A NORTH Wales politician has certainly been on track during a recent Dee Valley visit.

Sam Rowlands, MS for North Wales, has praised volunteers for helping to keep alive a major Denbighshire tourist attraction.

During a visit, Mr Rowlands said: “I was delighted to meet with volunteers and trustees from the Llangollen Railway Trust and hear all about their plans for the future.

“The trust saved the line earlier this year after the previous operators went into receivership. This was really good news for the area as the Llangollen railway is a well-known and popular tourist attraction in North Wales."

Mr Rowlands added: “I was able to have a look around a special heritage DMU train and the beautifully restored station building at Berwyn.

"I was also able to find out about some of the heritage skills involved in restoring the heritage buildings, carriages and locomotives – skills such as woodworking and upholstery that are becoming less common.

"The heritage rail sector has an important role to play in keeping these skills alive.

“Everyone involved deserves full praise for helping to keep the railway running, not only because of its history but also as a not to be missed place to visit in my region.”

The railway was originally opened in 1862, becoming part of the Great Western Railway in 1877 and British Railways’ Western Region in 1947.

It was closed in 1964, prior to reopening as a heritage railway in 1975.

Llangollen Railway has been a popular tourist attraction for a number of years and ambitious expansion plans to link the railway line to Corwen, which began in 2011, are also nearing completion.