16mm Talyllyn Wharf Station Building

Description

Originally called King’s station after a local landowner, it was not a passenger station at first, but a place for transhipment of slates from the narrow gauge to the adjoining Cambrian Railway. Passenger trains started at the next station, Pendre. The original TR plans included a spur into the standard gauge station called ‘Railway No 2’, but in the end it wasn’t necessary, traffic wasn’t sufficient and the powers to build it lapsed.

The earliest recorded passenger train from Wharf was in 1877, though there is circumstantial evidence of them even earlier than that. Around 1910, the station was renamed Towyn Wharf, although the name of “King’s station” continued to be used for formal occasions until at least 1915. The station had no run-round loop at the time; shunting was carried out by propelling trains up the gradient out of the station and allowing them to run in under gravity. A siding was provided in the cutting just to the east of the station, to aid this gravity working. Passenger trains were propelled to the loop at Pendre, where they were run-around. It was only after the line had been preserved in 1951 that a loop was finally provided, in the winter of 1951–1952.

As with all stations on the railway, there is only one platform, on the north side of the line, and the coaches have doors on that side only. This is due to tight clearances under the bridges. There are also sidings, a water tower and coaling stage. Llechfan, the hostel provided for volunteers on the railway, is a former private house on the opposite side of the line.