New Corwen station welcomes its first steam train

* The 1943-built Austerity tank loco was the first steam train to arrive at the new Corwen station. All pictures by Terry Pickthall.

Llangollen & Corwen Railway’s new £1.25m Corwen station saw its first steam-hauled test train yesterday (Monday).

This was to test the water tower and run-round line that will be used for all services from Saturday June 3.

The train was hauled by a 1943-built Austerity tank locomotive No 68067 and was driven by Harry Barber, who was been a volunteer at the railway for over 30 years, and fireman Phil Morrey. 

Dedicated volunteers are putting the final touches to the new station before it is officially handed over to the railway's operations department for a grand opening weekend, starting on June 1 for LR members. 

* A test for the station's new water tower. 

June 2 will see a special ceremony where Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill, chairman of both Network Rail and the Heritage Railway Association, will formally open the station, which has taken six years to build. 

Members of the public will be able to ride trains into the new station over the weekend of Saturday June 3 and 4. 

The two days will feature a busy hourly train service using steam, diesel and railcars and a large model railway layout of Corwen as it was in the 1950’s on display in Corwen’s Canolfan Ni village hall. A vintage fire engine will also be on display at Llangollen station. 

Phil Coles, chairman of Llangollen Railway Trust, said: “Seeing our station open on June 2 will be a very special day. 

"It is the realisation of the vision of our founders 50 years ago to reopen the railway between Llangollen and Corwen. 

* The stairway up to the platform at the new Corwen station.

"It’s been quite a journey, but we have finally made it. We’ve seen such incredible commitment from dedicated volunteers and supporters; from those who have laid the bricks and tracks to those who helped secure government Levelling-Up funding for our station canopy, including our local MP Simon Baynes. 

"I am proud to have been part of the team that has put a station back on the map in Corwen after Dr Beeching closed the original nearly 60 years ago."

* More information and advanced tickets for the opening weekend can be found by visiting https://llangollen-railway.co.uk/.