Peco OO9 GR-505 Glyn Valley Railway Type Enclosed Coach with Side Buffers
Small 4-wheel coaches were the usual choice for narrow gauge railways, being well suited to the small gauge and sharp curvature of many of these lines. The Glyn Valley Tramway purchased a number of generally similar 4 wheel coaches, with a better standard of fittings in the first class compartments.
This ready to run model is of one of the fully enclosed coaches used year-round on the line, two of which are still in service on the Talyllyn Railway, finished in the Glyn Valley Tramway green and cream livery. Two surviving coaches have been restored by the preserved Talyllyn Railway, fitted with side buffers to match the Talyllyn stock.
Peco are usually able to supply us with their models quickly, please allow 14 days for delivery.
The Glyn Valley Tramway was a steam-worked roadside narrow gauge line running up the Ceiriog valley from Chirk in North Wales. 11 small 4-wheeled coaches were supplied to the line by the Midland Railway Carriage and Wagon company and despite the closure of the line in 1935, two examples have been restored to service on the Talyllyn Railway.
The Talyllyn Railway had been kept going by Sir Henry Haydn Jones, landowner and Welsh Liberal MP for Merioneth to provide employment for the quarrymen and a tourist service into the valley, even following the closure of the slate quarry following a collapse in December 1946. Following Sir Henrys' death in 1950 the railway completed the summer tourist season. Author, transport enthusiast, historian and Biographer Tom Rolt visited the line in 1949 and in the summer of 1950 proposed a rescue of the Talyllyn Railway by the railway enthusiast community. In October 1950 a meeting was held of around 70 people in Birmingham and following discussions with the executors of Sir Henrys' estate a company was formed with Tom Rolt as chairman and Partick Whitehouse, later to become owner of 7029 Clun Castle and founder of the Birmingham Railway Centre, as secretary.
Ownership of the railway was transferred to Talyllyn Holdings Ltd on February 8th 1951 and the line re-opened as the worlds first volunteer-operated preserved heritage railway on Whit Monday May 14th 1951.