Lithgow’s iconic Zig Zag Railway is being given a new lease on life after it was badly damaged during the State Mine bushfire in 2013.

On Thursday, Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the state will commit $2.3 million to restore the beloved railway.

It’s expected to reopen in late 2019 to coincide for the track’s 150th anniversary.

Ray Hadley, who has fond memories of the railway, wants to broadcast live from Lithgow for the event.

“I’m very, very happy,” he says.

Zig Zag Railway Chairman Lee Wiggins tells Ray Hadley the announcement came as “a very big surprise”.

“We received a phone call on Monday to advise that the Premier would be coming through… as part of our final stages of our application.

“That was all I knew.”

He says the multi-million dollar commitment will have a huge impact on the volunteer-run organisation.

“Money is a little bit easier when you’re not paying your people that are doing the work, but you still need the money to pay for materials, you still need to bring contractors in.”

“Money is certainly critical for these sorts of big projects.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview 

Listener Marcelle called in to tell Ray her husband proposed to her on the side of the Zig Zag Railway.

“He took me on a picnic… and well, it was a sort of proposal. He said, ‘So when are we getting married then?’.

“So that’s 40 years ago this year.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full call from Marcelle

Image: Facebook