Llangollen Railway board vows to fight for line’s survival

More details of who owns parts of the Llangollen Railway have been shared as volunteers spoke out to thank the public for its support.

Llangollen Railway Plc contacted its bank on Monday, asking it to appoint a receiver and revealed it had debts of more than £350,000.

There have been fears that the railway will not survive.

But Tez Pickthall, a Llangollen Railway Volunteer, says that the Llangollen Railway Board is doing everything possible to try ensure the railway survives.

“The Board are working to try and agree a way forward with the Plc receiver to allow the solvent LR Trust to continue to run the railway. However, this is a complex process and will take time,” he said.

He said many people had asked about the railway’s assets and who owns what.

“All locomotives and a considerable amount of rolling stock are privately owned by the LR Trust and the private groups that support the railway. The local council owns the land and trackbed. The LR Trust owns much of the track and other assets.

“The Plc does own assets, which are clearly the subject of discussions with the receiver. It goes without saying that this is a time of great concern for the LR Family – and that livelihoods and a way of life for a small army of dedicated staff and volunteers face huge uncertainty. “

The receiver is expected to report to the board early next week.

An appeal, initially launched in March when services were suspended due to the impact of Covid-19, has seen a jump in donations this week, currently stands at almost £29,000.

Essential work is continuing to repair the Dee bridge on the railway, replacing timbers to ensure that, when allowed, the railway will be able to run once again. That work alone is costing £15,000.

The railway had planned a series of special events as the country emerged from lockdown and it is not known whether any will be able to continue.