L T C Rolt was one of a small group of amateur railwaymen who made their dream of running their own railway come true. His vivid and often amusing account of this unique achievement is a record of individual enterprise and creative effort as refreshing as it is rare. Established by Act of Parliament in 1865 and unaffected by mergers and nationalisation, the Talyllyn Railway has been serving a remote and beautiful valley in the Merioneth mountains ever since. In 1950, the line was threatened with closure, and it was at that moment that the amateurs came to the rescue. It is now the oldest surviving railway of its kind in the world. This book is delightful reading for both railway devotees and lovers of the Welsh countryside, which is so beautifully described here.