Prepare for all scenarios
Pinch yourself. Four months ago, Britain’s entire working fleet of full size steam locomotives was down to one: David Buck’s Aveling & Porter Sir Vincent. Everywhere else fell totally silent.
By complete contrast, railways have this month burst into life across Britain.
True, many are in simplified form. But ask any of the many thousands who have travelled following the easing of restrictions in early July, and the majority will – and have – given a collective thumbs up.
That’s because enterprising railways, centres and museums have found ways of creating a meaningful experience in spite of the well-known national restrictions that are now in force. Indeed, who wouldn’t delight in riding one of the open-sided Victorian ‘Bug Boxes’ at the Ffestiniog? That’s something that was previously only on offer at special events, but is now in daily traffic – with vintage motive power.
The Great Central has been posing an engine in steam at Quorn for visitors to enjoy while waiting to join their allocated train.
It helps that the public have been generally forgiving that certain attractions don’t function in the way they did before, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make extra efforts to entertain, which will be even more appreciated.
As the Heritage Railway Association puts it: ‘Sanitise the train, not the experience’.
But, and without wanting to sound like a broken record, there remains uncertainty about even the near future. Imagine how East Lancs Railway general manager Tracey Parkinson felt when she discovered late on July 31 that Greater Manchester was being put into localised Covid-19 lockdown and its planned resumption of trains just hours later (after several months on stop) would have to be postponed by several days.
Therefore, we cannot take what we currently have for granted. Our collective position must remain ‘hope for the best and plan for the worst’.
No steam, bar a traction engine on rails, may have seemed implausible in early 2020. That it was forced to shut down entirely proves just how surreal 2020 has been and how unpredictable it remains.
●● On the afternoon this issue went to press, news broke that the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway had suffered damage following extreme storms (the same day as the tragic fatal accident in Stonehaven).
Given that the B&KR is already appealing for support to help it through the pandemic, this could not have happened at a worse time.
While the full extent of the repairs needed was still to emerge on August 12, the volunteers and staff of the Scottish Railway Preservation Society will undoubtedly appreciate any support readers can provide.
We cannot take what we currently have for granted. Our collective position must remain ‘hope for the best and plan for the worst’