Railways prepare to reopen
…but preserved lines still await government confirmation before resuming services.
Britain’s steam drought could be coming to an end, as a number of railways and preservation centres are preparing to reopen in the coming weeks.
Easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions plus the gradual reopening of open-air attractions and the hospitality sector have enabled Britain’s railways to consider running public services during July and August, albeit in a limited capacity to observe social distancing regulations. However, all running is subject to each railway satisfying the Office of Rail & Road’s opening guidelines (SR506), completing Fitness-toRun exams, conducting essential maintenance and Government clearance to reopen.
Despite saying in May that “social distancing makes it essentially impossible for us to run our passenger trains” (SR506), the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway has now announced that it intends to resume some services from August 15. GWSR volunteer chairman Richard Johnson said: “We are planning to restart services cautiously at a time when Covid-19 restrictions are progressively being lifted. However, we are very conscious that we will still need to maintain self-distancing and great care will be taken to ensure the safety of our visitors and volunteers.
“We will be using coaches that have an old-fashioned side corridor with compartments that have sliding doors. The idea is that visitors will be able to book a compartment for a minimum of two people and for family groups of up to eight. The trains will be thoroughly cleaned after every trip.”
Trains will operate, initially for three days per week, over the full line between Cheltenham Racecourse and Broadway, departing from Toddington. Services will not stop at Hayles Abbey, Gotherington or Winchcombe, and passengers will only be allowed to board and alight at Toddington.
It comes as the railway announced that it would be closing its combined landslip repair/ Covid-19 survival appeal, which reached its £250,000 target in just ten weeks.
The ‘GlosWarks’ is not the only premier line seeking to reopen in August, as both the North Yorkshire Moors and Severn
Valley railways also plan to resume services, from August 1.
While the latter’s pubs – the King and Castle at Kidderminster and the Railwayman’s Arms at Bridgnorth – are set to reopen to customers from July 4, the SVR has not confirmed if or how its services would resume as it awaits Government guidelines on social distancing.
SVR general manager Helen Smith explained: “We’re working closely with the Heritage Railway Association to make sure we get it right when it comes to safety for both visitors and our volunteers and staff. We have to wait and see whether the Government will reduce its social distancing advice to one metre from the current two metres. Such a change would make it easier to run services and allow us to make a profit rather than a loss.”
SVR Charitable Trust Communications & Engagement Manager Lesley Carr added: “There’s a lot still to be firmed up but it looks like we’ll initially be running a service for pre-booked passengers only, and we will use our compartment carriages to allow household groups to travel safely together. These will be for a set journey, and the group will travel back in the same compartment. We will have disabled access carriages available too, on a pre-booked basis.
When asked why the SVR was planning to run services, Ms Carr said: “Quite simply, we cannot afford to lose the autumn and winter business. There’s a large demand from people wanting to have a day out on the SVR and we will be able to accommodate social distancing requirements, so we are really keen to get the railway back up and running.
“We’re working on the assumption that the first couple of months could be cost neutral. We won’t be making a loss.”
The NYMR is also planning on reopening from August 1, although trains will not operate over the full 18 miles between Pickering and Grosmont; instead, services will run from Pickering-Levisham and from Grosmont-Goathland. General manager Chris Price said: “You can’t keep people kettled up for that long with the toilets locked, although they will be opened up for emergency use, of course.”
Like the GWSR and SVR, the ‘Moors’ reopening trains will be pre-booked and will utilise “mainly compartment stock” but passenger placing “will be depending on who’s booking, as we’ve only got eight compartment coaches, so they’ll be supplemented by our open carriages, though we’re looking to get more compartment stock,” said Mr Price.
He added: “Reopening does help with our cashflow situation; it’s not the panacea for all our problems, but I’ve got 1,000 volunteers who want to re-engage with their hobby. If I looked at reopening on a purely financial basis, it’d be marginal, but we need to maintain competencies and so on.”
Steam has already returned to the NYMR in the form of ‘Schools’ No. 926 Repton and ex-Lambton, Hetton & Joicey Collieries Kitson 0-6-2T No. 29, and will ramp up during July as the line runs training ‘ghost trains’ to ensure staff competencies ahead of reopening.
Steam will not initially be returning to the Swanage Railway when it reopens from July 11. Swanage Railway Company chairman Gavin Johns said: “Our current plans, subject to the Government confirming that we can operate as a tourist attraction, will be to start a Class 33 diesel-hauled service out and back from Swanage”, although he hoped the line would reintroduce steam-hauled services “later in the season.”
As with other railways, seats will be pre-booked only “to prevent overcrowding and ensure that every passenger can enjoy the journey in the knowledge that regulations have been fully complied with.”
In response to concerns from Southern Locomotives Ltd, whose ‘Battle of Britain’ No. 34072 257 Squadron and BR ‘4MT’ 2-6-4T No. 80104 help operate services on the ‘Purbeck Line’, that the railway would not have the funds to pay hire fees when services resume, Mr Johns said: “We are taking a close look in conjunction with our locomotive suppliers at hire fees for 2020 and into 2021 in the context of our care and maintenance plan. This is subject to detailed discussion, but we hope we will be able to agree mutually acceptable arrangements that satisfy both parties.”
One benefit that could come from having to maintain social distancing is the North Norfolk Railway’s ‘Quad-Art’ and BR Mk 1 suburban sets being put into daily service. The ‘Poppy Line’ is planning to reopen from July 8 “at the earliest,” said NNR managing director Hugh Harkett, dependent on Government guidelines, and intends to use its non-corridor ‘Quad-Art’ and Mk 1 suburban rakes on all its services, if and when they run.
Likewise, the Bluebell Railway also plans on using compartment stock if and when it reopens. The line, which celebrates its 60th anniversary in August, has not committed to a date for reopening, but is planning to operate in some form this summer, said Bluebell chairman Chris Hunford.
He added: “We can generate as many plans as we like, but it all boils down to the Government’s announcement on July 4 as to whether we can open or not.”
The railway will not reopen in time for its planned 60th anniversary celebrations on August 7, which have been postponed until 2021.
Also planning to reopen are the Bure Valley Railway (from August 1), Didcot Railway Centre (static only, from July 4), the Dartmouth Steam Railway (from July 7), the Groudle Glen Railway (from July 5), and the Kent & East Sussex Railway (from July 18), although others were expected to announce reopening plans at the time of going to press.
See individual railways’ websites for more details. Check before travelling.
WE’RE WORKING ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS COULD BE COST NEUTRAL LESLEY CARR