WHERE NEXT FOR CHARTERS? THE GLASS IS MISTED…

Well, with this being Steam Railway’s 500th issue – and celebrating its 40th anniversary too – I was going to look ahead at what might be coming steam’s way. If not in the next four decades, then at least over the coming few years.

But, well… Down Main’s crystal ball is looking a tad misted. Why? Because the question of ‘what to do with the railway?’ is being asked now like it’s not been for years. And while steam is hardly the biggest concern to those chewing that over, it seems unrealistic to think we won’t be caught in the backwash in some way.

Background to this is of course December’s General Election. As I write, that’s still weeks away and formal manifestos haven’t yet been launched. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some tea leaves to be sifted.

Let’s imagine for a moment that the Conservatives win. Well, even before the election was agreed, the Government had commissioned the Williams Review into how the railway should be run.

Without the election that might already have been reported, but it’s not now due to happen until afterwards. Even so, there have already been plenty of hints that Williams will recommend setting up a ‘guiding mind’ to better pull together the disparate bits of today’s railway.

Whatever effect that might have though, it seems likely to be minor compared to the shake-up a Labour government could herald. The opposition has already come out for nationalisation – something that’s a popular stance with the public – which would mean we’re looking at the biggest railway reorganisation in a quarter-century.

And all that’s before we think about the influence some other parties might bring.

So… it seems sensible to give the crystal ball a fresh polish in a few weeks’ time – rather than lunging into wild guesses right now…