NEWS County Donegal Bala extensionpushesahead commissions specialbadge for –but must raise£300,000 By Robin Jones forthe managementofthe lake, £23,000 to coverthe additional design 60th anniversary is set to embark on asignificant work required. THE Bala Lake Railway (BLR) has taken upgrade to the flood defences that BLRtrust chairman Julian Birley COUNTYDonegalRailway three major steps in its bid to join the protectthe townfromfloodingfrom said:“I have beeninvolved with Restoration Limited has growing number of heritage lines that the lake.Theseupgradescoincide capital projects forheritage railways commissioned aspecial badge to can boast atowncentrepresence. with over aquarterofthe route fornearly 25 years,but in thattime, mark the 60th anniversaryofthe As it is continuing to forgeahead of the extensionand,with close Ihave never come across such closureofthe County Donegal with extending the railway into collaboration with NRW, the civil universal supportfor aheritage Railways(CDR), which falls on down-townBala, theLlangollen worksrequired forthe extension will railway. December 31.Thelast trains Railway,the otherline to have be carried outbythem. “NRW could not be more ranonthe 3ft-gauge system on revived asection of theGWR Ruabon supportiveorhelpful in what we are December 31, 1959. to Barmouthroute, is completing its Stakeholder support trying to achieve. Matt Jenkins,who Thebadge uses the colourful long-awaited extension into Corwen Therailwaywill have to contributefor is heading up the project forNRW, crest of the County Donegal towncentre. the additional work required to create is going the extramile to ensure RailwaysJointCommittee, Forthe extension,two more the formation forthe laying of track, the railway gets whatitwants while which wasdesigned in 1906, to land purchaseshave almost but because of the economies of scale, managing the much larger £6million mark the jointpurchase of the been completed,and mattersare by beingpartofamuch larger project, projectfor upgrading the flood Donegal Railway Companyby well in hand foragreeingadeal the savings will be considerable.For defences all around the town. the GreatNorthern Railway of to have running rights over the this partofthe project, the railway has “Support continuesinthe much Ireland and the Midland Railway flood defences at the northend of to raise£300,000.Magnox, the nuclear wider community, from the county of England.The number 60 Bala Lake. energy company, owner of the nearby council, the town council, local has been incorporatedtomark Natural ResourcesWales (NRW), decommissioned powerstation at businesses and residents. the anniversary. thegovernment body responsible Trawsfynydd,has awardedagrantof “They all see the hugecommercial TheCDR crest incorporatesthe arms of the O’Donnell clan, and wasused on steam locomotives, railcars and trailers until the closureofthe railway in 1959, and remained proudly in use on the company’sreplacement buses until CórasIompair Éireann took over the CDR road services in 1971. Threeshamrocks, situatedatthe base of the original,havebeen replaced with the number 60, with two of the shamrocks movedtothe Passing trains:QuarryHunslet 0-4-0STs No.680 of 1898 side of the number to create the George B and No.822 of 1904 Maid Marianin action during anniversarybadge artwork. thegala. Withhelpfrom Heritage Railway readers,£300,000 County Donegal Railway could soon be raisedtoallowthemtorun into Bala town An aerial visualisationofthe Bala Lake Railway’sextension Heritage Centre manager Niall centre. FRED KERR into thetowncentre. BLR McCaughan said:“The badges arebeing made as alimited editionventure, and cost £5 plus post and package.Weare considering producing special, County Donegal Railway-themed badges everyyear, as collectors’ items,and we hope that railway enthusiasts will supportthe 60 badge which represents one of the ways in which we will be marking the 60th anniversary of the railway’s closurethisyear.” ➜ Details of the badges and howto purchase them areatwww. donegalrailway. com Above:The 60th anniversary badge and theCounty Donegal Demonstration freighttrains, comprised of slate quarrywagons takenfrom theline’sextensivecollection,wererun between Railways original. Llanuwchllynand Llangowerduring thegala, in addition to passengerservices. Hunslet 0-4-0STNo. 780of1902 Alice is seen shunting agoods train at LlangoweronJune 16,while sister Hunslet Maid Marian waitswithapassengertrain. FRED KERR 34 Heritagerailway.co.ukFindusonwww.facebook.com/heritagerailway 034 News_257.indd 34 24/07/2019 10:55:19.