Voluntary run railways were pioneered in Birmingham with operations commencing seventy five years ago, in 1951, to save the Talyllyn Railway in mid Wales.
To mark this occasion, the Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society and Vintage Trains are collaborating for mutual benefit to develop inspiring story-telling and mutual public relations to help both organisations attract more supporters and passengers.
The Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society is the world pioneer in establishing voluntary run railways. Some of its founding pioneers then went on to establish Vintage Trains Charitable Trust as another world pioneer, this time operating heritage express steam trains on the national railway network in Britain.
Both organisations were established in Birmingham, the City where Matthew Boulton and James Watt pioneered commercial improvements to the steam engine, enabling it to become a defining technology changing the world and Birmingham to become an international manufacturing centre.
Both organisations recognise the importance of co-operation in heritage tourism and story-telling and seek to assist each other on a non exclusive basis, particularly in promotion and train rides, on account of their respective heritage pedigrees.
The collaboration has been marked by twinning two Birmingham built railway carriages: Vintage Trains’ Metropolitan Carriage & Wagon Co. 1960 built Pullman Car ‘Eagle’ and the Talyllyn Railway’s Brown, Marshalls & Co. Ltd. 1865 built Carriage No. 3 – the first carriage to be built for the Railway.
The twinning ceremony took place on the Heritage Railway Association’s special express steam train ‘The Volunteer’ hauled by No.7029 ‘Clun Castle’, operated by Vintage Trains on 2nd November, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of voluntary run railways.
