What is Talyllyn Railway?
{{Heritage Railway |name = Talyllyn Railway<br><small>''Rheilffordd Talyllyn''</small> |image = [[File:Edward Thomas at Tywyn Wharf - 2005-04-29.jpg|Locomotive No. 4 Edward Thomas stands at Tywyn Wharf station|centre|300px]] |caption = Locomotive No. 4 ''Edward Thomas'' stands at Tywyn Wharf station – April 2005 |locale = [[Wales]]3 |terminus = {{stnlnk|Tywyn Wharf}} |latitude = 52.5836472 |longitude = -4.088783 |map = Talyllyn Location map.svg |mapcaption = Map showing location of Talyllyn Railway |linename = Talyllyn Railway |originalgauge = {{RailGauge|27}} |preservedgauge = {{RailGauge|27}} |era = |owned = |operator = Talyllyn Railway Company, supported by Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society |stations = 7 and 5 halts |length = {{convert|7.25|mi|km}} |com-years = 1866 |com-events = Opened |com-years1 = 1911 |com-events1 = Sold to Henry Haydn Jones |com-years2 = 1946 |com-events2 = Quarry closed |years = 1951 |events = Taken over by the Preservation Society |years1 = 1976 |events1 = Opening of extension to Nant Gwernol |years2 = 2001 |events2 = Railway celebrates 50 years of preservation |years3 = 2005 |events3 = New station building and museum opened at Tywyn --> }} The '''Talyllyn Railway''' ({{lang-cy|Rheilffordd Talyllyn}}) is a [[narrow gauge railway|narrow-gauge]] [[heritage railway|preserved]] railway in [[Wales]]. It runs for {{convert|7.25|mi|km}}<ref>Boyd 1965, page 85</ref> from [[Tywyn]]{{scref|a}} on the [[Mid-Wales]] coast to [[Nant Gwernol railway station|Nant Gwernol]] near the village of [[Abergynolwyn]]. The line was opened in 1866 to carry [[slate]] from the quarries at [[Bryn Eglwys]] to Tywyn. It was the first narrow gauge railway in Britain authorised by [[Act of Parliament#United Kingdom|Act of Parliament]] to carry passengers using steam haulage.<ref>Mitchell and Eyres, 2005 page 7</ref><ref>Boyd 1988, page 44</ref> Despite severe under-investment,<ref>Rolt 1965, page 50</