The Awdry Extravaganza celebrates the life and legacy of the Rev. W. Awdry, creator of Thomas the Tank Engine and one of the earliest volunteers on the Talyllyn Railway.
With 2025 marking 80 years since the publication of the first Railway Series book, this three-day event is the ultimate celebration of the Rev. W. Awdry’s most enduring creation.
The ever-popular Sir Handel, Rusty and Fred return to the Talyllyn, bringing with them other special guests from the Island of Sodor such as Duke the Lost Engine and Mike the Small Engine!
We really hope you’ll join us as this event is set to be our last Extravaganza for a while.
TICKETS GO ON GENERAL SALE MONDAY 19TH MAY 5PM BST
EVENT ACTIVITIES
Duke the Lost Engine and Mike the Small Engine will be visiting across the long weekend.
Duke will be giving footplate rides at Tywyn Wharf while Mike will be on display around the Railway!
With thanks to the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway, the Ffestiniog Railway and Fox & Edwards Events for making this possible.
This is the perfect opportunity to take advantage of our Talyllyn Explorer tickets, which will give you freedom of the line using our intensive timetable of trains.
One train a day will be hauled by ‘Fred’, while another is themed around the BBC TV train from the 1950s! Adult – £28 | Child – £14 Members travel for free
The Fan Tent at Tywyn Wharf Station returns and will feature a test track to display and run model engines alongside our Diorama LIVE! challenge – where you can help build a host of dioramas across the weekend.
The perfect congregation spot!
The Exhibition at Wharf will be a showcase of models, paperwork and artifacts from the Awdry Study, the Awdry Family and Mattel’s own archives.
Viewing slots begin at 9am, and are limited to 25 minutes, with 10 people in each slot. These tickets must be prebooked.
Adult – £14 | Child – £11
We also have a display at Abergynolwyn Station. The Reverend’s own model railway ‘Ffarquar Branch’ will be on show along with material drawn, again, from both the Awdry Study and the Mattel Archives.
Tickets will be available on the door. £5 – Pay on the day, first come first served
The Grand Finale will take place at 5:45pm on Sunday only – all of our visitors from Sodor will gather together for a big group photo.
This is open to all, and we’d love to see as MANY people as possible there to celebrate the life & legacy of the Reverend Wilbert Awdry.
TRAINS WITH A TWIST
A number of the normal service trains will have a twist with something slightly different about them – but are still valid to travel on with a ‘Talyllyn Explorer’ ticket! A round trip is around 2hr 50mins.
SPECIAL TRAINS
In the morning and evening of each day, those who want a closer look at our Abergynolwyn exhibition can take a ride behind one of our visiting engines.
Tickets are strictly limited, and visitors will be given a guided tour by our Awdry experts.
Departs Tywyn Wharf at 09:05 and 16:45 on Friday & Saturday and at 18:50 on Sunday.
Morning trains return to Wharf c.11:41 Evening trains return c.19:38 on Friday/Saturday & c.21:52 on Sunday.
£50 – including guaranteed free entry to the Abergynolwyn Exhibition.
The ever-popular Picnic returns, running on all three days. Hauled by Sir Handel, this trip offers the quintessential afternoon tea experience – the envy of all Sudrian landladies.
Departs Tywyn Wharf at 12:10 on Friday & Saturday and at 10:10 on Sunday.
Returns c.15:01 on Friday/Saturday & c.13:01 on Sunday. £65 Afternoon Tea provided on arrival at Abergynolwyn.
A new addition to the timetable is our Talking Train experience, pulled by Sir Handel.
With speakers in all carriages, listen to a guided tour of the Railway & its Awdry connection.
This will be hosted live by Tim Dunn & interspersed with narrations from the Rev. Wilbert Awdry himself.
Departs Tywyn Wharf at 15:30 on Friday & Saturday and at 13:30 on Sunday.
Returns c.18:17 on Friday/Saturday & c.16:21 on Sunday.
£75
Our Photo Charter specials run each evening, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, stopping along the line to recreate Railway Series illustrations.
The Sunday trip will see two engines form part of the journey.
Departs Tywyn Wharf at 18:50 on Friday, Saturday & Sunday.
Returns c.22:22 on Friday/Saturday & c.21:52 on Sunday.
CLASHES with Evening Entertainment Fri/Sat.
£60
And finally, Rusty will do one final line inspection before having to head home to Sodor – taking some passengers along for the ride!
Departs Tywyn Wharf at 12:10 – Sunday ONLY.
Returns c.15:01.
£50
EVENING EVENTS
This year, we’ll be hosting two separate evening events.
FRIDAY NIGHT A reading of the Rev. W. Awdry’s ‘Railways of Sodor’ lecture performed by Richard Awdry and Tim Dunn, complete with all of the picture slides for the very first time at an Awdry Extravaganza.
Located at the Neuadd Pendre, LL36 9DP.
SATURDAY NIGHT ‘Four Little Engines at 70 – an inside look’ will delve into the very first Skarloey Railway book, followed by some other treats from both the Mattel and Awdry Archives.
Located at the Magic Lantern Cinema, LL36 9DF
Both evening events begin at 19:30, with doors open at 19:00.
Adult – £30 | Child – £20 | Livestream – £5
Prices per Evening Event
EVENT LIVESTREAM
The event will be livestreamed to our YouTube channel across all three days of the event, presented by Max Davies and Tim Dunn!
Full broadcast schedule to be announced.
#JUSTLIKEAWDRY DIORAMA CHALLENGE
We will once again be holding a diorama challenge, more details to follow soon!
