LAUNCESTON Steam Railway was among those represented at a Westminster reception for heritage railways last month.

The event, held by the Heritage Railway Association and the heritage rail all-party parliamentary group (APPG), was to bring together Heritage Railway Association members and their local MPs.

The reception was hosted by Lord Faulkner, president of the Heritage Rail Association and vice-chair heritage rail APPG, and Mark Garnier MP, chair of the APPG.

Representatives of Launceston Steam Railway Jonathan Mann, and Bodmin and Wenford Railway Jimmy James met with North Cornwall Conservative MP Scott Mann at the event.

Jonathan Mann said of the reception: “It was very good. Claire Perry (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for transport) spoke about the importance of rail.

“One of the key points was that heritage railways aren’t just about preservation and tourism, but also the skills and things that are being passed on to people — traditional engineering skills that the country is in short supply of.

“Passenger travel figures on the network are very high, I think reaching the numbers of people that were travelling in the ’20s and ’30s. Rail is very much to the fore.”

Jonathan Mann said Scott Mann visited Launceston Steam Railway a few weeks ago, adding: “He is very supportive of what we do here.”

Scott Mann said: “The reception was very enjoyable. It is important that heritage railways are maintained because they are a unique and fun asset for a town to have, and also have potential to expand services with links to mainlines.

“I am supporting the expansion plans for Bodmin and Wenford because I believe it will better link Bodmin and Wadebridge, and complement the Camel Trail, which could offer a possible loop for users of both the rail and the trail.

“Cornwall used to be a hive of railway activity, and it is sad that so much track was pulled up 60 years ago. However, there is now an evident drive to reinstate lines and get back more transport links.”