MP hails 70th anniversary of heritage railways

* Simon Baynes MP during a recent visit to Llangollen Railway.

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes has welcomed the 70^th anniversary of heritage railways in the United Kingdom, the success of which paved the way for saving the Llangollen Railway – one of the principal tourist attractions in his constituency.

Mr Baynes, who is a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Heritage Rail, praised the volunteer heroes without which he said heritage railway would be a pipe dream.

On May 14, 1951 the first heritage train service run by volunteers set out on the Talyllyn Railway in Wales and triggered a heritage railway movement that has now grown to 158 railways across the United Kingdom.

Mr Baynes said: “I’m very pleased to mark the 70^th anniversary of heritage railways and am very much looking forward to seeing the Llangollen Railway re-open soon to bring more tourists and visitors back to the beautiful Dee Valley. 

"Congratulations to the pioneering Talyllyn Railway which ran the first train with volunteers on 14 May 1951 and inspired over 150 heritage railways throughout the UK, including our own Llangollen Railway.”