THE HRA VIEW
STEVE OATES, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, HERITAGE RAILWAY ASSOCIATION
WRITING THIS column in June (SR507), I signed off with ‘Make this a team effort and there’s room for optimism… Optimism because heritage railways exist because we want them to exist. That’s where their resilience lies, and knowing that boosts everyone’s confidence to get through this…’
In the past four months that resilience has shone through and visitors have returned, with many railways reporting bumper revenues in some months. But it has been, and still is, a team effort.
Despite this, there have been months of lost revenue, and heritage rail – like so much of the visitor economy – still faces a bleak and uncertain future. Consequently, boards and managers have had to make tough decisions, with projects shut down, closure of parts of the business and, inevitably, redundancies.
So far preservation is largely still intact. But to survive, team-working, inclusive leadership and collaborative working is needed more than ever.
Therefore it puzzles me why the central objective of keeping the business afloat sometimes plays second fiddle to other less pressing matters. Is it through fear of losing face that some boards and managers seem unwilling to admit they have difficulty overcoming problems which prevent them from operating? Is it that some stakeholders feel so ‘unloved’ and taken for granted that causes unrest? Is it stress and uncertainty that causes angry infighting within some railways? And what is it that makes some so ready to post on online forums with ill-informed comments and, sometimes, vitriolic attacks on those doing their best?
Perhaps the thought of actually going out of business is inconceivable – an assumption that resilience will see things through, because volunteers, staff, members, donors and enthusiasts all care passionately about their railways.
Passion is defined as ‘strong and barely controllable emotion’. But ‘passion’ has to be controlled and, certainly among leaders and managers, cannot be allowed to cloud judgment and divert attention away from the important issues.
Because when a business – potentially your railway – is gone, it’s gone. And sometimes it’s not until one has actually lost a business – when cash has run out, when the bank won’t lend, when everyone wants to blame everyone else, when owners take back land and assets, and when all that’s been worked so hard for disappears – that realism kicks in. By then it’s too late.
Recessions are always tough. This one is massively tough and, for those railways who think they need to save face, squabble internally and don’t face up to reality – get real. Settle differences. Seek and accept help. Focus on securing the survival of what you care about most – your railway.
And then spare a thought for the rest of the sector.
As a sector, we’re pretty well regarded. But the actions of some can potentially damage the reputation of many. And I know this is a worry across the sector. Our whole business needs to exude professionalism and confidence. Any one railway needing finance from its bank, urgent grant aid from a funding body or extra help from suppliers should not have to worry that confidence in steam railways has become damaged to the point where that support is refused. And believe me, when I’m speaking with government departments, MPs, our regulator, the media, and others, whether it’s about Covid-19 or coal, I – we – need them to know preservation is professional, united and means business.
So let’s get through this together. No single stakeholder is more important than another – let every stakeholder play their part. And if help and advice is needed, just ask.
Make this a team effort and there’s still room for optimism…
OUR WHOLE BUSINESS NEEDS TO EXUDE PROFESSIONALISM