AN APPEAL has been launched to restore a railway coach to its former glory.

Monday, 20 August, was the 70th anniversary of the last train to travel on the original Corris Railway and the Talyllyn Railway launched an appeal to restore the only operable coach from that line.

Originally built for the Corris as their carriage No.8 in 1898 by the Metropolitan Carriage and Wagon Co., it was rescued in a derelict condition from a back garden in the 1950s and restored to its former glory. It entered service as Talyllyn Railway carriage No.17 in 1961.

Now nearly 60 years on it requires some major attention.

The coach is very popular and often used for wedding trains. It is also a royal carriage having conveyed Princess Diana on a visit she and Prince Charles made to the railway in November 1982.

To mark the launch of the fund it was displayed at Tywyn Wharf station along with Corris van 6 for the day before being moved to the railway’s Pendre works in preparation for the restoration work to begin.

The full extent of the work required will not be known until all the coach’s panelling is removed but a restoration cost of the order of £20,000 including labour is anticipated.

A Facebook page has been established to provide a background to the appeal and also updates on the work. It can be found at: www.facebook.com/corriscoach17rebuild

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