PRESS INFORMATION Date: 18 TH February 2013 Contact: Kate Tilley, Great Central Railway - Tel: 07515 596835 No.3 SIR HAYDN GOES BACK TO ITS BIRTHPLACE No.3 at Tywyn Wharf in 2005 (Photo: I.Drummond) Talyllyn Railway’s Locomotive No.3 Sir Haydn is going on its travels in April, when it is due to be moved to Leicestershire to appear at the Great Central Railway’s Swithland Steam Gala between 26 th and 28 th April 2013. Here it will be displayed in the yard at Quorn and Woodhouse station along with a Talyllyn publicity and sales stand staffed by volunteers from the railway. This is an appropriate venue for the locomotive to visit as it is very close to the original works where it was built in 1878. These were the works of Henry Hughes’ ‘Hughes’s Locomotive & Tramway Engine Works Ltd.’ in Loughborough, which later became the ‘Falcon Engine and Car Works’. This in turn was taken over by the ‘Brush Electrical Engineering Company’ in the early twentieth century. No.3 was the third of three identical 0-4-0’s built by Hughes for the 2ft 3ins gauge Corris Railway, being rebuilt as an 0-4-2 in 1900. It continued to serve the line until it closed in 1948. In 1951 it, along with Corris No.4, was purchased by the embryonic Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society for the Talyllyn where it has worked ever since, although it has returned to the BRITAIN’S ONLY DOUBLE TRACK, MAIN LINE HERITAGE RAILWAY Great Central Railway, Great Central Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 1RW Tel: (01509) 230726 Fax: (01509) 239791 PRESS INFORMATION Corris on two occasions in the last few years. It was named Sir Haydn on the Talyllyn after the long-time owner of the line before it was preserved, but often appears as its alter-ego Sir Handel from the Skarloey Railway. Currently No.3 is based at the Corris Railway where it has been displayed since its boiler certificate expired last year. The Corris Railway Society have agreed to release the locomotive early from a leasing agreement in order for this visit to take place. While the locomotive is away from Tywyn it is also planned to visit other venues, details of which will be released in due course. Richard Patching, Great Central Railway’s General Manager said ‘Although it will not be in steam it should prove to be a unique attraction during the gala, along with, hopefully, another standard gauge diesel Loughborough locomotive, plus the other attractions at the station including the working turntable.’ All Talyllyn members are also entitled to privilege ticket rates during the gala, upon production of a valid membership card. A spokesman for the Talyllyn commented ‘Our thanks must go to all those who have made this visit possible and enabled No.3 to return to its birthplace. Particularly we would like to thank the Corris Railway Society for being so gracious in releasing the locomotive to us. We hope that it will prove to be a great attraction during the gala.’ ENDS WORDS: 425 FURTHER INFORMATION – GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY: Details on the above and all forthcoming events can be found on the Great Central Railway's extensive website: www.gcrailway.co.uk Additional information can also be obtained from the Booking Office, Loughborough Central Station, (Daily 9.00 - 5.30) on 01509 230726 NOTES Voted number 12 on the list of the 50 greatest railway journeys in the world the Great Central Railway is the UK's only double track, main line heritage railway. It’s the only place in the world where full size steam engines can be seen passing each other – just as it was when steam ruled the rails. The preserved railway celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2009, and is manned by around 700 volunteers and a small team of permanent staff. Preservation of this section of the Great Central Railway began in 1969. The route was originally part of a main line from Sheffield to London. The 8 mile preserved section between Loughborough and Leicester is fully operational and the 4 stations BRITAIN’S ONLY DOUBLE TRACK, MAIN LINE HERITAGE RAILWAY Great Central Railway, Great Central Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 1RW Tel: (01509) 230726 Fax: (01509) 239791 PRESS INFORMATION reflect a different period of the railways 111 year history. Around 100,000 visitors a year come to the railway from all over the world. Trains run every weekend of the year, bank holidays and daily in the summer. In addition, First Class Restaurant Car Services provide famous dining experiences course, whilst passengers travel between Loughborough and Leicester. Childhood engine driver dreams can come true with a Drive a Train Experience. We also run a number of family events, including Santa Specials. The railway has won a number of awards including “independent railway of the year”, and a gold award for the East Midlands best visitor experience and is a quality assured visitor attraction as designated by Enjoy England. FURTHER INFORMATION – TALYLLYN RAILWAY: The Talyllyn Railway is a narrow gauge railway opened for goods traffic in 1865, which has operated continuously since between Tywyn on the west coast of Wales and Nant Gwernol just over seven miles inland. In 1951 operation of the line was taken over by the Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society and became the world’s first preserved railway. Operation of the line is primarily by volunteers from all walks of life, with a small paid staff. It is now a major tourist attraction in the mid-Wales area, contributing significantly to the area’s economy. 2015 will mark 150th Anniversary of the opening of the line to traffic, and to mark the occasion a special celebration is being planned. For further information about this press release please e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected] or phone either 0113 281 8235 or 01654 710472. BRITAIN’S ONLY DOUBLE TRACK, MAIN LINE HERITAGE RAILWAY Great Central Railway, Great Central Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 1RW Tel: (01509) 230726 Fax: (01509) 239791 .