An appeal has been launched to help raise £50,000 to keep Llangollen and Corwen Railway on the right track and secure its future.
The railway team is calling on supporters to help support them following an extraordinary donation of railway track and infrastructure from Tata Chemicals.
Just weeks after bringing its 50th anniversary celebrations to a close, Llangollen and Corwen Railway has launched an ambitious new fundraising campaign to help protect the much-loved heritage railway for the next half-century.
The 'Rescue the Rails' campaign has an initial target of £50,000 to help recover and transport miles of railway track, sleepers, buffer stops and other valuable infrastructure generously donated by Tata Chemicals from its former industrial railway site at Winnington, near Northwich.
The donation represents an extraordinary opportunity for the ten-mile heritage railway, which operates through the stunning Dee Valley between Llangollen and Corwen.
Although the materials are being donated completely free of charge, the Railway must fund the specialist contractors, lifting equipment and transport required to bring them to North Wales.
The opportunity is enormous - each recovery operation has the potential to bring back infrastructure worth many times the cost of collecting it, meaning every pound donated could deliver multiple pounds of value to the Railway.
The materials will provide a valuable resource for future track maintenance and renewals, potentially saving the Railway substantial sums over the coming decades.
Trust Manager David Hennigan said, "At the end of October, we brought our 50th anniversary year to a close, celebrating five decades of incredible achievements by our volunteers.
"Now it's time to look ahead. Rescue the Rails is quite literally about investing in the next 50 years of our heritage railway.
"This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. Every pound donated could bring many pounds more in value back to our Railway. Our volunteers rebuilt this wonderful railway, and now we have the chance to protect it for future generations.
"Please help us reach our £50,000 target and secure our Railway's future."
The first sections of donated railway track have already arrived at Llangollen, with further recovery operations now being planned.
Heritage Engineering Manager Tim Pulford said, "From an engineering perspective, this is an extraordinary opportunity. Maintaining ten miles of heritage railway is expensive, and these materials could save us a significant amount of money on future track repairs and renewals.
"The infrastructure is being donated free of charge, but we need funds to recover and transport it. Every recovery trip could bring back materials worth many times what it costs to collect them.
"This is about giving our engineering teams the resources they need to maintain the Railway for decades to come."
The Railway hopes the campaign will attract support from railway enthusiasts, local businesses, community organisations and everyone who values the preservation of Britain's railway heritage.
David added: "Our first 50 years were about rebuilding our railway. This campaign is about protecting it for the next 50.
"We are enormously grateful to Tata Chemicals for their generosity. Now we need the public's help to bring this incredible gift home."
Supporters can contribute towards the initial £50,000 fundraising target in three ways:
1. Donate Online
Donations can be made securely through the Railway's dedicated fundraising page:
https://llangollenrailway.enthuse.com/cf/rescue-the-rails
2. Donate by Telephone
Call 01978 860979 to make a donation. For further payment options or more information, please contact Paul Bailey on 07745 223 946.
3. Donate by Cheque
Please make cheques payable to Llangollen and Corwen Railway and send them to:
Rescue the Rails
5 Abbey Road
Llangollen
LL20 8SN
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