Middleton Railway to receive further Culture Recovery grant

Middleton Railway is set to receive £36,300 from the seciond round of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund.
This award will help them to reopen following the lockdown and also to continue our work in preserving the World’s Oldest Railway.

Nearly £400 million has been awarded to thousands of cultural organisations across the country including Middleton Railway in the latest round of support from the Culture Recovery Fund.

Over £800 million in grants and loans has already been awarded to support almost 3,800 cinemas, performance venues, museums, heritage sites and other cultural organisations dealing with the immediate challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

This brings the Government’s total investment across grants, capital and repayable finance from the Culture Recovery Fund so far to more than £1.2 billion across over 5,000 individual cultural and heritage organisations and sites.

The second round of awards will help organisations to look ahead to the spring and summer and plan for reopening and recovery. After months of closures and cancellations to contain the virus and save lives, this funding will be a much-needed helping hand for organisations transitioning back to normal in the months ahead.

Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, said:

“Our record breaking Culture Recovery Fund has already helped thousands of culture and heritage organisations across the country survive the biggest crisis they’ve ever faced.

“Now we’re staying by their side as they prepare to welcome the public back through their doors – helping our cultural gems plan for reopening and thrive in the better times ahead.”

Charles Milner, Chairman of the Middleton Railway, said:

“The Middleton Railway is very grateful to receive this Cultural Recovery Grant, which we are using to fully prepare ourselves to reopen to the public on Sunday 23 May.

“Much vital work is required to ensure the railway is fully operational, including preparation of our historic locomotives and passenger coaches alongside staff training. We are also ensuring that the railway is fully Covid compliant and this grant will ensure that when the railway does reopen, we are able to welcome visitors once again, in a covid-safe manner.”

The Middleton Railway was built in 1758 and is the First railway authorised by an Act of Parliament, the first to have commercially successful steam locomotives, in June 1812 and also the first standard gauge preserved railway, opening in June 1960. It has operated trains every year since opening in 1758.

 

This post is based on a press release issued by Middleton Railway