Bala Lake Railway Trust

The Bala Lake Railway Trust, founded in 2013 by railway heritage enthusiasts including Chairman Julian Birley, is a UK charity dedicated to advancing education, promoting public benefit, and preserving the narrow-gauge railway heritage of North Wales' slate industry, particularly steam locomotives, rolling stock, and artefacts from Dinorwic, Penrhyn, and Blaenau Ffestiniog regions. Partnering closely with the Bala Lake Railway, it upholds values of authenticity, conservation, public engagement, regional pride, and sustainable impact, focusing on restoration, exhibitions, educational outreach (e.g., school weeks and Love Your Railway campaigns), and community events that highlight industrial history's role in local culture and economy. Beneficiaries include north-west Wales communities, visitors, enthusiasts, and school groups, with flagship initiatives like the multi-million-pound Red Dragon Project extending the railway into Bala for tourism and regeneration.

Funding supports Trust-led or partnered capital projects, infrastructure, artefact restoration (e.g., 1896 director’s saloon), and heritage programming in north-west Wales (Bala, Dinorwic, Penrhyn, Blaenau Ffestiniog), prioritising visible, long-term outcomes over core costs.

Unsolicited applications are not accepted; eligibility is limited to internal or pre-existing partners with no specified entity types, income thresholds (though smaller linked organisations preferred), or religious restrictions—project selection is trustee-driven via consultations. Grants range from £10,000 for restorations to millions for major works, awarded on a rolling basis aligned with meetings and milestones, without deadlines or open rounds.

Distinctively, the Trust avoids general third-party grants, unrestricted aid, or emergency relief, instead channeling restricted donations into transformative, sector-specific preservation that fosters civic pride and economic development through transparent, expert-led philanthropy.