Narrow Gauge Railway Museum

Located at the Tywyn Wharf terminus of the Talyllyn Railway, the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum is an important collection of over 1000 artefacts relating to Narrow Gauge Railways in the British Isles, throughout a period spanning some 200 years. We are open whenever the Talyllyn Railway is operating; see our web site for opening times.

The Narrow Gauge Railway Museum collection began in the 1950s when the Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society (TRPS) was formed to take over and operate the Talyllyn Railway. At a time when railway preservation was in its infancy, the TRPS was the first voluntary society in the world to take over and run a public passenger carrying railway.

Narrow gauge railways, that is to say any railway in which the distance between the rails is less than 4 feet 8½ inches (1435 millimetres), were rapidly becoming redundant in the 1950 and 1960s and their equipment was being scrapped. Items from other narrow gauge lines began to be offered to the TRPS, and a committee was formed with the objective of acquiring examples of locomotives, rolling stock and other equipment to place them on public display. The museum is now owned and operated by The Narrow Gauge Railway Museum Trust, is run entirely by volunteers.

The collection ranges from complete locomotives to smaller pieces such as paperwork, signalling equipment and tickets. As such, it is a unique and comprehensive record of these fascinating railways, nearly 90 of which are represented in the collection.

A separate exhibition celebrates the life and work of the Revd. W Awdry, the author of the Railway Series of books known and loved by children worldwide.