This year’s Corris Railway Gala Day on June 15th will be a special moment in the history of the revival of the oldest narrow gauge railway in Mid-Wales. For the first time in over a century two “Falcon” locomotives will be in steam and working trains between Corris station at Maespoeth Junction.
Following the completion of our new “Falcon”. No. 10, in August 2023 it has been a priority to see it working with Corris No. 3, the surviving and much rebuilt member of the original trio built in Loughborough by the Henry Hughes company in 1878. Since 1951, and following the closure of the original Corris route by British Railways in 1948, it has worked on the neighbouring Talyllyn Railway where it has been named “Sir Haydn”. It has visited Corris before during the revival period, the photograph shows No. 3 at Maespoeth Junction during passenger services in June 2003, but this will be the first time the two classmates have featured together.
No. 3 is the result of the work of Corris Railway Engineer Alfred Hulme who tackled the problem of the original trio wearing out after four decades of hard work by amalgamating components from No.s 1 and 3, whilst No. 2 stayed serviceable as back up to No. 4, delivered new from Kerr Stuart of Stoke-on-Trent in 1921. More work was done on the amalgamated No. 3 at Swindon in 1929, ahead of the Corris being acquired by the Great Western Railway the following year. No. 2 was then retired and scrapped along with No. 1.
With the Corris and Talyllyn sharing the two feet and three inches track gauge, which is almost unique in Britain, neither “Falcon” will be seen working elsewhere so this is a chance to witness and enjoy a bit of railway history. Why not come to see the event and take a train journey in this beautiful part of Wales with the sun at its annual zenith?
If you cannot make it on the 15th No. 3 will be in action on the Corris on the 8th, 22nd and 29th.