THE secretary of state for Wales has paid a visit to a Ffestiniog steam train whilst it is situated in London.

Directors, members of staff and volunteers from the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways and other representatives from Great Little Trains of Wales hosted Alun Cairns MP, secretary of state for Wales, at King’s Cross on Wednesday, 22 February.

Mr Cairns was shown around the Ffestiniog Railway locomotive, Palmerston, which has returned to London for the first time since she was built there in 1864.

Joint marketing scheme Great Little Trains of Wales is at the London terminus promoting Big Train meets Little Train, the recently-published free guide to Welsh narrow gauge railways and how to visit them by rail.

The guide has been funded by the Department of Transport from its Heritage and Community Rail Tourism Innovation Competition.

Approximately 10 million people visit a heritage railway in Britain every year, and the sector contributes an estimated £250m to the UK economy.

The Conservative politician said: “Seeing the locomotive Palmerston at first hand reminds you what a fantastic heritage our Welsh railways have – this is an engine which has travelled thousands upon thousands of miles in its 150-plus year history."

Read the full story in this Thursday’s north editions of the Cambrian News