At a glance
Corris Railway (SY20 9SH) — a 2 ft 3 in gauge preserved slate railway at Corris, 5 miles north of Machynlleth. Steam and diesel rides through the Dulas Valley. Adult £9 · Child £6. Museum adjacent. King Arthur's Labyrinth in same complex. Weekends April–October. Car recommended — limited bus access.
About Corris Railway
The Corris Railway is a preserved 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) narrow-gauge railway in the quiet Dulas Valley near Machynlleth, operating steam and diesel trains on a section of the original 1859 slate quarry railway. The line served the slate quarries at Corris Uchaf and Aberllefenni for nearly 90 years before closure in 1948, and the Corris Railway Society has restored a section from Corris station to Maespoeth, reopened in 2002.
The railway operates in an area less visited than the Snowdonia heartland further north — the Dulas Valley is a wooded, steep-sided valley of considerable charm, and the railway's modest scale gives it an intimate quality distinct from the more famous narrow-gauge lines. The Corris Railway Museum at the station tells the full story of the original line. Adjacent to the railway, in old slate caverns, King Arthur's Labyrinth offers a separate underground experience themed around Welsh legends — a combination that makes Corris a worthwhile stop.
The railway's historical link to the Talyllyn Railway is direct: when Corris closed in 1948, its last locomotives were sold to the newly formed Talyllyn preservation society, one of which — Sir Haydn — still operates on the Talyllyn Railway today, over 165 years old.
Find it on the map
Frequently asked questions
The Corris Railway was a 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) narrow-gauge railway built in 1859 to carry slate from the quarries at Corris Uchaf and Aberllefenni down the Dulas Valley to Machynlleth, where the slate was transferred to the Cambrian Railways standard-gauge network. The line was originally horse-drawn, converted to steam in 1879. At its peak the railway served several quarries in the Dulas Valley. Passenger services began in 1883 and continued until 1930; freight continued until British Railways closed the line in 1948 — the year the last surviving locomotive was sold to the Talyllyn Railway (where it still runs). The Corris Railway Society began preservation work in the 1960s and reopened a section from Corris to Maespoeth in 2002.
The preserved Corris Railway operates steam and diesel hauled trains on a section of the original route from Corris station to Maespoeth (approximately 1 mile). The journey takes visitors through the wooded lower Dulas Valley — a quiet and scenic route. The Corris Railway Museum at the station covers the full history of the original line, with artefacts, photographs, and rolling stock exhibits. Adjacent to the railway, in the old slate caverns, is King Arthur's Labyrinth — an underground boat and walking tour through illuminated caverns with Arthurian legend displays. The combination of railway, museum, and labyrinth makes Corris a worthwhile half-day destination.
The Corris and Talyllyn railways share a gauge (2 ft 3 in / 686 mm) and a region, and their histories are intertwined. When the Corris Railway closed in 1948, its two surviving steam locomotives were sold to the newly formed Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society — one of them, locomotive No. 3 (named Sir Haydn after a local colliery owner), still runs on the Talyllyn Railway today, over 165 years after construction. The Corris Railway Society has rebuilt a replica of a Corris locomotive (No. 7 Alan Meaden) and is working on extending the preserved line. The Talyllyn Railway (the world's first preserved railway, 1951) is approximately 12 miles from Corris, and visiting both on the same day is feasible.
King Arthur's Labyrinth is a separate attraction operated from the same site at Corris — an underground boat and walking tour through old slate caverns beneath the hillside, themed around Welsh Arthurian legends. It is not part of the Corris Railway Society operation but is located in the same complex at Braich Goch, immediately adjacent to the railway station and museum. Combined tickets for the railway and labyrinth are available. The labyrinth is particularly popular with families and operates on a set timetable with guided departures — booking in advance is recommended in summer. The slate caverns used for the labyrinth were part of the original Braich Goch quarry workings served by the Corris Railway.
Corris is approximately 5 miles north of Machynlleth on the A487. Machynlleth is on the Cambrian Coast mainline railway (services from Shrewsbury, Birmingham, Aberystwyth, and Pwllheli), and the T2 bus between Machynlleth and Aberystwyth passes through Corris. However, bus services are infrequent and a car or bicycle gives greater flexibility. Corris is also within cycling distance of Machynlleth on quiet lanes — the route follows the Dulas Valley. From the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway network further north, Corris is approximately 25 miles and not directly connected by public transport — visitors combining several narrow-gauge railways will find Corris best reached by car.