SINGLE LINES

■ FFESTINIOG & Welsh Highland Railway (Ff&WHR) submitted its second round bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) for the Boston Lodge Redevelopment & Interpretation Project on May 27. The £4.2 million project secured a first round pass last year (RM, February 2020). A decision on the second round application is anticipated in early September.

■ FULFILLING a 30-year ambition, Lancashire Mining Museum at Astley Green’s new passenger carrying 2ft gauge railway was officially opened on May 30, by the Mayor of Wigan. The railway presently runs to Whitehead Lane with plans to extend to the Salford boundary.

■ THE Isle of Man Steam Railway’s Dubs 0-6-0T No. 15

Caledonia hauled the first train to pass under a newly constructed bridge between Ballawoods and Ballahick crossings on May 24. The test train performed clearance tests under the structure, which will carry a new Ballasalla by-pass road.

■ CROWLE Peatland Railway volunteers commenced laying a 450 metre extension to the running line at the beginning of June. This follows the opening of the line’s new facilities, including a new cafe, on April 30, in advance of public opening over May 1/2.

■ AMERTON Railway has been awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. This is the highest award available to voluntary groups in the UK and widely recognised as equivalent to an MBE.

■ THE West Lancashire

Light Railway has received a £10,000 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant for improvements centred on making the railway more accessible to visitors and staff with disabilities.

■ FFESTINIOG Railway’s newbuild Manning Wardle 2-6-2T

Lyd undertook a test run on May 25 following completion of its 10-year overhaul.

■ THE WELSHPOOL & Llanfair Light Railway has ordered the points and sleepers required to reinstate a passing loop at Sylfaen. Work is expected to start in mid-September.