THE Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway (Ff&WHR) has landed a £250,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund's Heritage Emergency Fund to help it through the Covid-19 crisis.
Both Ff&WHR lines closed in March in line with the national lockdown. Ffestiniog Railway restarted operating on July 20 and Welsh Highland Railway on August 18, but both are only running over part of the lines and with reduced capacity because of social distancing measures. Overall, the loss of peak-season trains has had a devastating effect on income.
The National Lottery's Heritage Emergency Fund comprises £50million, assembled in response to the Covid-19 outbreak to support the heritage sector.
The Ff&WHR grant will enable work to continue on the National Lottery-backed Boston Lodge development and conservation project.
Ffestiniog Railway's George England 0-4-0STT No. 4 Palmerston climbs towards Tan-y-Bwlch with the 10.00 departure from Porthmadog on August 30. The loco had returned to service earlier in the month following work on the chassis (RM August), meaning for the first time in many years FR had three George England locos available for service, the others being Prince and newly restored Welsh Pony.
ROBERT FALCONER