Stuart Dexter operations manager Groundwork North East, and Janet Thompson regional policy and partnerships officer Big Lottery Fund North East, present a cheque for £100,000 to Richard Graham society chairman, and South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society volunteers - Date? Photographer?

The South Tynedale Railway, based in Alston, has been awarded the first £100,000 grant from Groundwork UK's Community Spaces program to repair and restore three heritage structures along the route of its one mile extension from Kirkhaugh to Lintley, Northumberland.
 
Community Spaces is a £50 million program for community groups which Groundwork UK is managing as an award partner to the Big Lottery Fund.
 
Contributing almost 70 percent of the costs involved, the Community Spaces award brought contractors on site in October to start the considerable bridge repairs needed, with the aim of completing works by Christmas.
 
Built with local stone for the Newcastle & Carlisle Railway in the early 1850s, the bridges have been untouched apart from South Tynedale Railway remedial works 10-years-ago for more than three decades since the former BR Haltwhistle to Alston branch line closed in 1976.
 
Now, as the South Tynedale Railway extends its line and the adjacent linear park a further 2.25 miles, through Lintley, and on towards the village of Slaggyford, this award makes a vital contribution to the essential repairs and restoration now required.
 
The South Tynedale Railway and adjacent South Tyne Trail attract more than 40,000 visitors each year.
 
Income raised through ticket sales supports the volunteer led and run society to operate and maintain the railway.
 
Works on the extension and other developments demand major capital investments, which are met by a varied mix of retained surplus, finance, and grants.
 
Railway preservation society spokesman Brian Craven, said, "The South Tynedale Railway is delighted to be awarded such a substantial amount towards repairing these three historic structures. This is the largest grant the society has ever had, and a major step toward completing phase one of the society's extension to Lintley and then on to Slaggyford. Special thanks are due to our consulting engineer, Charles Blackett-Ord of Appleby, to our Groundwork North East facilitator Stuart Dexter, to his colleague Samantha Cox, open grants program co-ordinator at Groundwork UK, and particularly to all the volunteers and friends of the STR who have supported this major project."
 
Mr. Dexter said, "The railway is enjoyed by thousands of people every year and it has been both an honour and a pleasure to work with the society to secure this funding and make a major contribution to the extension of the railway and linear park."
 
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