The Bala Lake Railway Trust has launched the next phase of the plan to build an extension into the town.

The trust say they have reached the stage when they will they “will be able to show physical progress on the ground” with their £300,000 track appeal.

“This will cover the cost of all the track and ballast for the whole extension,” a trust spokesperson explained.

Clips and screws for one sleeper can be sponsored for £15 will buy, £50 will buy one sleeper and fixings, £600 will buy one rail and a pair of fishplates, or enough sleepers and fixings for one track panel, £1,200 will buy two rails and fishplates to make a track panel and £2,000 will sponsor a complete track panel.

For each donation of £2,000 or more, sponsors will receive a certificate once the track work has been completed.

A track panel on their map detail sponsors and will be displayed at the railway for them to “proudly show friends and family how they helped to get the trains back to the town”.

Bala Lake Railway Trust chairman Julian Birley said: “It’s been a long and arduous process, but thanks to the generosity of donors and supporters we now have planning permission for the extension so we can finally make a start building the new railway to Bala.

“The budget for the whole project is close to £4.5M, which includes a brand-new station building befitting of the town, a new loco shed and carriage shed, all the earthworks, attention to two bridges, a new level crossing, changes to the existing Bala station, track, points and signalling.

We are happy to accept donations for any amount, and as they say every little helps.”

Details of the appeal can be found at www.balalakerailwaytrust.org.uk/track-appeal/.