May 2014 Update
The first full operational month of the year is always greeted with enthusiasm and all the team see the results of their hard work over the winter. This year there is much more than routine service, improvements and upgrading to report.
Glan Llyn
Glan Llyn is an outdoor educational centre on the north shore of Lake Bala. The centre organises courses for schools and colleges, as well as summer camps for children. It also offers some of the best activity courses, water sports and activity holidays in Wales.
On 22nd May, nearly 100 youngsters from Glan Llyn visited the BLR for a trip along the line. For some, this journey was their first adventure on a train. In spite of the inclement weather, they thoroughly enjoyed themselves by the look on their faces, shown here at Bala Station.
Project Y Ddraig Goch (Red Dragon)
Project "Y Ddraig Goch" is a really ambitious plan to get the BLR back into Bala Town. To this end, a strategy document has been produced, outlining the plans for the railway over the next few years.
Firstly, we have been missing out on potential tourist passengers because our station at the eastern end of the lake is a fair distance from the town. Initially, it is proposed to implement a shuttle rail service between Bala town and the River Dee bridge adjacent to our current Bala station which will connect with the existing steam trains to Llanuwchllyn.
Our project received a major boost on 22nd May when Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas, member of the Welsh Assembly for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, and Bala Councillor, Dilwyn Morgan, travelled on the line after a meeting at Llanuwchllyn. Lord Elis Thomas rode on the footplate with driver, Andy Best, and in spite of ‘traditional’ Welsh weather on the day, he resolutely refused the offer of a brolly for his ride from one end of the line to the other, commenting succinctly: “That’s what raincoats are for”.
As well as the extension into Bala, the project also encompasses the acquisition of new carriage stock, and discussions have already started with the Ffestiniog Railway at Boston Lodge with regard to design and practicality.
Finally, the locomotive shed at Llanuwchllyn will be renewed. It is anticipated that the new locomotive shed will feature an enclosed viewing area so that maintenance and engineering can be seen by the public. The carriage shed will also be renovated and extended to accommodate the planned new stock.
This is a major project that should have a significant economic impact on the region as a whole. If you have skills that could be of help to the railway with this ambitious goal and would like to contribute then please contact us via email atDdraigGoch@outlook.com