News from the Bala Lake Railway
June 2014 Update Summer is in full swing. The BLR is in full swing. Ambitious projects are gathering momentum. It is a great time of the year for all concerned. Chilmark Progress on restoring this venerable old lady for active service has been marching on in a slowly but very…
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…
April 2014 UpdateThe season has started, and what a start. Passenger numbers for the month are described, in delightfully understated manner, as ‘good’. In fact, they are the third highest April figures since 1987. How well this bodes for the rest of the year. Winifred With the other three steam…
March 2014 Update Unlike a classic car, or something elderly of that ilk, perhaps the busiest time of the year for a railway is the lead-up to the start of the season, as there seems not to be enough time to get everything done. But the Bala Lake team has…
February 2014 Update One word was on everyone’s mind during the last month – storms. But happily, apart from power cuts, no serious damage was sustained by the railway or the infrastructure. However, it prompted some improvements to the benefit of all, and even with the worst that nature could…
December 2013 Update December may be a month of temptation to wind down prematurely for the festivities, but not at Llanuwchllyn, where there was much activity. Progress continued and projects needed finishing. Carriage & Wagon By the time this is read, the Padarn Brakeman’s Van will be complete. It has…
November 2013 Update As in any aspect of preservation, whether it be railways, aircraft, road vehicles or whatever, a project completion date verges on the fictitious, as there is always something else that merits attention. Boats, however, are a different question, and the word ‘boat’ is frequently (and most appropriately)…
October 2013 Update Roy Hardiman It is sad to report that Roy Hardiman has resigned as Company Secretary and Director of the Bala Lake Railway after a 37 year association with the railway. Roy was General Manager at Llanuwchllyn for many years. His long-planned move to Blackpool has come about…
September 2013 Update For a small preserved railway with only three permanent staff, there is always a lot of activity taking place, and this is working hand in hand with the perennial enthusiasm of volunteers, who cover a myriad number of skills. Heritage Rolling Stock One weekend in mid-September was…
