Full steam ahead for heritage railway extension

More than 30,000 people travelled on the Bala Lake Railway in 2023

A heritage steam railway in a north Wales national park hopes to double visitor numbers after plans to extend the line were approved.

Eryri national park - also known as Snowdonia - gave the go ahead for the Bala Lake Railway to run to the centre of Bala, Gwynedd.

The scheme includes a new terminus building and will see an estimated rise in passengers, from 34,000 in 2023 to 60,000.

Director of planning, Jonathan Cawley, told the national park's planning committee on Wednesday: “The development would bring a new tourist attraction to the area that would be of benefit to the surrounding areas and to the town of Bala."

Bala Lake Railway Trust embarked on a fundraising mission spanning several years, to raise £4m to build three-quarters of a mile (1.2km) of new track and a new station in the town centre.

At present narrow gauge trains run four-and-a-half miles (7.2km) from Llanuwchllyn along the shore of Llyn Tegid to the outskirts of Bala.

The original proposal was rejected in April 2023 due to concerns over the impact on phosphate levels in nearby waterways due to more visitors.

But Welsh Water told members the increase could be accommodated under the latest assessment plan.

The Trust also claims the development will ease parking issues along the B4403.

Members unanimously passed the scheme but recommended work does not start until improvements to the Bala water treatment works, scheduled for March 2025, have been completed.