Heritage railway celebrates track extension

Mid-Suffolk Light Railway has extended its railway line after being given permission

A heritage railway is celebrating an extension of its track which it hopes will give customers a "more complete experience".

Mid-Suffolk Light Railway, at Wetheringsett, near Stowmarket, has added just under a kilometre of track after being given permission by the secretary of state for transport.

Visitors will be able to travel in a steam train along the new track during a special event on Saturday and Sunday.

Ian Meigh, chairman of the railway, said the extension had meant "a lot" to the volunteers.

Ian Meigh said the railway offered an experience people could not often enjoy elsewhere

"I think the families and children are our bread and butter - that's what we're doing it for," he said.

"We're giving them a taste of what it was like 100 years go and with Victorian carriages, they are different.

"It's not an experience they necessarily would have had another time."

With the extension it means passengers can enjoy almost 2km of railway in total, whereas the original line ran to 19 miles (30km) between Haughley and Laxfield.

The first carriages to run on the new section of track will be hauled by the 135-year-old guest locomotive, the Sir Berkeley.

Paul Davey would be driving the locomotives along the railway line during the open weekend

Paul Davey, a volunteer driver and founding member of the heritage group, said he "loved" steam locomotives.

"It's a dream come true," he said of the line extension.

"Half my lifetime really I've been involved with [the railway]. It's a great achievement for everyone involved."

As part of the extension the heritage railway had to request permission for a level crossing over a footpath the line crossed

The railway is only open to the public for 30 days of the year and Mr Meigh said he believed it had struck the right balance between ticket prices and its offerings.

Tickets for the weekend are £12 for an adult, £10 for concessions for people over 65, £6 for children, and a family of four pay £30.

"We do rely a lot on our supporters, it is about donations as well as ticket receipts because to run a steam engine is not cheap," Mr Meigh added.

"It's very much more expensive than diesel. Coal is expensive.

"It's old technology; it requires a lot of skilled volunteers to maintain and look after them, but it's a pleasure.

"There's something magical about steam."

It has been 73 years since the last public passenger trains came along the railway line where the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway is based