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Fabulous success for Fame Event! - 20/03/2008

As part of Welsh Tourism Week, 10-14 of the March, the Cambrian Railways Partnership (CRP) organised a familiarisation, or 'fame', event on the Cambrian rail network.

The purpose of the event was to raise awareness of the Cambrian Railways as tourist attractions in their own right, 'The Cambrian' steam services and a related tourism attraction namely the Ffestiniog Railway - one of the Great Little Trains of Wales.

The day started at Mid Wales Tourism's conference room, conveniently located in Machynlleth's impressive railway station, with an introduction to the regular services on the Cambrian network and the various tourism based initiatives the CRP is involved with from its Rail Development Officer, Gerwyn Jones.

This was followed by a presentation from Neil MacLeod, Marketing Manager with West Coast Railways, who said: "It was wonderful, so early in the season, to reassure the people who work directly with the public, that 'The Cambrian' steam train will be operating again on one of the most attractive rail journeys in Britain, the Cambrian Coast Line, during August from Machynlleth to Porthmadog and Pwllheli." .

The attendees were whisked away from Machynlleth on the 11:00 Arriva Trains Wales Cambrian Coast Line service as far as Porthmadog during which they were able to ask questions regarding the various railways operations as well as of course enjoying this truly wonderful scenic rail journey!

At Porthmadog the attendees visited the Ffestiniog Railway, one of the participants in the CRP's 'Catch the BIG TRAINS to meet the Great Little Trains of Wales' promotion, where they enjoyed a buffet lunch in its Spooners Café and Bar, an introduction to the Ffestiniog Railway and a short trip on one of the world famous trains as far as Minffordd from where they caught the regular Cambrian Coast Line service back to Machynlleth.

The event was well attended by representatives from organisations working in the Tourism industry including:

• Ceredigion County Council
• Gwynedd Council
• Powys County Council
• Snowdonia National Park
• Mid Wales Tourism
• TraCC - the Mid Wales Transport Consortium.

Gerwyn Jones on behalf of the CRP commented "We see events such as this, and closer working in general, with the tourism sector as being invaluable in raising the profile of the railways. Staff who work in Tourist Information Centres are a very important, if not the most important, interface with tourists once they are in the area so we hope that through arranging days like this we will raise the profile of the train journeys as being tourist attractions in their own right not just a means of getting from A-B- which is one of the CRP's key strategic objectives".

Note:

The 'Catch the BIG TRAINS to meet the Great Little Trains of Wales' is a promotion whereby passengers from the 'Big Trains' are afforded a 20% reduction on fares at the participating ‘Great Little Trains'. More info:

• Ffestiniog Railway
• Great Little Trains of Wales
• 'The Cambrian' Steam Specials
• Mid Wales Tourism

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