December 2019 Update

As the month crept inexorably to its end, the BLR can reflect on a distinctly good year, and rather than going into details, we include here the General Manager’s erudite resumé which encapsulates everything, addressed as it is to staff, volunteers and everyone who is involved in our railway. As…

November 2019 Update

After the end of the ‘running’ season, you might imagine that all goes quiet as the railway goes into hibernation but, if anything, life at the Bala Lake Railway over the winter invariably gets busier with lots of routine maintenance being scheduled along with mechanical upgrades in the loco shed.…

October 2019 Update

It has been quite a year for the BLR and regular readers will know that our monthly passenger figures have been consistently breaking records. October was a month of distinctly inclement weather but it seems that even this potentially unfavourable dose of ‘liquid sunshine’ did little to dampen the enthusiasm…

September 2019 Update

We lead unashamedly this month with a most encouraging email in the latest issue of Steam Railway magazine where the writer visited ‘a large railway in the Midlands’ and complained of the surly, unhelpful treatment he and his family received. His email then continued; By complete contrast, we are regular…

August 2019 Update

August 2019 was a month to remember for the BLR. The summer (sic) weather was no less varied than usual but for the Bank Holiday Gala at the end of the month, it was perfect as it had been for a few days prior. The trains were packed all weekend…

July 2019 Update

It was another successful month for the BLR, and a decidedly warm one as well. While the national rail network suffered the usual problems with over-heated rails and other temperature related ailments, the BLR continued on schedule and the extra vigilance and care from the loco crews avoided anything untoward.…

June 2019 Update

June was a good month for the railway and passenger numbers are described as healthy, although the strange assortment of weather patterns was hardly conducive to record-breaking numbers. Nevertheless, there were consistent flows of visitors and the mid-month Gala, again in spite of the weather, was well attended. The Gala…

May 2019 Update

The BLR has done it again. During May, Tripadvisor awarded us another Certificate of Excellence thus elevating us to their Hall of Fame for the second time in a row. Their statement read as follows; “Because you have earned a Certificate of Excellence every year for the past five years,…

April 2019 Update

As Easters go, 2019 was as good as it gets. Normally occurring earlier in the year and often prone to cold and rainy conditions, the weather could hardly have been better and the BLR carried over double the number of passengers this year over last. Perfect weather throughout was an…