Corris Railway Spring Steam Gala to be held on May 29

Corris Railway will be holding a one day gala event on Sunday, May 29 with steam, diesel and possibly battery electric motive power in action.

Steam will be represented by Corris Number 7, the 2005 built 0-4-2ST which evokes the original “Tattoo” Number 4 now based on the neighbouring Talyllyn.

 Internal combustion will be in the form of the revived line’s first operational loco Simplex Number 5 “Alan Meaden”, Ruston Number 6 and the large Orenstein and Koppel Number 11, which arrived in Mid Wales from Austria via Transylvania in 2015.

Subject to completion of overhaul in time, battery electric Number 9, which worked at the slate quarry at Aberllefenni, will be shunting at Maespoeth Junction.

It is intended to have a mixture of steam and diesel hauled trains in action during the day plus a gravity train working, with the variety offering a range of opportunities for visiting photographers to get a good portfolio of images of the Corris revival in action.

For those who wish to travel, tickets issued on the day will offer unlimited journeys between Corris Station and Maespoeth Junction. Adult tickets will cost £6, seniors £5.50 and children aged five to 15 £3.

There will be free conducted tours of the original locomotive shed and the carriage shed at Maespoeth Junction where visitors will be able to see work in progress on the building of new carriages for the line and components for the next steam engine now being built, Number 10, which will recreate a “Falcon” 0-4-2ST as per Corris Number 3 which is now also based on Talyllyn Railway.

The museum and shop at Corris Station will be open and amongst the exhibits on display will be the diorama showing the planned development of the station site which will recreate the ambience of the iconic overall roofed structure.  Subject to volunteer availability, it may also be possible for visitors to see work on the southern extension beyond Maespoeth Junction.

More information about the gala will appear on the website www.corris.co.uk as plans develop. There will also be a gala event on the Fairbourne Railway, which will be a further attraction for visitors to the railways of Mid Wales.

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From the Press Officer John Simms, CRS, 42 Bluebell Close, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 3XQ. 01823 323106 E-mail : press@corris.co.uk