PANNIERS FOR HIRE AS BODMIN & WENFORD SHUTS DOWN FOR SUMMER
Bodmin & Wenford Railway based pannier tanks Nos. 4612 and 6435 are being made available for hire to generate much-needed income, after the Cornish railway elected not to run trains this summer owing to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
BWR press & publicity officer Jimmy James said: “Various service options and financial models have been assessed to factor in the social distancing and the Covid-19 hygiene requirements. All of them resulted in services running at a loss, nor was there any guarantee that we would have enough volunteers to make it all work seven days a week.
“We haven’t turned a revenue earning wheel since February half term, and we are faced with the ‘three winters syndrome’: winter 2019/20, summer 2020, winter 2020/2021. That’s 18 months without any real revenue, and a very precarious situation to have to face.”
In a bid to recoup some of its expected losses caused by not running during the peak operating season, the railway is offering its Collett 0-6-0PTs, ‘64XX’ No. 6435 and ‘8750’ No. 4612, for hire.
BWR plc chairman David Nelson-Brown said: “It’s a very difficult decision to actively choose to not operate any public services this summer. We will of course keep the decision under review as the situation changes. We are fully intending to get the site reopened to volunteers and staff soon to make headway on lots of projects.
“Our engines have stood idle long enough, and we are keen to see them stretch their wheels. Sadly, it won’t be with us, but this is a great opportunity for another railway that may be in need of some Swindon motive power.”
Interested parties should contact Mr Nelson-Brown via david.nelson@bodminrailway. co.uk.
A third pannier tank has also been made available for hire thanks to Covid-19 – Jonathan Jones-Pratt’s ‘94XX’ No. 9466. It is currently based at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway, but the line has said it does not need the Hawksworth tank in the current circumstances, as it prepares for a limited reopening (see separate story). Anyone interested should contact Mr Jones-Pratt via jon@jjpholdings.co.uk