A RAILWAY chairman is delighted that work on a new train terminal has started.

The Bala Lake Railway Trust has undertaken the first physical construction work on the extension of the Bala Lake Railway with the demolition of the derelict warehouse on Heol Aran.

The cleared site, where the new Bala Town station building is to be located, has been levelled and will initially be used for storage of materials for the extension, starting with a number of points that have been acquired from the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway that were delivered from Devon just days after the work was completed.

Trust chairman Julian Birley said: “The extension has started! The Bala Lake Railway really does mean business.

“Now that the station building site has been cleared and levelled, we can get a really good idea of the space we have got.

“The first impression is that it is much bigger than we had originally imagined and having measured it, we have nearly 3/4 of an acre.

“This is a brilliant start to making a really impressive station terminal of which the town can be proud.

The site is already being put to good use to store pointwork acquired from the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway.

“Support from the town and members is incredible but we still need help, so please either donate through the website or join the Red Dragon Appeal to secure a place on one of the first trains to run over the extended railway.”

The Red Dragon Appeal, which was launched in December to raise funds for the construction of the extension, has so far raised over £12,000 in subscriptions and donations, in addition to the £300,000 donated through national fund-raising.

The railway is “tantalisingly close” to having the funds to complete the purchase of the land from the rugby club announced in October, so would welcome new subscriptions or donations of any amount to help reach the next target.