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Bodmin and Wenford steam train line secures 35-year lease | |
(about 9 hours later) | |
A steam railway line in Cornwall has secured a new 35-year lease, managers say. | A steam railway line in Cornwall has secured a new 35-year lease, managers say. |
The Bodmin and Wenford Railway Trust, which operates 6.5 miles (10.5km) of former branch line track, had been operating on five-year leases. | The Bodmin and Wenford Railway Trust, which operates 6.5 miles (10.5km) of former branch line track, had been operating on five-year leases. |
The new extended lease had been negotiated with Cornwall Council, trust chairman Keith Searle said. | The new extended lease had been negotiated with Cornwall Council, trust chairman Keith Searle said. |
The trust has six operational engines, running on the track more than 200 days a year. | |
'Increased business' | 'Increased business' |
The branch line closed to passengers in January 1967 and was shut completely in November 1983. | |
A group of volunteers got together in 1984 to work on reopening it and trains started running again in 1986. | |
Mr Searle said the organisation originally had one-year renewable leases from the then North Cornwall District Council because there was "no idea whether we'd be successful or not". | Mr Searle said the organisation originally had one-year renewable leases from the then North Cornwall District Council because there was "no idea whether we'd be successful or not". |
The leases were later increased to five years and are now with Cornwall Council, which took over from the previous authority in 2009. | The leases were later increased to five years and are now with Cornwall Council, which took over from the previous authority in 2009. |
Mr Searle said: "As we improved and business increased and our spending increased, it became obvious that just a five-year lease was not enough. | Mr Searle said: "As we improved and business increased and our spending increased, it became obvious that just a five-year lease was not enough. |
"If you want to get grants, you won't get them with that short a lease." | "If you want to get grants, you won't get them with that short a lease." |
He said he and other trust members were relieved the new lease was in place. | He said he and other trust members were relieved the new lease was in place. |
"I think the future is looking good," he said. | "I think the future is looking good," he said. |
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