Latest News

The Vale of Rheidol Railway recently celebrated the official opening of their new museum and events space in Aberystwyth, marking the completion of the ‘Wales to the World’ project. The repurposed building offers 5000 square feet of display space for some of the railway’s priceless collection, alongside exhibits from around the world. It tells the…

The Vale of Rheidol Railway are pleased to announce the arrival of two vertical boiler locomotives for display in the museum at Aberystwyth. ‘Pendyffryn’ is a vertical boiler locomotive built by De Winton & Co of Caernarfon in 1897. It worked for the Pen-yr-Orsedd slate quarry in North Wales, before being saved for preservation in…

Today is Dan’s last day at the Vale of Rheidol Railway, after working here for over ten years. To remind him of his time at the railway, he was presented with a special print signed by all of his colleagues. Thankyou Dan for all that you have done for the railway over the last ten…

The Vale of Rheidol Railway are pleased to announce that three new exhibits have gone on display in Aberystwyth. Two of these are locomotives (a petrol electric loco from 1918, and a Spanish steam loco built in 1895), which are accompanied by a Directors Saloon coach. It is very rare to see these locomotives, as…

The Vale of Rheidol Railway will be hosting a Community & Family Day in their new museum in Aberystwyth station on Saturday 25th May. The event will feature stalls, displays and interactive activities from those who keep us safe in Ceredigion. Displays are expected from the following organisations: – St John’s Ambulance (plus Cadets &…

Big trains and small trains! The Vale of Rheidol Railway will be holding a Model Railway Exhibition on Saturday 26th October 2024. The exhibition will be held in the museum at Aberystwyth station, where layouts will be displayed between the larger (full sized) exhibits. Layouts confirmed so far include: – “Ffarquar” (00 gauge, Rev W…

A historic ‘boiler empty’ sign has returned to Aberystwyth locomotive shed after a gap of over sixty years. The artefact has been donated to the Vale of Rheidol Railway museum, which is located in the GWR 1938-built locomotive shed at Aberystwyth. This is the very building where the ‘boiler empty’ sign would have been used…

On Saturday 27th April, the annual Red Kite Challenge will be held in Devil’s Bridge. Travel to see the runners by train!  This is one of the most popular trail running events in Wales, and has raised over £20,000 for Bronglais Hospital. Why not arrive in style? Catch the 10.30 train from Aberystwyth to Devil’s…

On Sunday 19th May, cyclists from Beiciau Afan Bikes will be racing the train to Devil’s Bridge! The cycle race is raising money for West Wales Prostate Cancer Support Group. Each cyclist will begin their race in Aberystwyth (on cue from a whistle from a Rheidol locomotive), and then race the 10.30 train to Devil’s…

Easter is a fantastic time to enjoy the scenery of the Rheidol valley: look out for the lambs in the fields, and perhaps some snow on the hills too. Will you be joining us? We will be running our busy yellow timetable on Easter Saturday, Sunday and Monday (plus 2nd-4th April too): four trains a…

The new museum building at Aberystwyth station is ready to open to the public on March 23rd 2024. A day of shunting took place on Tuesday 19th March, as locomotives and rolling stock were carefully positioned inside the building. The museum was originally built in 1938 as a locomotive shed (firstly for the standard gauge…

93 year old railway worker John ‘Abergynolwyn’ Davies has been reunited with his old locomotive at the Vale of Rheidol Railway in Aberystwyth. John began his railway career at Aberystwyth in 1952, where he often worked on ‘Dukedog’ locomotives. The last Dukedog left Wales in May 1960, and all but one were scrapped. The Vale…