A VISIT from a Swiss engine and a memorable appearance by a Welsh singing superstar brought thousands more visitors to Snowdon Mountain Railway in 2018.

The train, from the Brienz Rothorn Bahn railway in Switzerland, travelled 900 miles to North Wales, to meet with its sister locomotives on Snowdon. The visit was a huge success which generated much interest.

The railway enjoyed another significant moment in its history last year as Dame Shirley Bassey DBE became the fourth person to have a carriage named in her honour.

Following in the footsteps of fellow countrymen Sir David Brailsford CBE, Sir Bryn Terfel CBE and Katherine Jenkins OBE, Dame Shirley Bassey unveiled her carriage at Waterfall station before returning to greet fans that had gathered to see her.

Snowdon Mountain Railway was also visited by numerous film crews during the year, filming the railway, the summit building and the mountain’s breath-taking scenery for a range of documentaries. The railway also played a starring role in a TV advert for supermarket Aldi.

Vince Hughes, the railway’s commercial manager, said: “I’m certain 2018 has been a season like no other, reflected in increased numbers of visitors at key times of the year.

“We are thrilled to have enjoyed a historic first in the visit of a train from our sister railway in Switzerland. My own highlight was welcoming Dame Shirley Bassey to the railway in May to unveil her very own carriage.

“It was a really special day in another successful season”