The Cornish heritage steam line the Bodmin & Wenford Railway was reopening yesterday (Tuesday) after 14 months of closure due to the COVID-19 crisis.

The popular preserved branch line – which operates steam trains between Bodmin Parkway, on the Cornwall mainline through the Glynn Valley, with Bodmin General in the town itself, as well as between Bodmin General and Boscarne Junction on the Camel Trail – remained closed for most of 2020 due to Government restrictions on carriage capacity due to social distancing rules.

However, in recent weeks the railway has been a hive of activity as staff and volunteers work hard behind the scenes to get the attraction ready to welcome back visitors. Bodmin General station and coffee shop have been given fresh coats of paint, and in the case of the coffee shop there has also been a makeover and rebranding exercise.

In addition, the locomotives have all had various safety inspections carried out to make sure they are ready to pull the railway’s coaches, which have also all been overhauled and repainted or revarnished.

To begin with, in line with current Government guidance, the railway will be operating with reduced seating capacity on all trains and with extra screens installed between seats to keep passengers safe. Passengers will also be required to wear face masks in enclosed spaces, including on the train unless in an enclosed compartment or if exempt from wearing masks.

Speaking earlier this week, Bodmin & Wenford Railway chairman David Nelson-Brown said: “We are thrilled to announce that we will reopen on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. It has been a very difficult few months and the decision not to reopen last year was not taken lightly.

“We have been overwhelmed with the support that the railway has received from both locals and railway enthusiasts in recent months and we are indebted to the Government Cultural Recovery Fund contribution to our survival. We know that many people have missed visiting the railway, or simply seeing and hearing the trains running through the local countryside.

“We are really excited to be able to start running trains again and welcoming people back to the railway.”

Passengers are being encouraged to book tickets in advance using website www.bodminrailway.co.uk