WHEN the 2023 season at the Talyllyn railway started again at half-term, it did so with a new management team at the helm.

Well-known and much respected general manager, Stuart Williams, left his post in February to take up a new role in the Orkney Islands. Two of the Talyllyn Railway’s senior managers, Lorraine Simkiss and Liz Porrett, now share this role.

Lorraine is general manager (commercial) and takes responsibility for all income generation and human resource matters for both staff and volunteers. Liz takes on responsibility as general manager for operations, engineering and developments.

Stuart is delighted to have left his post in safe hands, and in a sound financial position after the challenges of Covid.

Lorraine said: “Well, what a start to the year this has been. We said farewell to Stuart, thanking him for all his hard work and effort, and recognising the significant positive impact he had made to the railway in his time here and wishing him all the very best on his new adventure in Orkney. And for Liz and I an exciting opportunity to lead and guide the railway amidst uncertain times.”

Talyllyn Railway board chairman, David Ventry, added: “We are delighted to appoint Lorraine and Liz into their new roles. They will provide continuity and stability in uncertain times, and we are confident that they will successfully lead the railway forward.”

Liz’s involvement with the railway began after having been a volunteer with the Tracksiders group. Her subsequent appointment to the Talyllyn Railway staff brought her in permanently, after being general manager of a theatre in the Midlands.

Moving to the general manager operations role places her in a position to oversee the exciting projects that are moving the railway forward, from the major National Lottery Heritage Fund project to policy improvements, additional training initiatives and processes being streamlined.

Lorraine said: “These changes are undoubtedly the way to keep us progressing as an organisation.

“When we want to thrive rather than just survive in these times, standing still is never an option.”

The Talyllyn Railway is a narrow-gauge railway opened for goods traffic in 1865 and shortly after for passenger services, which have operated every year since between Tywyn on the west coast of Wales and Nant Gwernol just over seven miles inland.

In 1951 operation of the line was taken over by the Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society and became the world’s first preserved railway.

Operation of the line is primarily by volunteers from all walks of life, with a small paid staff. It is now a major tourist attraction in the mid-Wales area, contributing significantly to the area’s economy.