A RAILWAY project to set up a link between two Denbighshire towns that needs one last funding boost has been backed by an assembly member at the Welsh Government.

Volunteer builders for the £1million Corwen Central Railway Development Project, which aims to establish a railway link between Llangollen Railway and Corwen’s old station that has been closed for 45 years, have already constructed 10 miles of track and a brand-new platform.

The volunteers, who have raised £600,000 of the total sum, need a final £10,000 to reinstate a 150 yard stretch with about 9,000 tonnes of soil before laying down track.

Nearly £8,000 of that sum has already been raised following an article in the Free Press, a spokesperson for the Corwen project has said.

Their hopes that the work will be completed by the summer have been boosted further after Mark Isherwood, AM for North Wales, raised the project at the Welsh Government’s Business Statement on Monday, March 19 while discussing the importance of standard gauge heritage railways in Wales.

He said the volunteers' work is important to the area’s heritage and economy and called for the Welsh Government to support the Corwen project.

He said: “I've been asked to bring to the attention of elected representatives an article in the Free Press earlier this month on Llangollen Railway's Corwen project. This said that volunteers building the link between two Denbighshire towns say they need £10,000 to finally complete the project.

“They've completed 10 miles of the line between Llangollen and Corwen but a gap remains in the embankment between the new station in Corwen and the rest of the line. They want to complete this before the summer season because the town will benefit from additional visitors.

"If I could call for a Statement on support for our standard gauge heritage railways - because we know the Welsh Government does support our narrow gauge heritage railways - and applaud and see how we can support that massive volunteering effort, which is not only delivering heritage projects, but also offering so much to the tourism and broader economies of areas that so much need that stimulus."

George Jones, volunteer for the Corwen project, said: "Members of the Corwen railway project are grateful to Mark Isherwood AM for raising the subject of the funding for the gap infill in the Senedd. High level awareness in volunteer projects is necessary for external support if they are to be successful within a reasonable timescale.

“Thanks to the headline in the Free Press, we have ensured the story has gone around the world on social media and very welcome support has come to hand with £7,800 raised so far from well wishers."