Former cabinet minister Lord Deben has helped launch the Mid Suffolk Light Railway’s two major projects for 2017 at a special event at its Wetheringsett headquarters.

East Anglian Daily Times: Official opening of Lottery funded restoration of Engine Shed by Lord Deben with steam hauled rides and tea on the newly restored First Class Smoking Coach no.140 at the Mid Suffolk Light Railway. Picture: GREGG BROWNOfficial opening of Lottery funded restoration of Engine Shed by Lord Deben with steam hauled rides and tea on the newly restored First Class Smoking Coach no.140 at the Mid Suffolk Light Railway. Picture: GREGG BROWN

He opened the new locomotive shed that has been built to allow engines to be stored and repaired in dry conditions – and he also became one of the first people to ride in the railway’s recently-restored First Class Smoking Coach.

Lord Deben was a Suffolk MP as John Gummer for more than 30 years – and was first elected for the old Eye seat which included most of the route of the “Middy” which closed in 1952.

John Reeve from the Middy said: “We were delighted to have Lord Deben and his family here to mark what is a very important day for us.

“The new shed is very important to us and is very well equipped to allow us to do the work we need to on our trains. It is a really useful addition to our station here and we were really pleased people came to see it open.”

The event is the start of a busy few years for the railway – it has recently gained planning permission to build and extension that will more than double its length to nearly a kilometre.

Work on that has to be “significant” within three years – and Mr Reeve said that “sponsor a sleeper” scheme was already successful and he hoped work would be able to start within the next few months.