■ Now is the time to back Bala Lake Railway extension
THE Bala Lake Railway’s £2.5 million town extension could hold a vital key to the post-lockdown revival of the tourist sector in central Wales, chairman Julian Birley believes.
Bringing the 2ft gauge line into Bala would regenerate the town as a time when holidaymakers will be deterred from travelling abroad in the aftermath of the pandemic.
To help facilitate the extension, by the end of February the Bala Lake Railway Trust needs to raise the final £50,000 of the £276,000 required by Natural Resources Wales to carry out additional civil engineering works on the town’s flood defences, which will enable the construction of the trackbed for a third of the extension.
If the money is not raised to allow the work to be undertaken as part of the £6.5 million flood defence upgrade scheme, the railway will be left with significant costs to complete its extension project, placing the whole sheme at risk.
Vital
Julian said: “It is absolutely crucial we do not miss this opportunity for Natural Resources Wales to do this work for us. Once done, it is done forever. Any donation, no matter how small or large, is most welcome.
“In every crisis there are opportunities and horrendous though this pandemic is, I firmly believe it is no exception.
“Like all parts of the UK, businesses have been absolutely decimated by restrictions inflicted upon all of us.
Bala is no different.
“The attractive High Street is deserted and one expects to see tumbleweed blowing across the road. Residents and business owners are putting on brave faces, but we all know we are in unprecedented times and are uncertain as to what the future holds.
“What we do know is that one day soon things will improve. We will be able to travel again and the sun will come out over this part of Snowdonia, and with that sunrise will come the visitors – of that, we have no doubt.
“Foreign travel is going to take a long time to recover from its current desperate situation. People’s confidence of going abroad knowing that there will be places to go and airlines to get them there, and be safe in the knowledge they will not be stranded abroad is going to take some years to return.
“However, the desire to have a holiday, get away and try and put the winter behind us will be stronger than ever. Therefore the tourist industry of the UK can look forward to very busy times. This was borne out with the short season we enjoyed last summer. Each day on the Bala Lake Railway was like a bank holiday for the very reasons mentioned.
“We have been very fortunate in carefully managing the resources we have and as such are investing in additional coaching stock to carry more people, socially distanced.
“Undercover picnic areas are being built for visitors to picnic in safety and shelter. General maintenance on the station building and loco shed are also ongoing.
“With the coming of the visitors will come their requirements for other facilities, such as shops, restaurants, pubs, hotels and B&Bs.
“Heritage railways, having been first established down the road from us at the Tallyllyn for almost 70 years, and with 160 of us now all over the UK, are a tried and tested attraction which pumps vast sums of money into local economies in visitor incremental spend.
Boost
“We have recently had a market survey carried out to judge the effect of the railway being extended into the town centre of Bala, and the conclusion is that there will be an additional spend of £1.25 million each and every year in to the businesses of the high street.
“We all hope that when the UK Government look for safe ways to invest in to kick-start those desperate local economies, they will deem heritage railways as a safe, sound and sustainable industry to support.
“While we are all locked down, the days are short and the weather is pretty miserable. Take heart that sun will come out again and these times will become a distant memory.”
To support the extension appeal, visit www.balalakerailwaytrust.org.uk
Donations are also being accepted with PayPal, by bank transfer at CAF Bank (sort code 40-52-40, account: 00023507), or by cheque to: Bala Lake Railway Trust, c/o The Station, Llanuwchllyn, Bala, Gwynedd, LL23 7DD. Gift Aid forms are available from the website.