The Talyllyn Railway is a narrow gauge railway opened for goods traffic in 1865, which has operated continuously since between Tywyn on the west coast of Wales and Nant Gwernol just over seven miles inland. In 1951 operation of the line was taken over by the Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society and became the world's first preserved railway.
Operation of the line is primarily by volunteers from all walks of life, with a small paid staff. It is now a major tourist attraction in the mid-Wales area, contributing significantly to the area's economy.
This is an appropriate venue for the locomotive to visit as it is very close to the original works where it was built in 1878. These were the works of Henry Hughes' 'Hughes's Locomotive & Tramway Engine Works Ltd.' in Loughborough, which later became the 'Falcon Engine and Car Works'. This in turn was taken over by the 'Brush Electrical Engineering Company' in the early twentieth century.
No.3 'Sir Haydn' was the third of three identical 0-4-0's built by Hughes for the 2ft 3ins gauge Corris Railway, being rebuilt as an 0-4-2 in 1900. It continued to serve the line until it closed in 1948. In 1951 it, along with Corris No.4, was purchased by the embryonic Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society for the Talyllyn where it has worked ever since, although it has returned to the Corris on two occasions in the last few years. It was named Sir Haydn on the Talyllyn after the long-time owner of the line before it was preserved, but often appears as its alter-ego Sir Handel from the Skarloey Railway.
Richard Patching, Great Central Railway's General Manager said 'Although it will not be in steam it should prove to be a unique attraction during the gala, along with, hopefully, another standard gauge diesel Loughborough locomotive, plus the other attractions at the station including the working turntable.' All Talyllyn members are also entitled to privilege ticket rates during the gala, upon production of a valid membership card.
A spokesman for the Talyllyn commented 'Our thanks must go to all those who have made this visit possible and enabled No.3 to return to its birthplace. Particularly we would like to thank the Corris Railway Society for being so gracious in releasing the locomotive to us. We hope that it will prove to be a great attraction during the gala.'
