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Description
Image 1:
Photography by John Ball (1965)
South-west of Tywyn is Escuan Hill; while in the middle distance the Cambrian Coast railway line is barely visible.
Image 2:
Photography by Richard Ball (1966)
Looking northwards from a roadbridge over the Cambrian Coast line. The old town of Tywyn lies to the right, and the ocean to the left.
Image 3:
Photography by John Ball (1966)
Holiday-makers about to board the train at the end of their holiday. In 1966, when this photo was taken, steam power was still very much in evidence on the British railway network.
Image 4:
Photography by Richard Ball (1966)
Looking southwards from a roadbridge over the Cambrian Coast line. On the left, alongside the main line, some narrow gauge track and small rusted iron wagons are visible. This is part of the Talyllyn narrow gauge railway which once transported slate from inland quarries down to the main line where the load was transferred onto the main rail network.
Image 5:
Photography by John Ball (1965)
Talyllyn Railway, originally opened in 1866. Its 2ft 3in gauge is about half that of the main British railway system. After falling almost into disuse with the demise of the slate industry, the Talyllyn narrow gauge railway was resurrected by enthusiasts in the early 1950s as a tourist attraction.
Image 6:
Photography by John Ball (1965)
Talyllyn Railway's steam locomotive "Douglas", built in 1918.
Image 7:
Photography by Richard Ball (1970)
Near Dolgoch falls, the narrow gauge line is carried over a ravine by this three-arched 51ft high viaduct.
Image 8:
Photography by Richard Ball (1970)
A train pulling into Dolgoch station on its return to Tywyn.
Image 9:
Photography by John Ball (1966)
The end of the line (in 1966) was here at Abergynolwyn in the foothills of Cadair Idris mountain. The engine was uncoupled and run around via a loop-line to the front of the train, ready for the 6½ mile journey back to Tywyn.
Image 10:
Photography by John Ball (1966)
The Abergynolwyn terminus. In the 1970s the track on the right was extended a further ¾ mile to Nant Gwernol where a new terminus was opened in 1976. The road on the left descends to the village of Abergynolwyn where it meets the main B4405 route past Talyllyn lake to Dolgellau.
Image 11:
Photography by John Ball (1966)
The view from Abergynolwyn up the Dysynni Valley towards Tal-y-llyn.
Acknowledgement
Many thanks to my brother Richard Ball for allowing me to use some of his fine colour slides, taken (he believes) in 1966 and 1970.
Read more about the Talyllyn Railway
Visit the Talyllyn Railway website
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