opened for service.<ref>Boyd 1965, pages 68–70</ref>

====<span class="anchor" id="Prosperity under McConnel"></span><span class="anchor" id="1866–1880s"></span>Prosperity under McConnel: 1866–1880s====
[[File:TalyllynOnDolgochViaduct.jpg|thumb|right|''Talyllyn'' posed on Dolgoch Viaduct around 1867, the earliest known photograph of the Talyllyn|alt=A stone viaduct with three arches spans a steep sided ravine. A steam train stands on the viaduct, with an engine, a van and three coaches.]]

The railway opened with two locomotives, one carriage and several goods vehicles in use and was operated under a "[[Signalling block systems|one engine in steam]]" policy to ensure that two trains could not collide.<ref name=Boyd6571>Boyd 1965, page 71</ref> Initially the working locomotive was housed in a wooden shed at Ty Dwr on the mineral line above [[Abergynolwyn railway station|Abergynolwyn station]], while the main engineering works at {{stnlnk|Pendre}} were constructed.<ref>Boyd 1988, page 149</ref> The Pendre works opened on 17 February 1867 and from then on trains began working from Pendre instead of Abergynolwyn.<ref name=Boyd6570/>

At the time of the line's opening, stations were provided at Pendre and Abergynolwyn. In 1867, the halt at {{stnlnk|Rhydyronen}} opened,<ref name=Drummond97>Drummond 2015, page 97</ref> followed by {{stnlnk|Dolgoch}} later that year<ref>Drummond 2015, page 118</ref> and {{stnlnk|Brynglas}} in 1872.<ref name=Drummond97/> Some time shortly after the opening of the railway a branch to Abergynolwyn village was provided. A steep [[cable railway|incline]] dropped from the mineral line east of Abergynolwyn station to the village below, where a series of tram lines radiated. Coal, building materials and general goods were delivered down the incline and the contents of the village [[cesspit]]s were hauled back up for disposal along the lineside.<ref name=Boyd6571/>

The railway used [[steam locomotive]]s from the start, unlike its neighbour the horse-drawn Corris Railway. The original two locomotives, although of entirely different design, were both purchased from [[Fletcher, Jennings & Co.]] of [[Whitehaven]] in [[Cumbria]],<ref>Rolt 1965, pages 82–83</ref> and both are still in service, 150&nbsp;years on, although so many of their parts have been replaced down the years that much of their present-day component metal is not original. The Talyllyn's rare gauge is thought to have been adopted to match that of the Corris Railway,<ref>Rolt 1998, pages 5–6</ref> and the line's two original steam locomotives were among the earliest locomotives built for such a narrow gauge. No.&nbsp;1 ''[[Talyllyn (locomotive)|Talyllyn]]'' is an {{whyte|0-4-2|ST}} and No.&nbsp;2 ''[[Dolgoch (locomotive)|Dolgoch]]'' is an {{whyte|0-4-0|WT}}. The line carried slate from the quarry to the wharf at Tywyn and general goods along its length. Public passenger trains initially ran between Abergynolwyn, Dolgoch and Pendre stations only; quarrymen were carried on unofficial trains that continued on from Abergynolwyn to the foot of the Alltwyllt incline in Nant Gwernol gorge.<ref name=Boyd6571/>

The line operated successfully during its early years, serving the quarry and the local district. By 1880, Bryn Eglwys employed 300&nbsp;workers and was producing {{convert|8000|long ton}} of finished slate per year, all shipped via the railway.<ref name=AJR195/> Passenger traffic was substantial, rising from 11,500&nbsp;passengers carried in 1867 to over 23,000 (roughly equivalent to 40,000&nbsp;passenger journeys) in 1877.<ref>Boyd 1965, page 118</ref>

====<span class="anchor" id="Declining fortunes"></span><span class="anchor" id="1880s–1910"></span>Declining fortunes: 1880s–1910====
[[File:TalyllynAtNantGwernol1890.jpg|thumb|right|''Talyllyn'' at the foot of the Alltwyllt incline, the present site of Nant Gwernol station, 1890|alt=A train consisting of a locomotive and single carriage stands in the centre track of three tracks, which is on a ledge on a steep hillside. There is no platform. Two adults and two girls in Victorian dress stand on the track beside the carriage, with a man leaning against the locomotive and another man on the footplate.]]

In 1879, McConnel bought out the other shareholders of the Aberdovey Slate Company, and became the sole owner of the railway, the quarry and much of Abergynolwyn village.<ref name=obit>{{cite web |url=https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3319580/3319585/42/ |title=Death of Mr. William McConnell |work=The Cambrian News and Merionethshire Standard |date=1902-10-17 |access-date=2020-02-10 |publisher=John Askew Roberts, Edward Woodall & Richard Henry Venables |archive-date=9 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809002934/https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3319580/3319585/42/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

From the 1880s onwards the "[[Corris Railway Grand Tour|Grand Tour]]" was a popular option with tourists. This used [[charabanc]]s to link the Talyllyn and Corris railways via Tal-y-llyn Lake and Cadair Idris, returning on [[Cambrian Railways]] trains.<ref>Rolt 1998, pages 24–25</ref> The last two decades of the 19th century saw a decline in the demand for slate and many smaller quarries fell on hard times, including Bryn Eglwys, where by 1890 production had halved to {{convert|4000|long ton}} a year.<ref name=AJR195/> In 1896, production at the [[Penrhyn Quarry]] in north Wales, one of the largest producers of slate, was stopped due to labour disputes, resulting in a temporary increase in demand at other quarries. McConnel expanded production at Bryn Eglwys to take advantage of the sudden demand, but only with the aim of maximising profits during the remainder of his lease, which was to expire in 1910. He built new trial levels without proper provision for the removal of [[overburden]] and pushed the limits of safe working in the existing chambers. As McConnel's lease drew to its close, there was no prospect of a further lessee coming forward and work began on dismantling the quarry's equipment.<ref name=Boyd6572/>

====<span class="anchor" id="Haydn Jones era"></span><span class="anchor" id="1911–1950"></span>Haydn Jones era: 1911–1950====
The Bryn Eglwys quarry was the primary employer in the Abergynolwyn district, so its closure caused significant distress. In 1910, local landowner [[Henry Haydn Jones]] was elected the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]] [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Merionethshire|Merioneth]]. He understood the importance of Bryn Eglwys, and at the end of the year he purchased the quarry company for just over £5000.<ref name="Quine Haydn Jones">{{cite news |last=Quine |first=Dan |author-link=Dan Quine |title=The Talyllyn Railway in the late Haydn Jones era |publisher=Heritage Railway |volume=200 |date=March 2015}}</ref> The quarry re-opened in January 1911,<ref name=Boyd6572>Boyd 1965, pages 72–73</ref> though Haydn Jones did not have [[capital (economics)|capital]] to invest in the quarry. The first workings reopened were on the [[Broad Vein]], which yielded relatively hard slate that was less popular and therefore difficult to sell. The lack of an available market for this output forced the quarry to switch to extracting softer slate from the [[Narrow Vein]] but, because Haydn Jones could not afford to open new workings into the Narrow Vein, he resorted to the dangerous practice of narrowing the columns that supported the roofs of the underground chambers. This practice had begun under McConnel's ownership and Haydn Jones continued it throughout his ownership of the quarry.<ref name=Boyd6572/> A brief construction boom after the [[First World War]] saw production return to around {{convert|4000|long ton}} per year.<ref name=AJR195/>

The 1920s also saw an upsurge in holiday traffic, as Britain recovered from the war and tourism gained in popularity. The Talyllyn saw summer passenger numbers grow significantly and regularly had to supplement its formal passenger stock with slate wagons fitted with planks as seats.<ref>Ransom 1996, page 130</ref> An unusual tourist service offered by the railway was to hire a slate wagon, which would be left at Abergynolwyn. At the end of the day the tourists would return to Tywyn in the wagon, powered by [[Gravity railway|gravity]]. This service was discontinued in the early 1930s.<ref>Boyd 1965, pages 116–117</ref> The additional income from the tourist trade defrayed some of the costs of operating the railway, but never enough for it to make a profit during Haydn Jones' ownership.<ref>Rolt 1998, page 21</ref>

The lease on Bryn Eglwys expired in 1942, but was extended on an annual basis. The October 1942 Bradshaw's Guide shows two return passenger trains operating only on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays, taking 45 minutes in each direction. No passenger service was provided on other days. Overnight on 26 December 1946, several weakened support columns in the quarry gave way, resulting in a significant collapse; the quarry was deemed unsafe and closed immediately. Haydn Jones had promised to continue operating the railway as long as he was alive and so, despite the closure of the quarry, the railway continued to run trains on a shoestring budget. In 1947 the British railway system was nationalised and the Talyllyn was one of the few operating railways not included. The reasons for this are unclear, but it is significant that all official mention of the railway had ceased several decades before and it is likely that the line was simply forgotten by officialdom.<ref>Boyd 1965, pages 73–74</ref> Between 1947 and 1949 the railway ran a passenger service two days a week. In 1949 Haydn Jones, who owned the [[Aberllefenni Slate Quarry]] purchased 10 tons of rail from the recently lifted Corris Railway.<ref name=Quine>{{cite news |title=Not to be: The sad end of the Corris Railway |publisher=Heritage Railway |volume=220 |last=Quine |first=Dan |author-link=Dan Quine}}</ref> On 2 July 1950 Haydn Jones died and closure of the railway seemed inevitable, but the line continued to operate for the remainder of the summer season, ending on 6 October.<ref>Boyd 1965, page 74</ref>
{{clear}}