BLR Trust Press Release - October 2021

LATEST FUNDING BOOST BRINGS BALA RAILWAY DREAM CLOSER

The Bala Lake Railway’s high-profile extension into a new station in the town itself received a further boost this month with the award of further funding .

The ¾ mile extension of the Bala Railway into the town centre continues with a second grant for almost £40,000 from Magnox Ltd, the company responsible for the decommissioning of the Nuclear power station at Trawsfynydd near Blaenau Ffestiniog .

Describing the award, Bala Lake Railway Chairman Julian Birley BEM said: “This is fantastic news and further confirmation that the belief and support in “The Red Dragon Project” is unabated. The support we have received from Magnox has been vital to ensure the extension remains on track.”

“Before a single piece of track can be laid a lengthy process involving designs and planning needs to take place and this is expensive. Thanks to Magnox we can now achieve our targets to seek the respective consents needed and continue the momentum that will take us into a superb new station on Bala high street.”

This socio-economic support is to enhance education and skills, provision or support for local employment, economic diversification or social infrastructure. Another member of the BLR team behind the project, Toby Watkins, said:

“In over three decades of railway heritage I have never seen an organisation with such energy and purpose as the Bala Lake Railway. I have been involved with a number of steam railways and have seen up close the difference they can make to a local economy. Our extension into Bala town will transform the high street and the local area.”

“We are extremely grateful to Magnox for their continued support as we are approaching the point where the next phase of detailed work is required from local specialist companies.”

The grant of £38,790 will pay for the fees required for the final part of the planning application, additional engineering consultants, architects and quantity surveyors whose services are needed to move the project on to the next stage of scoping up the specification for the actual construction.