A couple of summers ago we had a perfectly batty day out on the Talyllyn Railway, the world’s oldest preserved steam railway. The line runs from the mid-Wales seaside town of Tywyn up into the hills to the old Nant Gwernol slate quarry – the shifting of slate being the original reason for the line’s existence. You can see the full colour account of that trip at: Partners in steam on the Talyllyn Railway – Woo-Hooooo. But as Cee’s Black White Challenge this week in all about ‘heads’ and ‘features’, I thought I’d celebrate the Talyllyn’s enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers with a little photo gallery of those we met that day. A pleasure to travel with you, good sirs.
Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: heads or facial features
Tish Farrell 
Hurrah for dedicated volunteers
Absolutely – whatever their domains 🙂
here’s to them!
I really like the pictures. The closeness of the camera to the people makes for very intimate photos.
Thank you for that kind comment 🙂
Some great images! I have fond memories of theTal y Llyn …first went when I was 5!
Glad to bring back happy memories, Sue.
😊😊
I remember seeing Dolgoch when it was being repaired at the Severn Valley Railway-awesome little loco.
I agree. Their locos are deeply pleasing 🙂
Oh what great faces captured in your post. I love trains and the people/engineers who run them 😀
So pleased you like this, Cee.
Very cool pictures and history. You are inspiring me to use the word batty on a more regular basis.
Many thanks. I’m finding it’s the word for our times – a calmer version of ‘stark staring bonkers’ which is possible more appropriate.
Haha. Quite true.
Love the photos, Tish, but “batty. in the States means crazy. 😉. Maybe it was crazy too, but I don’t think so.
This is wonderful – fabulous portraits. I wonder what will happen in the next 15 to 20 years, will there be a new generation coming up to take their places?
Am glad to report we saw quite a few youngsters too, working in all capacities, so I don’t think we need fear for the Talyllyn 🙂
Excellent
oh my sorry for the multiple replies. Promise I only hit the button once!!
No problems, Becky. I will prune.
Thanks Tish 🙂
Great way to keep the story, with great portraits! 😀
Many thanks 🙂
You’re welcome! 🙂
Great post! Love the photos!
Thank you, Kendall.
Welcome!
So much character in those faces…. And in those trains! 🙂 🙂 As Becky says, next generation volunteers?
Oh I think there are plenty of willing lads and lasses doing stuff at Talyllyn. [The Thomas the Tank Engine generations :)] We were at a big steam open day there last year – not on the train. But there seemed to be few young engineers manning the locos.
Thomas and James! Yay 🥰
Great shots. Wasm’t there a song about “Never marry a railroad man”?
(Been thinking of you. Just started to digitize my mother’s old 8 and super 8 mm movies. A daunting task. Just finished the first Kenya movie…I’ll share when I have more)
Kwaheri sassa Memsahib.
A vintage Kenya movie – can’t wait to see it . Not sure about not marrying railway men. My other half always jokes that I was born on a steam engine footplate, due my place of birth being Crewe – which has/had? the UK’s largest junction thus being the hub of England’s railway universe. I have to say i my defence, I was not born on Crewe station, though possibly quite nearby.
Crewe? Home to the Cheshire cat? 🐱
Ha! Spot on with the county.
Bravo! I love the photos. They are warm, dramatic and expressive. Thank you for sharing. Take care.
Thank you for that lovely comment, G.C. You take care too 🙂