A RENEWABLE energy firm has helped the world's oldest heritage railway at which Thomas the Tank Engine stories were created to go green.

Trains still puff along the historic 154-year-old Talyllyn Railway from Trywyn to Abergynolwyn and back on a diet of Welsh steam coal, but solar power now helps out - reducing the railway's carbon footprint and hefty electricity bills.

That is thanks to a £15,000 array of 40 solar panels from Hafod Renewables, the Denbigh renewable technology installer, which have been fixed to the roof of Wharf Station and can generate 12,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a year - enough for three family homes.

The building also houses the Narrow-Gauge Railway Museum, including the study of Thomas the Tank Engine author the Rev W Awdry, a regular volunteer with the Talyllyn Railway.

Denbighshire Free Press:

A graphic design of the solar panels on Talyllyn Railway station; Picture: Mandy Jones

Stuart Williams, general manager of the railway, which is the longest in continuous operation, said: “Just because we are a heritage railway doesn’t mean everything has to be heritage and the solar system has been a great investment.

“While everyone will associate us with coal we do use a lot of electricity here and this will offset some of our carbon and as well as being good for the environment it’s also good for our budget.

“In future anything we build will have solar panels on it and as we’re hoping to build a new workshop that could be quite soon."

Hafod Renewables managing director David Jones, who set up the business with his father, Richard, in 2010, has been treated to a ride on the footplate of Dolgoch, the railway’s second oldest engine which has been in service since 1866.

“Solar energy is much more efficient than it used to be and it does make sense for organisations like the Talyllyn Railway which have buildings with plenty of roof space," Mr Jones said.

Denbighshire Free Press:

Mr Jones and Mr Williams at the railway's slate deposit. Picture: Mandy Jones

“The railway will get on-site savings of £1,800 a year and a feed-in tariff of £780 a year, which means the system will pay for itself in less than six years while saving the railway eight tons of carbon dioxide a year, equivalent to planting 24 trees."

Talyllyn has now become the greenest railway in Wales as trains steam up and down its two and a half hour journey to Nant Gwernol and the old Bryneglwys Quarry, then back to Wharf Station where slate would be loaded onto the mainline trains to Aberdovey harbour for shipment.

Mr Jones added: "Solar power has a better, cheaper long-term future than fossil fuel or even nuclear generated power.

“You’ll hardly notice the panels but they’ll be up there doing their job for 25 years or more with minimal maintenance."

Hafod Renewables was recently crowned Wales’s Renewable Heating Installer of the Year after seeing a boom in solar installations.

The firm employs nine staff and has a turnover of over £1.5 million, with customers including about 100 farms and one of Wales’ biggest boatyards.

For more information visit the Talyllyn Railway or Hafod Renewables websites.