Heritage rail ‘line to the stars’ in fundraising appeal
A STEAM railway dubbed the “line to the stars” because of its many film appearances is appealing for backers to keep it on track through coming months.
The Bluebell Railway, having starred in Downton Abbey and Poirot, has hosted big names including Daniel Radcliffe and Dame Maggie Smith in its 60year history.
Now, with attractions’ income slashed across the country, the heritage rail line in East Sussex says it needs £300,000 to keep it going through its recovery period.
Fundraising organiser Trevor Swainson said: “Surviving the lockdown was the first priority but the recovery period once the Bluebell Railway reopens is also critical.
“We will have little revenue but most of the payroll and overheads will be incurred.
“Therefore, it has been decided to launch a major fundraising campaign to support the recovery period rather than funding the survival period.”
The railway has created a specialist website to allow people to scout for filming locations while staying at home.
Mike Hopps, a member of the railway’s filming team, said: “We pride ourselves on being able to offer the very best experience for film production companies with a dedicated department which specialises in supporting filming activities.
“Our stations are ‘walk-on sets’ and for more than 50 years have been the backdrop for hundreds of feature films, TV dramas, fashion shoots and music videos.”
The Bluebell Railway, which had launched an initial appeal in March after it closed under lockdown, has now extended its call for support.
It asked supporters to donate and the appeal has raised more than £60,000 so far.
It is now extending the appeal with targeted requests and is hoping to raise at least £250,000 more.