Trevithick 2004 Celebrations
The opening of the Trevithick Trail is the culmination of a large number
of events held to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the first steam
locomotive to haul a load on rails. The organising group first met in
September 2001 and soon drew up a schedule of projects and events for the
celebration.
Two of the larger schemes – the construction of a working replica to
be kept in Merthyr Tydfil and the opening-up part of
Trevithick’s Tunnel as an Heritage Centre – did not receive the
required grant funding so were not proceeded with, but other
large schemes did get the go-ahead.
Apart from the Trevithick Trail, by far the largest project
was the operation of an Exhibition Centre on the site of the Penydarren Ironworks
housing the replica of the Penydarren locomotive and other exhibits for a
period of four months during the summer and early autumn of 2004.
Many
visitors from all over the world enjoyed visiting the centre. Another large
event was the Transport Festival held in the Town Centre at the beginning of
July. Details and photographs of these events are being archived in the
website formerly used to publicise the events
www.trevithick2004.co.uk and will become a lasting record of Merthyr
Tydfil’s tribute to Richard Trevithick.