Awdry Extravaganza 2024 - Talyllyn Railway

Talyllyn Railway
Awdry Extravaganza 4
Sunday 21st July 2024

"The Rev. W Awdry was one of the earliest Talyllyn Railway volunteers and remained a passionate supporter of the railway for his entire life. Many stories from the Railway Series really did happen on the Talyllyn!"

'Sir Handel first visited the Talyllyn Railway from the Skarloey Railway in 1982 and made a return to Wales in 2024 to be paired with his Sir Haydn for the first time.'

This was part of the Talyllyn Railway's 4th Annual Awdry Extravaganza, a celebration of the life and works of the Rev. W. Awdry and all things Sodor.

In reality as part of the new build Falcon class, Corris Railway No. 10s, visit to the Talyllyn Railway, it played the part of Sir Handel for the weekend, giving the opportunity to pair Sir Handel and its real life counterpart the original Corris & Talyllyn Number 3 Sir Haydn.

Ruston diesel Midlander, which is currently under repair, was on display at Tywyn Wharf over the weekend in a fresh new coat of black paint as Skarloey Railway Number 5 Rusty. This was in celebration of 65 years since Rusty's first appearance in The Railway Series.

Hunslet No. 9 Alf running as Fred, took an early morning Inspection Train up the line ahead of the days services up to Abergynolwyn were it spent the day offering shuttle rides.

In service on service trains alongside the pair of Falcons were Talyllyn, Tom Rolt and (not featured in this video) Dolgoch.

The event saw Sir Handel (joined at times by Sir Haydn) on special trains, formed of, as Sir Handel used to call them Cattle trucks (better known as the Talyllyn Vintage train) with a mixed train on Sunday morning called 'The Horse and Cart' and the afternoon 'The Picnic', a Mid Sodor Train, probably most associated with Duke.

Alongside the trains the were two exhibitions, the main exhibition at Wharf included Wilbert Awdry's OO9 scale layout, Mid Sodor, courtesy of the Awdry family with all of Wilbert Awdry's surviving OO9 scale models of the Mid Sodor Railway locomotives, trucks and coaches on display.

Wilbert Awdry's OO9 scale models of Skarloey and Cora on display next to the Large scale models of Skarloey and Freddie from Thomas & Friends TV series, on a model of Rumblin Bridge Station.

At Abergnolwyn was Wilbert Awdry's OO scale layout Ffarquhar Branch layout (Thomas, Percy & Mavis are seen operating), alongside a selection of his OO scale models including City of Truro, Stepney & Bloomer. Also on display were Gauge 1 models of Harold and Dryaw Station used in the television series.

The event concluded with "The Photo Charter", which featured Sir Handel working a train up the line with photo stops at Brynglas and Dolgoch.

Music: Mavis M. based on the original themes by Mike O'Donnell & Junior Campbell created for Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends.
Thomas & Friends is (C) 2024 Gullane (Thomas) Limited

The locomotives on the Talyllyn were written into the Rev. W. Awdry's The Railway Series and feature in the television adapaption Thomas the tank engine and friends. No 1 Talyllyn is Skarloey, No 2 Dolgoch is Rheanas, No 3 Sir Hadyn is Sir Handel, No 4 Edward Thomas is Peter Sam, No 5 Midlander is Rusty, No 6 Douglas is Duncan and No 7 Tom Rolt is Ivo Hugh.

Further Footage of Corris Number 10 can be found here:
Talyllyn Anything Goes:    • Talyllyn Railway - Anything Goes Gala & Be...  
Corris Falcons Photo Charter:    • Double Falcons in the Dulas Valley - Corri...  

Support the Talyllyn Railway today with their 75 Appeal: https://www.talyllyn.co.uk/75appeal/

www.preservedrailway.co.uk
(C) Lee Andrew Davies 2024