Railway hopes gala will help project hit £2.5m
Fundraisers are hoping an annual autumn steam gala will raise the final £1 million needed to develop Bridgnorth's historic railway – as time starts to run out.
The Severn Valley Railway’s share offer programme launched last year to fund the redevelopment of Bridgnorth Station and is entering the final month.
So far, the project has hit the £1.5 million mark but another £1 million is needed to reach the ambitious target.
And with an expected 7,000 people heading its way, the railway is relying on this year’s Autumn Steam Gala to help raise the last £1 million in its share offer.
The hugely-popular season finale event, which runs from today(THURS) until Sunday, has been chosen as the perfect springboard for the last month of campaigning in the SVR’s share offer programme to fund the biggest redevelopment project in the railway’s history.
The share offer must close on October 31.
Clare Gibbard, SVR’s marketing and communications manager, said: “Our flagship steam event is the perfect opportunity to showcase the railway and to shout about our fantastic plans for Bridgnorth.
“Time is now tight, but we still really hope to reach our £2.5million target, enabling us to protect, conserve and enhance this wonderful station for future generations.”
The project aims to provide much-improved visitor facilities, while conserving and enhancing the historic station, encouraging more people to start their journey from Bridgnorth, further boosting the local economy.
Share offer teams will be on hand throughout the Gala, taking applications and explaining the ambitious project and the generous travel benefits on offer to those who purchase shares.
Famed for its visiting locomotive line-up, this year’s Autumn Steam Gala will feature No.564 Great Eastern Railway ‘Y14’, courtesy of the M&GN Joint Railway Society & North Norfolk Railway, the only one of the 289 of its class built to survive into preservation.
