ELSECAR RAILWAY TRUST SURRENDERS LEASE
The future of South Yorkshire’s Elsecar Heritage Railway is shrouded in uncertainty after the trust behind the former colliery line handed back its lease to the local council.
The one-mile line, opened in the mid-1990s, has not run trains since the start of the coronavirus pandemic and has been at the centre of speculation in the local press for some weeks. Stories initially centred around the sale of the railway’s most well-known asset, Peckett ‘OQ’ class 0-6-0ST ‘Mardy Monster’.
The super-sized Peckett (Works No. 2150) is now at a private, rail-connected, engineering site in the Midlands, Steam Railway understands. The locomotive was reportedly sold from the EHR during the coronavirus pandemic restrictions. The new owner of the 1954-built locomotive is as yet unknown. It last steamed during 2014.
Concerns stepped up a notch when it emerged that Elsecar Heritage Railway Trust had surrendered its lease of the entire site to Barnsley Council on Thursday August 20.
AES South Yorkshire, the firm that had been looking after business interests at the railway since February 2020, has confirmed that it is still in business, but is not currently involved at Elsecar. The deal to manage all events, footplate experience courses and the sourcing of crews was intended to last for five years.
Telephone lines at the EHR were not being answered when Steam Railway attempted to contact the line directly.
Although the lease has been surrendered, Barnsley Council has committed to working with the trust on a way forward.
In a statement to Steam Railway, Cllr Tim Cheetham, cabinet spokesperson for Regeneration and Culture at Barnsley Council, said: “The railway is an important part of Barnsley’s history and visitor offer, and Barnsley Council is committed to securing the future of the railway for residents and future generations to enjoy. Working alongside the trust, they are reviewing a number of options to ensure the well-loved visitor attraction has a successful and sustainable future.”
The railway had been working on an extension of the former London & North Eastern Railway branch to Cortonwood. Prior to the coronavirus lockdown, regular steam duties were being undertaken by former Kent & East Sussex Railway Sentinel 0-4-0VBT Gervase, which is privately owned.