LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

This much-loved part of our leisure industry is raring to let off steam, says Anthony Lambert

The small band of enthusiasts who began to revive the narrow-gauge Talyllyn Railway in 1951 would have been incredulous at the idea that, 70 years later, more than 22,000 volunteers would be engaged in similar activity all over Britain. No country in the world has so many heritage railways per capita. There are 160 of them, employing 4,000 people and welcoming 13 million visitors a year.

As for all tourist attractions, the time of Covid has been tough for preserved railways, with a succession of closures and reopenings in between lockdowns. Nearly all depend on volunteers to operate them, and when many of those men and women are of a “vulnerable” age, the number of hands ready to fire a steam locomotive, staff a signal box or act as a train guard falls dramatically. A few railways managed a good September as restrictions eased briefly, but few were able to run the all-important Father Christmas trains that have traditionally provided vital income in midwinter.

A long period without running trains causes innumerable problems. Volunteers in almost any role have safety and operations training for the “competences” required by the independent regulator, the Office of Rail and Road. These competences lapse when not practised, so staff and volunteers have to undergo refresher courses. In the case of footplate roles, this may entail running empty trains, adding to costs.

Social distancing has presented more challenges. Railways have had to think about how passengers and staff can be safely distanced, both on stations and in carriages. Remember the days of compartment carriages, either with access from a corridor or through doors on each side of the coach? Heritage railways with such carriages have found it easy to provide a compartment for a family – the Isle of Wight Steam Railway operates entirely with splendidly atmospheric Victorian compartment carriages. Railways without compartment stock have devised Perspex screens to give passengers a sense of seclusion, as well as reducing the capacity of coaches by blanking off certain seats.

Of course, with continuing uncertainty about exactly when leisure travel will be able to resume, planning remains difficult, especially for special events. Arranging a supply of casks for Real Ale trains or the ingredients for Fish and Chip supper trains is relatively straightforward. Far more complex are the themed weekends: a railways at war or 1950s weekend can involve dozens of agreements with owners of historic vehicles, re-enactment groups and musicians. Hiring in locomotives to supplement a fleet for a steam gala takes many months of negotiation with owners and haulage contractors.

While plans for more ambitious events are yet to be finalised, many heritage railways hope to run their regular lunch, afternoon tea and dining trains, as well as normal service trains, in some form by the summer.

And who knows, with so many people looking to holiday in Britain this year – and so many enthusiasts like Michael Portillo – it could yet be a bumper year for nostalgic day trips on heritage railways. See my panel (left) for a selection of lines that would very much like to welcome you on board.