Editing Talyllyn Railway (section)

====<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>