The Mid Hants Railway (The Watercress Line) has announced that it has been awarded a £250,000 grant by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which will help with the impact of coronavirus.
The grant has been made from The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Heritage Emergency Fund, which has awarded grants to several heritage railways.
£250,000 is the maximum grant available under the scheme and will be used by The Mid Hants Railway to protect buildings and rolling stock at the railway.
The Mid Hants Railway began running trains once again on the 11th July, but with reduced capacity due to social distancing.
Watercress Line General Manager, Simon Baggott, said: “We are extremely grateful to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for awarding this grant, which secures the railway’s existence for the benefit of the local area over the coming months. This is the best news we have had for weeks and will be warmly appreciated by everyone who visits, volunteers or employees. We are looking forward to welcoming more visitors back to the Watercress Line over the coming weeks, as we find ways of expanding the scope of what we offer.”
Where Next?
RailAdvent Plus
Get image downloads, Prints and Streaming Video
RailAdvent News
The latest railway news
RailAdvent Shop
Railway Prints, DVD’s / Blu-Ray’s and more
LocoStop Community
Come and share your railway pictures
Mainline UK Steam Info
Upcoming mainline steam tours/loco movements
Mid Hants Railway
Visit their website
Responses
Wow, This is Good News… The Mid-Hants Railway (whom we all know, As The Watercress Line), Most Definitely still has A Future.
This Hampshire Heritage Railway Attraction (Which I myself still hope to Visit & Ride Aboard ‘in-person’ Someday) aren’t the only Heritage Railway to have been Awarded through National Lottery,
Most other fellow Heritage Railways across the British Isles have also been Awarded through National Lottery, to help secure their Futures & Forever Survive in All Many Other ways Possible.
A Well Done & Congratulations to the Watercress Line on their Role in Combating the Pandemic and Keeping up the Good Work.
I’d still look forward to visiting ‘in-person’ someday.