Bluebell plans May 20 start and August 60+1
THE Bluebell Railway has been given a £272,400 Culture Recovery Fund grant to help it reopen on Thursday, May 20.
The award – which follows £727,000 given by the same fund on October 9, plus £250,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund – will cover the salaries of skilled staff, including those working in the locomotive and carriage and wagon workshops.
Bluebell Railway plc interim chairman Graham Flight said: “We can continue to provide customers with the high level of service for which the Bluebell is renowned. We can’t wait to welcome passengers back to the line.”
The railway, which last ran public services on December 24, is working on a timetable of regular trains and special dining services after it reopens.
Some Covid-19 measures will remain in place and initially all trains will have pre-booked compartments until there is a further easing of the rules on gatherings of people.
Preparations
Staff have been busy during the most recent lockdown carrying out maintenance and repair work.
A major refit of the railway’s shop at Sheffield Park station is nearing completion and will be ready for reopening. In the meantime, its online shop continues to stock railway-related items and other gifts.
The Diamond Anniversary steering group has been discussing plans for the ‘60+ 1’ celebrations scheduled for Friday August 6-8, after postponing its planned 60th birthday activities last summer. The Road Meets Rail event on July 17 and 18 will feature working traction engine displays, miniature engines, goods trains and a steamdriven children’s fair.
Due to the uncertainty created by the pandemic, the model railway weekend has been moved from June until July 31 to August 1.
The popular annual Giants of Steam gala will run from October 8 to October 10, rather than in September, with visiting locomotives to be confirmed nearer the time.
The diesel gala scheduled for July has been postponed until 2022 to allow more time for preparation.