Welsh Highland Railways Association

The Welsh Highland Railway Ltd, The Welsh Highland Railway Society and The Welsh Highland Railway Heritage Group are jointly pleased to announce the launch of an Association representing all three bodies.

In a statement the chairmen of the three founding organisations said: "We believe that it is vital at this critical time to promote the interests of the two Welsh Highland Railways and their allied heritage by focussing attention on the requirements of the railways, including their volunteer members, through the combined efforts of an Association".

The Association (WHRA) will aim to promote greater understanding and co-operation with all interested parties at this pivotal moment in the railways' long history. Major developments are currently in progress, which not only include the reopening of the remainder of the line by 2009, but also a new combined WHR/FR museum initiative.

The agreed objective of the Association is: The promotion and development of all matters relating to the Welsh Highland Railways - past, present and future - through co-operative endeavour.

James Hewett, Chairman of WHR Ltd said: "my hope is that the new Association will ensure that the democratic voice of the volunteer is heard loud and clear, and that this will lead to a more prominent role for the volunteer resource in both running and operating the new Welsh Highland. I believe that the new WHRA is the best way to preserve the independence of the three organisations and the two railways that are represented within it."

Welcoming the move Dave Kent, Chairman of the WHRS, said: "the formation of the Association gives all supporters from any quarter of the Welsh Highland project, the encouragement that their efforts have been, are, and will be recognised as a tremendous achievement in the years to come. This coming together further strengthens the role of the volunteers in all railway restoration."

David Allan, Chairman of the WHHG concluded, "The Heritage Group is a small but vital cog in the complex Welsh Highland Story. Our objective is to ensure that the remaining infrastructure as well as the ethos of the original Welsh Highland play a significant role in the railway's future and are not consigned to some fading memory of its past. We believe that the Welsh Highland Railways Association is the ideal body to help promote that ambition."