Bala Lake Railway Fundraising Brochure

The Bala Lake Railway Trust is raising ÂŁ2.5 million for the new Bala Lake Railway extension and Town Station

It’s simply Bala beautiful ....

“Heritage railways are an established, thriving and growing entity”

An introduction from Julian Birley B.E.M The latest recorded figures from the Heritage Railway Association state that in 2013 Heritage Railways: • generated £106 million in revenue, up 9% on the year • injected back £286 million into local communities through shops, cafes, hotels etc • carried 7.7 million passengers, up 8% on the year • has been responsible for the creation of in excess of 300,000 local jobs in associated businesses since 2010 The Bala Lake Railway is exceeding growth expectations and showing a sustainable increase of: • 19% in revenue, 3% ahead of the trending statistics • 12% in passengers, 4% ahead of trending statistics • 38% in retail sales and catering Largely based in rural regions, these railways are becoming a lifeline for people in areas of high unemployment and in need of regeneraton. I draw a comparison from the North Norfolk Railway in East Anglia, where I am now Chairman and have been a Director for 15 years. The NNR is a five and a half mile standard gauge railway, on the coast of the North Sea. In high season, it employs 50 staff and carries 160,000 passengers annually. A recent survey carried out by the East of England Tourist Authority announced that apart from the staff that it employs, there are 600 jobs dependent on the railway’s existance. It is a considered fact nationally, that for every £1 spent on the railway, £2.70 is spent locally in the community. With an annual turnover of £2,000,000 , the NNR contributes nearly £6,000,000 annually to the regional economy.

Of particular note is that the nearest place of dense poplulation is Norwich, which is an hour’s drive or rail journey away. 95% of visitors are tourists, either

on holiday or day trippers and only 5% are railway enthusiasts.

The Bala Lake Railway is a four and a half mile narrow gauge railway, established over 40 years ago on a former Great Western Railway track bed. The visitors are almost all entirely tourists and it is one of the thirteen narrow gauge railways of Wales. Deep in the heart of the Snowdonia National Park, from its start point at Llanuwchllyn, the line runs parallel to Bala Lake and decends to almost lake level offering the visitor spectacular views of the lake itself and the lush surrounding pasture and woodlands that leads the eye to the stunning vista of mountains Arenig Fawr, Aran Benllyn and Aran Fawddwy. Picnic sites at Llangower provide the perfect spot for a break in the journey on a summer’s day for a picnic on the foreshore.

The line terminates at Pen y Bont, a remote terminus some 1200m from the town itself. With limited parking, a poor visible profile and no amenities, passengers rarely venture into Bala Town and visitors to Bala Town are largely unaware of the railway’s existence.

The Bala Lake Railway Trust 95a Hambalt Road, London SW4 9EQ 07831 120564 | jbirley@threejs.co.uk | www.thebalalakerailwaytrust.org

Time Line The Bala and Dolgellau line opened

1868

1877

The GWR became the Western Region of BR

1948

1963 The line was closed to passenger traffic on the 18th January 1965

Goods traffic finally ceased on the 1st January 1968

1969

1971

Track laying commenced and a new railway was born

Transferred to the London Midland Region of BR

1965

1968

The idea of the Bala Lake Railway was born

Now part of the Ruabon to Barmouth Line

1972

George Barnes and Tom Jones formed Rheilfford Llyn Tegid to build a 2’ narrow gauge railway

Introducing The Bala Lake Railway A rich history

The current Bala Lake Railway is built on a section of the former standard gauge GWR Ruabon - Barmouth Junction route and opened in August 1868. The line joined the Corwen & Bala Railway at Bala Junction, and with the Cambrian Railways at Dolgellau. The line was operated by the Great Western (GWR), which later absorbed it in 1877. In 1896, the GWR enlarged Llanuwchllyn station, with an extended building and a new signal box. A long passing loop and second platform were also added.

The Beeching cuts determined that passenger services through Bala ceased on Monday 18th January 1965, and the line from Llangollen to Barmouth was closed. From that time, the line was gradually run down and other facilities rationalised. Goods traffic finally ceased on the 1st January 1968, when the Pontcysyllte branch was closed. However, through rail services had effectively ceased in December 1964 when the last Mail Train from Chester used the line.

The rebirth of the line as a narrow gauge railway came when a local engineer, George Barnes, with the help of the late Tom Jones CBE, then Chairman of Merioneth County Council’s Finance Committee, saw the potential of the lakeside section for both local and tourist traffic.

The new company, Rheilffordd Llyn Tegid Ltd (Bala Lake Railway Ltd) became the first company to be registered in the Welsh language, with operations beginning in 1972.

Enlisting help from local ex-BR staff, they started to rebuild the railway as a 2-ft gauge line. This was to utilise the mass of equipment that had become available from numerous slate quarries in North Wales that had abandoned steam and railway operations in favour of machines and road transport. The first train consisted of two specially made open carriages and a small industrial diesel. From these humble beginnings, the line and rolling stock collection grew to the railway being the proud custodians of the largest collection of original Quarry Hunslet locomotives built for the slate industry of North Wales.

Contribution of UK heritage railways to our local communities

£54.06m HERITAGE RAILWAY PEOPLE STATISTICS

HERITAGE RAILWAYS

RE

£12.72m

On special events, driver experiences etc

£25.44m

GENERATED

£106 m IN REVENUE

On fare income

£13.70m

On catering

On retail sales

TING IN L SU

£286m

INJECTED BACK INTO LOCAL COMMUNITIES

IN PUBS, SHOPS, CAFES, RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, B&B’S AND THE INCREASED TRADE TO SUPPLIERS WHO SUPPLY THE BUSINESSES

HERITAGE INDUSTRY GROWTH YEAR ON YEAR

IN FARE INCOME Source: Heritage Railway Association

IN TOTAL TURNOVER

IN PASSENGER NUMBERS

IN VOLUNTEERS

+38

%

On retail sales and catering

20 RAILWAY THE BALA LAKE + A VIABLE TRADING ENTITY SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

+19

%

12

+

%

%

In total turnover

In ticket sales

In passenger numbers

THE BALA LAKE RAILWAY IS GROWING FASTER THAN THE HERITAGE RAIL INDUSTRY

Source: BLR January-June 2015

1 Phase 1 Acquire land for the new town station and track bed to the foreshore.

Get planning permission.

Clear site.

Construct temporary station building.

Prepare formation for track.

Lay track from the new station site to the foreshore approx 300 metres and run the first trains.

ÂŁ300,000

2

3

4

Phase 2

Phase 3

Phase 4

Negotiate with Natural Resources Wales for tenure of trackbed along the foreshore as far as the River Dee Crossing.

Continue negotiations with the Highways Department to facilitate the crossing of the bridge over the River Dee.

Negotiate the construction of a footpath along the lakeside of the proposed trackbed taking into account this is a Significant Site of Scientific Interest.

Negotiate with CADW to gain access across the medieval bridge.

The construction of a permanent station building, train shed and ancillary buildings to provide first class facilities for the town of Bala and visitors to the railway.

Prepare formation for track laying.

Lay track and extend the visitor journey.

ÂŁ500,000

Obtain a Transport & Works Order for crossing the B4403.

Acquiring land between the level crossing and the existing terminus of the BLR. Re-align the carriageway and install the rail crossing and a barrier controlled level crossing.

Construct a foot bridge on the cut-waters either side of the existing parapets to provide a continuation of the footpath.

ÂŁ1,200,000

ÂŁ500,000

Phase 1 To raise £300,000 The first of four phases to a brighter, sustainable future.

DELIVERY After 12 months of in depth consultations with local Councillors, Politicians, Businesses, Residents and the Bala & Penllyn Tourist Association, there is unanimous support of The Bala Lake Railway Line Extension and new Bala Town Station.

By commencing the new railway extension from Bala town centre, it will demonstrate the groundswell of support for the new railway and the benefits it will bring to the town. The Bala Lake Railway Trust will then be in a stronger position to qualify for a European Economic Regeneration Grant. It will also award significant fundraising momentum to the most costly phase of the project which is crossing the River Dee and the B4403.

A cost estimated at £1.2 million.

Terms have been agreed with the owner of the disused warehouse and adjacent land (images 1&2), and negotiations are ongoing with the farmer who owns the next parcel of land (image 3).

Image 1

Image 2

“The benefit of a new railway to the town of Bala is regarded as one of the most important economic enhancement and regeneration projects gifted to the Community in living memory.”

Cllr. Dilwyn Morgan, Chairman of Gwynedd County Council

Image 3

Our vision The Architect’s proposed layout

NEW BALA TOWN STATION This illustration shows the proposed layout of the new Bala Town Station which will be built on the site of the land and buildings as shown in images 1&2 on the previous page.

• The station will have retail and catering facilities with office and volunteer accommodation above • Ample parking will be available from the town car park immediately opposite the new station entrance • The Tourist Information Centre will be ultimately be relocated to within the station building • The covered train shed will provide secure overnight storage for the passenger rolling stock, and it is further proposed to make it available to the town for additional events such as Craft Fairs and Farmers’ Markets outside of the running season • A landscaped recreational area will be adjacent to the station building providing an attractive facility for visitors to utilise between trains • A locomotive sub shed will allow stabling of the rostered locomotives away from the main engineering facilities 5 miles away at Llanuwchllyn

An aerial view of Bala Lake

Pentrepiod Station

Llanuwchllyn Station Llangower Station

Copyright Google Earth

Pen y Bont Station

By extending the line 1200 metres into Bala town centre means that we can establish a premier tourist facility in the heart of the town which will attract more visitors to the railway, increase local trade and create jobs

The line extension is the missing link to a 25 mile integrated transport system. From the new Bala station, there is a bus service to Corwen where visitors can join the newley extended Llangollen railway

The spectacular view our passengers will have when the line extension in place, as the train makes its approach to Bala Town. Undoubtedly one of the most stunning railway journeys in the United Kingdom

The Bala Lake Railway Trust needs to raise a total of ÂŁ2.5 million to fulfil a dream first conceived over 40 years ago by the late George Barnes, original founder of The Bala Lake Railway

Breathing new life into Bala for a sustainable future

1 ECONOMIC REGENERATION FACT Within 5 Years, The Bala Lake Railway will be contributing a minimum of £1.6 million into the local community annually.

FACT Heritage Railways support local communities, create jobs and are a vital component to social integration at all levels.

FACT For every £1spent at a Heritage Railway, £2.70 is spent locally in shops, cafes, pubs, hotels, B&Bs and garages etc.

3 LEGACY FACT

2 COMMUNITY

The extended Bala Lake Railway will offer visitors one of the most scenic railway journeys via lake and mountain, that the UK has to offer.

FACT FACT FACT Volunteers of all ages, both able bodied or disabled are welcome to participate in the running of the railway in a variety of roles from engineering to catering.

The Bala Lake Railway encourages schools and colleges to participate in the maintaining and perpetuating heritage skills to run a railway.

The increase in visitor footfall will generate the necessary incremental revenue to cover the required additional maintenance incurred.

FACT The 1200 metre line extension of the Bala Lake Railway and new Bala Town station is a one-off capital project.

What we have

PLANNING CONSULTANT CIVIL ENGINEERS

ACCOUNTANTS

ARCHITECT

SURVEYORS

MARKETING & MEDIA

VISITORS

LEGAL REP

What we need

DONATIONS MONEY

SPONSORSHIP

CHEQUES

HERITAGE LOTTERY FUNDING

EUROPEAN FUNDING

CROWD FUNDING

MATCH FUNDING

EUROPEAN GRANTS Phase 1 £300,000

Please support us!

The Bala Lake Railway The little railway with the big ideas!

Registered Charity Number 1151841 Sponsored by Acorah Software Products Limited makers of TaxCalc, the leading brand of UK Self Assessment Tax Software