Corris Railway

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The Corris Railway was a railway company from Corris, Wales. It operated on the unusual gauge of 2' 3", only shared by three other public railways in Britain; the nearby Talyllyn Railway, the Campbelltown and Machrihanish Light Railway, and the also nearby Plynlimon and Hafan Tramway.

Locomotives (Original)
Three Locomotives were built by Hughes Works in 1879 for the commencment of the passenger service, which were numbered 1,2 and 3, none were named. A fourth locomotive was constructed in 1921 by Kerr, Stuart and co. to their Tattoo class specifications, which became number 4. Imperial Tramways owned the line until 1930 when they sold it to the Great Western Railway, who operated the line until Nationalisation in 1948. The last train ran, under British Railways ownership, that year. Upon closure, both remaining locos (3&4, 1&2 had been scrapped in 1930) were sheeted up for two years, before they were purchased by the Talyllyn Railway. They kept their original numbers but gained names- No. 3 became Sir Haydn, whilst No. 4 became Edward Thomas. Both still operate on that line to this day.

Locomotives and History (Preserved)
In 1966 a group of enthusiasts, led by Alan Meaden, formed the Corris Railway Society with the eventual aims of re-building the line. A Motor Rail Simplex 4wDM was purchased from Derbyshire, and numbered 5 (continuing the number sequence) however, this engine was named, Alan Meaden, after the founder of the Society. A re-gauged Ruston and Hornsby 4wDH was bought from BICC Prescot, Merseyside, and numbered 6. In 2005, a new-build steam locomotive, built to the plans of the Kerr, Stuart loco, was completed and ran the first steam hauled passenger service on the line for fifty-seven years. This became locomotive number 7. Nos. 8 and 9 are 4wDM and 4wBEs respectively, the latter formerly working at the Aberllefenni slate quarry, once served by the original railway. Locomotive number 10, built to the plans of the Falcon Locomotives, is being constructed, and should be ready in 4-8 years time.

Passenger Stock
The Line had 10 four wheeled tramcar-like Carriages, built by Falcon of Loughborough. An 11th carriage was built, this time a bogie coach, that resembled two four wheeled coaches stuck onto one chassis. The other carriages were rebuilt this way, becoming 1-5, and bogie coach 12 (number 11 was occupied by a guard's van) became 6. Metropolitan built 2 more bogie coaches, 7 and 8. 1-6 were scrapped, but 7 and 8 survive. 8 runs on the Talyllyn as number 17, and 7 is in the Corris Museum.

Preservation
The Society has numbered its carriages from 20 onwards. 20 is similar to the bogie coaches, but on a shorter, former NCB 4w chassis. Carriage 21 and the partially built 22 are based on the 19th century bogie vehicles, but to 21st century standards. numbers 23 and 24 are planned.