Land train which does more than chug along

IT HAS had many thousands of happy customers since it first set out three years ago.

But now one of Hull’s top-rated attractions, its landtrain, run by wise-cracking ex-fisherman Mally Welburn, is expanding its services. Tomorrow a second land train – Old Town Loco – will receive a blessing from the vicar of Hull Minster, Canon Neal Barnes, in Trinity Square.

The square outside the church is a stopping point for the hourly service, which has a top speed of 5mph. It will chug off from the Cenotaph and take in Queen Victoria Square and the Museums Quarter.

Mr Welburn said he “nearly lost everything” when takings plummeted after the city centre was dug up ahead of UK City of Culture. But trade has picked up massively since Easter, with visitors from across the world hopping aboard for an inimitable introduction to the city.

Users on TripAdvisor have described the service – which usually comes with a sing-along – as “corny, cheesy, but a lot of fun”.

Mr Welburn said: “I’m grateful for what City of Culture is doing by putting on events and putting us in the spotlight. Visitors come from all over the place. We treat the trains as trawlers and in the middle of town all these people are fish. You see all these fish and say: ‘Happy Days are here again.’”

The new train – which came from Wales and cost £40,000 – is getting £27,000 funding from the Old Town Grant Scheme run by Hull Council.