New volunteer group boosts Bala Lake’s ‘beach’ station
A NEW volunteer group has been formed by the Bala Lake Railway (BLR) Society to maintain and improve facilities at the line's picturesque midway station at Llangower.
Meeting for the first time on April 25, the volunteers immediately got stuck in, improving the overall appearance of the station by repairing and repainting, improving fencing and planting, and carrying out work to complete the GWR-style signalbox
The new group's activities have a strong emphasis on retaining the rural charm, simplicity and character of the station, while improving the facilities on offer.
Llangower includes the railway's only passing loop and a single platform. The station is positioned by one of the few publicly accessible beaches on the lake and has stunning views across the water to the summit of Arenig Fawr. The beach is popular with both locals and tourists, offering access to the lake and a beautiful setting for a picnic.
Destination
The station is also popular with volunteers, and on gala days becomes a hive of activity as a destination for demonstration freight trains, as well as a passing place for intensive passenger train operations.
Longer-term activities for the group include options to provide a prototypical waiting shelter and the provision of an occasional drinks and snacks shop on busy weekends.
Future plans could include development of a siding to improve operational flexibility and the construction of a second platform to allow passengers to change trains and alight more easily.
The society is also keen to explore options to make more of the original standard gauge halt, located beyond the current station limits at the Bala end of the passing loop.
The group sees the possibility that Llangower could become a significant destination once the railway's extension to Bala is complete, allowing travel from the centre of Bala to the beach at Llangower entirely by train.
The society hopes this group will provide a template for other teams to form for other stations on the line, including the engineering and heritage nerve centre at Llanuwchllyn, the idyllic Llangower, and the impressive new station planned for Bala town centre.
Society chairman Dave Rutt said: “The station at Llangower is in a beautiful setting by the lake, and this group aims to give it the attention it deserves, transforming it into a little gem that the railway can be proud of.”
Anyone who would like to get involved with the new group is invited to contact the society via the web page https://bala-lake-railway. co.uk/society/ or by telephone on 01678 540666.
Upgrades
Elsewhere on the railway, which, like others in Wales, resumed services on May 1, screens have been fitted around the Llanuwchllyn shop and café in line with Government advice, along with ‘traffic lights'to notify people how busy certain areas are before entering.
The platform's canopy has been repainted, the office and locomotive shed have been reroofed, and a new roof built over the picnic area.
The guards van coach has been completed with a better internal layout. It has been altered to make the van coach friendly for visitors using wheelchairs.