Watercress Line boosted by £250,000 emergency funding
It is to support them following the coronavirus pandemic.
A £250,000 grant has been given to an Hampshire tourist attraction to help it deal with the affects of the coronavirus pandemic.
It has been awarded to the Watercress Line by The National Lottery Heritage Fund from its Heritage Emergency Fund.
The sum awarded is the maximum available under the scheme.
It will be used to protect the historic buildings and rolling stock of the railway, from the impact of the enforced closure to visitors.
The Watercress Line started running trains again on 11 July, but with less capacity for visitors because of social distancing measures, which also adds extra costs.
The National Lottery grant, which relates to costs incurred between August and November, covers salary for bringing more members of staff back from furlough, provision of additional office space and other facilities to allow social distancing.
It also covers the purchase of coal and other consumables, emergency repairs to buildings and coaches, plus investment in the website.
Watercress Line general manager, Simon Baggott, told Greatest Hits Radio Surrey and East Hampshire that the railway was closed for three-and-a-half months because of the COVID-19 outbreak:
"We weren't able to earn about £700,000 in income.
"That's a big hole for an organisation like ours to fill.
"We're a largely volunteer organisation - there's over 500 volunteers actively involved in the railway - and this grant means that we can continue to bring joy to the thousands of people that travel on our railway every year.
"I'm feeling relieved and absolutely delighted, and I know that the staff and volunteers are feeling on top of the world about it.
"It's a real vote of confidence in us and it's really fantastic that The National Lottery Heritage Fund were able to help us in this way.
"It might sound a bit corny, but I think we feel like we've won the lottery."