It was on April 20th 1985 that the first train on the initial revived section of the Corris Railway ran into the old station site in the village of Corris itself. This historic train consisted of some skip wagons headed by the small industrial diesel locomotive Number 5 plus a “manrider” vehicle and van number 204.

To mark the 25th anniversary of this historic event the Corris Railway Society will stage a re-enactment on Tuesday April 20th when once again loco number 5, named “Alan Meaden” in 1982 after the Society’s founder, worked skip wagons into Corris. The chassis from the “manrider” is now the underframe for Coach number 20 on the line and van 204, now a brake vehicle, will be left outside Corris Station so that the train will recreate the original. The train is expected to arrive at Corris Station around 10.40 a.m. to coincide with the morning break time at the adjacent Corris School. Please note there will be no passenger trains on April 20th.

Anniversaries are traditionally a time for reflection and for those long serving members of the CRS there is plenty to look back on and also much to look forward to. Number 5 has now been joined in service by another diesel locomotive, number 6, but these days passengers who travel on the revived section of the line will probably travel behind steam engine number 7 which the Corris has had built as a development of the design of Corris Number 4 which served the Dulas Valley between 1921 and the closure in 1948. Not only is Coach 20 in service but it has been joined by a further passenger vehicle number 21 and construction of number 22 is advancing steadily in the new carriage shed constructed at Maespoeth Junction. Orders for the construction of steam engine Number 10, which will evoke the original trio of “Falcon” steam engines built in 1878, have been placed and the Permission to construct a deviation at Pont-y-Goedwig south of Maespoeth is another step forward in the plans to extend the running line southwards towards Tan-y-Coed.

There have been many highlights in the 25 years since that inaugural train. Both the surviving original Corris Railway engines, numbers 3 and 4, have made return visits from the good neighbours on the Talyllyn Railway together with surviving rolling stock now based at Tywyn. The line has been upgraded to passenger carrying standards so that steam whistles can echo along one of Wales’ most attractive valleys once more and the completion of the carriage shed at Maespoeth Junction has meant that rolling stock maintenance and construction can now be done under cover, vital when much of that stock is of wooden construction. At Corris the former Railway stables now houses an excellent small museum and the all-important Society sales counter.

The Corris continues to grow and develop and welcomes new members, both those who wish to become physically involved and “armchair supporters”.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE RE-ENACTMENT ON APRIL 20th and THE HISTORY OF THE CORRIS RAILWAY REVIVAL CONTACT:- David Coleman via colemans.brynderw@tiscali.co.uk.
 

FOR COMMENT ON THIS RELEASE CONTACT: John Simms on 01823 323106 or via publicity@corris.co.uk.
Corris is five miles north of Machynlleth and eleven miles south of Dolgellau in Mid-Wales.
Station Yard, Corris, Machynlleth, Powys, SY20 9SH.