The Talyllyn Railway invited RailAdvent to Tywyn today to see the announcement of a £3.7m grant that has been awarded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The Talyllyn Railway is the World’s First Preserved Railway and was originally built to serve the Bryneglwys slate quarry.

Part of a World Heritage Site, the railway will use the grant for major upgrades to its engineering facilities.

The total amount for the grant, which has been made available thanks to National Lottery players, totals £3,697,911.

As part of today’s event, No. 1 Talyllyn had been steamed up and brought down to Tywyn Wharf to join in the fun

This, along with a £300,000 grant from the Welsh Government, means that today’s announcement brings the total grant money to just shy of £4.5m.

Stations along the railway, which runs from Tywyn to Nant Gwernol, will be refurbished and “reimagined” to boost visitor experience and create heritage hubs for visitors.

A new community hub will be created to offer local groups and schools a chance to explore the heritage with accessible facilities to create a welcoming space for everyone.

Additionally, the money will be spent to create new accommodation for volunteers, which will allow the railway to support its growing volunteer programme. The railway will also offer local engineering apprenticeships to help develop essential skills. This work is expected to cost around £1.2m.

The environment is also key to the project, with solar panels, insulation and biodiversity initiatives set to reduce costs and environmental impact.

At Pendre, new engineering works will be built to preserve the original works and ensure the facilities are fit for the future. The work at Pendre will cost around £3m.

Ian Drummond raised a glass of champagne to celebrate, but reiterated that there is still around £300,000 to raise to allow all the work to be completed.

“We’re delighted to support Talyllyn Railway, a much-loved heritage attraction that holds a special place in the story of Wales. Thanks to National Lottery players, this funding will help preserve its unique history and ensure future generations can continue to enjoy and learn from this remarkable site.”

Andrew White, Director of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Wales

“Obviously, we are overjoyed at this news. I am particularly delighted for the team who worked so hard to put this bid together, especially our development manager, Nick Broster, that their dedicated work has now reaped its reward. The bid faced many challenges, not least the huge rise in construction costs that has taken place over the past few years and we are very grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund for backing this project through all the changes that have had to be made. The tremendous response to our 75 Appeal, currently standing at well over £500,000 in donations and pledges, has also been key to this successful outcome.”

David Ventry, Talyllyn Railway Company Chairman

“This is tremendous news and we would like to thank The National Lottery Heritage Fund for recognising the need for this project. The team would also like to say thank you for the fantastic support from our members, visitors and all those who have donated to our Appeal, or supported the project in any way. We are now looking forward to our 75th Anniversary celebrations as the World’s First Preserved Railway with real optimism that the Railway will have the facilities it needs for the next 75 years”

Liz Porrett, the Railway’s General Manager (Operations)