If you register before the 25th of July, your race pack will be sent to you.
If you register after the 25th of July, you will have to collect your race pack from the registration desk situated in the marquee in the Tywyn Secondary School (LL36 9EU) playing field. The desk will be open from 2.00pm till 7.00pm on the Friday and from 8.30am onwards on Race Day. Please allow time to collect your pack.
We have become aware that Race the Train is practically alone in providing deferrals. Consequently from 20th August 2022 we will no longer accept deferrals for future races. In line with the declaration that entrants agree to, refunds will be only be possible in extreme cases. The final decision on this will lie with the Race organisers.
The Talyllyn normally allow dogs on their trains but on the day of the race, dogs are not allowed on the trains dedicated for the use of competitors and spectators – this is due to the restriction of space in the carriages.
Yes, there is a dedicated car park adjacent to the Talyllyn Railway Station and on race day there are directional signs ensuring a one-way system and avoidance of road closures.
No, this is not permissible due to the Rotary Club of Tywyn, the organisers, having permission from landowners for the entrants to reach the race start by the route from the Talyllyn Railway halt only. Any other route would involve crossing private land without permission and so would constitute trespass.
Yes, there is a dedicated baggage area in the marquee which is staffed all day. There is no charge for this service. Those participating in the morning races can leave their baggage at the start of the race providing it has a label with their bib number on it. Any such bag will be taken down the valley and sorted into numerical order in the marquee to be retrieved after the relevant race is over. Those participating in the Rotary Challenge in the afternoon can leave their bags duly labelled in the baggage area in the marquee any time before the start of the race.
No, there is no specification, but runners are expected to wear suitable footwear for running over what can be quite uneven ground.
We cannot give runners a proper Ordnance Survey map of the course for two reasons, the first being the route of the course might vary slightly due to the farmers’ requests. The second is because much of the individual race routes are run on what is private land. The landowners give their permission for the land to be used for Race the Train® only and such land is usually not open to the general public and more usually would be used for animals to graze.
The race is run up and down the valley containing the Talyllyn Railway and so the start and finish lines are within yards of one another within walking distance of the Talyllyn Railway Wharf Station in Tywyn.
For the Tynllwynhen Challenge there is only one way and that is by train.
For the Dolgoch and Quarry Challenges there is the option of being taken up to the start of these races by either train or coach or some choose to make their own way there.
The Rotary Challenge starts and finishes near to the Wharf Station of the Talyllyn Railway in Tywyn itself and within yards of the dedicated car park.
Technically only the runners entering either the Quarry Challenge in the morning or Rotary Challenge in the afternoon are racing a specific train.
Yes, runners often do change races due to injury etc. While the online entries are still open, please send an e-mail to info@racethetrain.com with your request. Otherwise the change can be made by visiting the registration desk in the school on either the Friday before the race (2.00pm till 7.00pm) or on the morning of race day when registration opens at 8.30am. There is no charge for this but please remember if train tickets have also been booked, changing them over will depend on availability.
When you receive confirmation of your registration by e-mail, there will be an OR number quoted. Follow the instructions on the RTT Homepage which will give you a link to follow when the next race date has been announced.
The children are well supervised on the train and at the start of the race but if you feel your child must be accompanied, then you would be expected to run the race too as the train will be travelling onwards up the line and not returning back to Tywyn straight away and there is no alternative route back. The places in the race, which was originally designed for younger participants and those runners with little or no experience, are limited to 180 as this is the capacity of the train which takes them to the race start.
We accept card & cash at the marquee.
Online entries will be available until about four days before the race date but there is a registration desk in the school on the Friday before the race which operates from 2.00pm till 7.00pm pm and also on the Saturday itself from 8.30am onwards and the team are able to register you there. Of course, this is only possible if there is availability. The only races limited for numbers are the Tynllwynhen Challenge and the Toddlers’ Trot.
There are 5 water stations for the Rotary Challenge, 3 for the Quarry and Dolgoch Challenges and 1 for the Tynllwynhen Challenge with water at the finish for all races.
These are the road closures exhibited on lampposts at strategic points in the town:
9.00am till 7.00pm - Neptune Road from the junction with Cambrian Square to the junction with Brynhyfryd Road.
9.00am till 3.00pm - Neptune Road from the junction with Brynhyfryd Road to the junction with Cambrian Road and the car park at Talyllyn Railway.
11.00am till 5.30pm - Lovers Lane from the junction with the A493 to the junction with Ty Mawr Farm.
9.00am till 7.00pm - Ffordd Eglwys Bach at the junction of National Street to the entrance with the car park.
9.00am till 7.00pm - Ffordd Alban from the junction with National Street to the junction with Faenol Avenue.
9.00am till 7.00pm - Frankwell Street from the junction with National Street to the junction with Ffordd Cadfan (old Fire Station).
9.00am till 7.00pm - Red Lion Street from the junction with Maengwyn Street.
1.00pm till 3.00pm – A493 road from the Co-op car park exit to the junction with Ffordd Cadfan.
In addition to the above there is a rolling road-block along the A493 through the town and out as far as the cemetery following the start of the Rotary Challenge at 2.05pm. until the runners have turned off the main road – about 15 minutes or so.
The Rotary Challenge starts and finishes near the Talyllyn Wharf Station in Tywyn so there is no transport to the starting point.
There are spectator tickets for sale for two dedicated trains.
The first at 2.05pm is the train which the runners are racing – people on this train should see runners who estimate their running time to be 1 hour 45 minutes or less.
The second train leaves at 2.25pm is more suitable for spectating the slightly slower runners who have a running time of 2 hours or more. These running times are only meant as a rough guide. Both trains travel all the way up the line and complete a full normal return journey.
The Quarry Challenge and Dolgoch Challenge runners have a choice of either a free bus ride up the valley to the respective starting points of the races or a ride on the Talyllyn Railway (please see website for fares) to the stopping points nearest to the respective race starts. Buses start to load ready for the trip from 9.30am onwards.
The 10.10am train takes runners and spectators to the Quarry Siding where the runners dismount to go to the race start and spectators stay on the train for the return ride back to Tywyn starting at 11.15am. This forms the train the Quarry Challenge runners are racing and will stop at Dolgoch Station on the way back to pick up any spectators from the 10.30am train which has brought runners and spectators for the Dolgoch Challenge.
The 10.30am train for the Dolgoch Challenge proceeds up the line, having dropped off runners and spectators, forming the first normal service train from Abergynolwyn to Tywyn.
The 10.55am train is a special train which transports runners to the start of the Tynllwynhen Challenge and is the only means of travel to the start of that race.
Yes, please send a short e-mail to info@racethetrain.com quoting your name and which race you have entered and then we will arrange for a duplicate to be sent.