On Tuesday, 2 June 2026, the Llangollen and Corwen Railway and the East Lancashire Railway are set to mark 150 years since the death of pioneering railway engineer Charles Beyer, with a programme combining heritage, travel and historical reflection.

Proceedings begin at 10 am with the first part of a service at St Collen’s Church, before pausing to allow attendees to board a steam service from Llangollen Railway Station at 10:40 am. The train will then travel along the Dee Valley to Berwyn Station, carrying a specially commissioned Charles Beyer headboard, produced in partnership with the East Lancashire Railway.

At Berwyn, a commemorative plaque from the Institution of Civil Engineers will be unveiled, recognising Beyer’s contribution to engineering. Attendees can then cross Chain Bridge to Llantysilio Church, where the service resumes under the direction of Father Lee Taylor, ending with a graveside tribute.

A reception follows at Llantysilio Hall, Beyer’s former home, with refreshments, tours and speeches before the return journey to Llangollen.

Further commemorations are planned at Brookfield Church on Sunday, 14 June, including a morning service, afternoon talks and contributions from Michael Bailey, Robert Herpai and Anthony Dawson.

The programme will also reflect on Richard Peacock and the legacy of Beyer, Peacock and Company, co-founded by Beyer in 19th-century Manchester. The programme also aligns with LGBT+ History Month 2026, drawing attention to lesser-known aspects of Beyer’s life alongside his engineering legacy.

“This will be a very special and fitting tribute to Charles Beyer in the place he chose to call home. The way the service moves between Llangollen and Llantysilio, using the railway itself, makes it a unique and meaningful event. It is also an opportunity to tell a fuller story about Beyer, including aspects of his life that are not always widely recognised, and to highlight the contribution of figures from what we now recognise as the LGBT community to railway history.”

Keith Whitmore, Director of the East Lancashire Railway and event organiser.