Headline News
■ HRA crowns Dartmouth Outstanding Visitor Attraction
■ No. 4930 Hagley Hall rewheeled at Bridgnorth works
■ Bob Meanley back on West Somerset Board
■ Other awards to Mid Suffolk, Downs, Mid-Hants and Talyllyn
A GROUND BREAKING Herculean effort to pioneer Covid-19 measures to ensure the safety of its travelling public has earned the Dartmouth Steam Railway & River Boat Company the Heritage Railway Association's Award for Outstanding Visitor Attraction 2021.
At the heart of a mainstream holiday destination, the railway, like the rest of the heritage sector, found itself during the first lockdown groping in the dark in a bid to discover or invent new means of keeping its passengers and staff safe in unprecedented and bizarre modern-day circumstances.
With all but three of the line's staff on furlough, managing director John Jones and his head of engineering Paul Merrington spent several weeks working against the clock to break vast amounts of new ground in readiness for the resumption of summer services.
As reported in issue 269, they made more than 200 bespoke Perspex screens and fitted them inside carriages to allow socially-distanced seating. To maintain revenue with fewer seats, trains with extra coaches had to be run – and so the railway permanently lengthened the platform at its Paignton Queen's Park terminus by 170ft.
The railway was also one of, or maybe even the first heritage line to source a fog machine to spray a sanitising solution as part of deep cleaning all carriages.
A revised running schedule resulted in more services each day and allowed for spreading out of passengers to avoid overcrowding, or disappointed customers who could not book a place due to full trains. As a result, the railway carried more passengers at times than on the equivalent days in 2019.
A mandatory return journey time choice was introduced, again to avoid overcrowding and to allow for seating allocations. All seats were allocated.
Prior to the NHS track-and-trace being introduced, for contact tracing purposes, the line required a contact telephone number from customers when arriving at a kiosk/ booking office to buy/collect tickets (i.e. the line's own track and trace). The NHS QR code posters were also prominently displayed.
New ways of controlling crowds through clearly-marked one-way systems were devised, with oneway systems in Queen's Park and Kingswear stations to ensure customers were separated as much as possible.
Ceremony
The HRA Awards recognise a wide range of achievements and distinctions across the entire heritage railway industry. Lockdown restrictions meant that this year's annual awards event went online with a simultaneous broadcast on Facebook and YouTube on the afternoon of April 28, presented by Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways general manager Paul Lewin.
Despite the overwhelming impact of the pandemic, several categories saw a record number of submissions and shortlisted entrants.
John Jones said: “We are grateful to have survived one of the most challenging years any of us will have experienced in our working lives (probably the most challenging). To not only to have survived the year but then go on and win this award is very gratifying. Myself, the board, management team and all our staff are very proud of the accolade bestowed on us.
“The whole team worked so hard to ensure we could open on July 6 after the spring lockdown last year and when we look back, the sheer number of safety features and ideas generated by everyone to ensure the highest level of safety for customers and staff alike is quite staggering.”
Runners-up in the category were the Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway, Didcot Railway Centre, the Seaton Tramway and the Statfold Barn Railway.
It was the second year in a row that the Dartmouth Steam Railway landed a major HRA award. Last February, it collected the first-ever HRA Award for Special Events, for its second Train of Lights illuminated festive services, a seasonal format that has since been followed by several other heritage lines.
The new award for Most Innovative Fundraising Idea (reflecting the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic, and its impact on the sector) saw the Seaton Tramway's Tramathon Live 2020 emerge as the winner.
On June 11, the tramway went live on Facebook for a 24-hour continuous tram trip between Seaton and Colyton stations. Starting at noon, a team of volunteers shared shifts and streamed the entire trip live online. It followed a week of live videos including a behind-the-scenes tour of the tramway, highlighting new projects accessible on reopening and a live driver's eye experience, which could all be enjoyed by viewers safely at home. The event raised more than £30,000 through donations.
Chief executive Jenny Nunn said: “Tramathon has proved a novel and ingenious way to reach new audiences whilst stuck at home during lockdown and we very much look forward to the next one starting June 5.”
Runners-up were the Talyllyn Railway's Virtual Visit Appeal, the Mid-Hants Railway and Bahamas Locomotive Society's autumn gala, and the Bluebell Railway's Steam Returns to Bluebell Railway film.
There was a hat-trick of successes for Devon venues, with the Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway winning the HRA Annual Award (Large Groups) for its Top Wheel installation. It was the first time that a funicular railway has won the award.
On January 13, 2020 a new threetonne top wheel encasement system slotted into place. It retains the historic original wheel but upgraded the Victorian base plate which has been at the railway since it opened in 1888.
While no safety concern was raised, the railway considered that the safety of the original Victorian design could be improved and would also facilitate easier on-going routine maintenance. The new design enables a selfgreasing mechanism, improved wheel encasement and a rope management
system to make future maintenance easier. Completed on time and ahead of the new season, the new wheel was encapsulated under a Perspex cover, replacing the previous metal cover and enables visitors to see more of the working elements of the railway.
Runners-up were the Isle of Wight Steam Railway platform teams, the Swanage Railway's social media team, and the Dartmouth Steam Railway & Riverboat Company.
The HRA Annual Awards (Small Groups) went to the Downs Light Railway Trust for its achievements with youth engagement. The world's oldest private miniature railway opened in 1925 in the grounds of The Downs Malvern, a private school in Colwall, Worcestershire, and is a rare surviving example of a 9½in gauge line.
Training
The award recognised the work trustees, staff, and volunteers do in advancing education in railways and engineering to young people, promoting the railway industry, and collaborating with neighbouring heritage lines, including the Perrygrove Railway.
During the past year, trustees obtained planning consent to build two new youth education buildings and to revise the central railway terminus. Also, an exclusive range of fire-retardant coveralls for young children from the age of seven to safely engage in railway activities was established with a UK clothing manufacturer.
A Young Trustees Scheme to introduce young people to the management side of railways and general charitable involvement has also been developed.
Runners-up were the Southern Electric Traction Group CIC, for 4VEP No 3417; the Hull and Barnsley Railway Stock Fund, for its move to Hull College; Tarka Valley Railway CIO for Steaming Ahead; the Bahamas Locomotive Society for Steve Allsop's 50 years' service; East Somerset Railway for its Cranmore platform, museum and outreach project; and the Great Central Railway for the Quorn Wagon and Wagon Group (sic).
The HRA John Coiley Award for an outstanding engineering project in the field of locomotive overhaul, restoration or preservation was won by the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway for its £250,000plus restoration of 1867-built large England locomotive Welsh Pony, its first steaming and re-entry into traffic after 80 years adding a new dimension not only to the line but to the sector as a whole.
As reported in issue 269, Welsh Pony’s first run was seen by 76,000 viewers worldwide via Facebook on June 27. It was officially renamed at the October 9-11 Bygones Weekend. Two members of the first-ever Ffestiniog Railway working party in 1954 carried out the ceremony. On the day, the crew was the youngest driver and fireman currently on the line – symbolising and handing over between generations not just of the locomotive but of the Ffestiniog spirit.
The Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway's ‘Skeggy Simplex' and the Tanfield Railway's 1904 Barclay Horden (News, page 28) were runners-up.
The Lord Faulkner Award for the Young Volunteer of the Year recognises the crucial importance of succession generations in securing the future of heritage rail, and acknowledges a distinguished contribution made by one or more young volunteers, under the age of 26.
Impact
The winner was Oliver Edwards, who has been involved with the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway since May 2019. A trustee since November that year, with oversight for visitor experience – marketing and product/experiences, during the pandemic he generated engagement in the railway through over 350 social media posts since March 2020, with an audience increase of 25%.
Oliver, aged 21, managed two appeals, Tracks to Recovery and for the overhaul of Beyer Peacock 0-6-0T No.1 The Earl, raising more than £140,000 in approximately 150 days. He also managed the railway's marketing and promotion last summer and autumn 2020, including the relaunch of services, with more than 70% of passengers compared to 2019, despite no events and much-reduced capacity.
He wrote a book on the line in 2020 which has been Mainline and Maritime's second best seller and has generated over £2000 for the railway so far, and also managed an online auction which raised more than £4000.
Oliver also contributes to strategic discussions and planning at board level and chaired the panel for the new general manager at first stage interviews last November.
Runners-up were the Severn Valley Railway's Tom Mills and Michael Abbott from the Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust.
The Morgan Award for Preservation was won by the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway for its Shredded Wheat Company 1934-built Fowler 40hp. Built to special order for the factory in Welwyn Garden City, it was used for
40 years to shunt grain trucks to and from the exchange sidings at Welwyn. The factory closed in 1974 and the Fowler passed into private ownership at Knebworth House, and was later acquired by the Fleggborough collection in Norfolk, still as a static exhibit.
Bought in 2004 for £600 in a very dilapidated state by current owner Tony Goff, in November 2018 it was delivered to the Norfolk works of brothers Neal and Nigel Davis, both members and volunteers at the ‘Middy' who restored the rusting hulk to running order in just six months. Fitted with vacuum braking equipment, it can now be rostered on passenger duties.
Runners-up were the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway Society for the restoration of GNR/M&GN Third No. 129, Great Central Railway (Quorn Wagon & Wagon) for its restoration of three containers and the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland for its Guinness Grain Van No. 504.
The Mid-Hants Railway's Watercress Line film unit won the Award for External Communications.
The second new award this year was for Diesel Locomotion, won by the Severn Valley Railway-based Class 50 Alliance, for 30 years of Class 50 preservation excellence.
The overhaul, restoration, preservation and operational work of this volunteer-only group has enabled many memorable events, including more than 85 main line railtours and the line's SVR Class 50 Golden Jubilee Gala in 2015, attracting nearly 4000 visitors. Members were heavily involved in the design and project management of the SVR's award-winning diesel depot which opened in 2016.
Achievements
Jonathan Dunster, chairman of the SVR diesels committee, said:“The Class 50 Alliance are a remarkable team who have continued to achieve amazing things over the last three decades and uniquely for a group of volunteers have restored four locomotives to main line condition – something which is without equal in the UK heritage railway movement, either for steam or diesel.” See also News, page 28.
The runners-up were the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway for the Shredded Wheat Fowler and the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway for its ‘Skeggy Simplex.'
The Mid-Hants Railway's Watercress Line film unit won the Award for External Communications.
A project was designed to show that, while the railway was closed due to lockdown, it could continue the mission to educate and entertain the public, encourage visitors again when possible, and invite donations to Covid-related fundraising efforts.
A series of videos for the line's social media channels was devised and run by volunteers Will Stratford and edited and created in his flat.
The project was designed to show that, while the railway was closed due to lockdown, it could continue its mission to educate and entertain the public, encourage visitors again when possible, and invite donations to Covid-19 related fundraising efforts.
To date, more than 35 videos have been produced, covering a variety of topics from the history of the line and its locomotives, to ‘virtual visits' where viewers watch a guided tour along the railway.
Runners-up were the Didcot Railway Centre, for its marketing communications, the Swanage Railway's ‘Save Our Service' filmmakers, the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway's media and communications department and the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Preservation Society's 60-year celebration book It's Still a Lot of Fun!'
In the Internal Communications category, the award was taken by the Talyllyn Railway, for its Control Centre public online subscription service launched in February 2020.
It was designed to give ‘armchair' supporters – who pay just £5 a year – greater access to the railway and tap into the very popular existing webcam page, which enjoyed more than 365,000 unique visitors a year. It was commissioned by general manager Stuart Williams, who engaged with volunteer Peter Richards, who runs his own software company.
The portal gives subscribers access to extra webcams that the public do not see, but also the ability to view the live position of trains along the railway. Each passenger train is fitted with a GPS tracker rigged up to the batteries in the guards van. The position is then shown on a diagram every 30 seconds.
The Control Centre runs alongside the internal Talyllyn Management System, which gives operating staff extra information like speed and direction along with accurate positioning of the train which would be useful in an emergency.
Webcam usage has grown by 31% since the line reopened in August.
The runners-up were the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway Society, for its summer/autumn issue of its magazine Joint Line, the Great Western Society for the Great Western Echo magazine, the Bluebell Railway for the Bluebell Times and the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway for The Earl, its communication to working members.
Awards
As reported in issue 275, the Heritage Railway magazine Interpretation Award went to the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum at Tywyn Wharf on the Talyllyn Railway for seven decades of excellence in showcasing the rich variety of narrow gauge railway heritage.
Also sponsored by our publisher Mortons Media Group Ltd, The Railway Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award went to Ian Smith, a volunteer at the Middleton Railway for 50 years, who served as its chairman for six years and is now its vice-president and publicity officer.
The Rail Express Modern Traction Award was taken by the engineering team at Island Line, Isle of Wight, for its maintenance and operation of the London Underground 1938 stock Class 483 units, three of which are being preserved.
North Yorkshire Moors Railwaybased 1890-built Cockerill 0-4-0VBT tram engine Lucie, restored by the line's head of traction and rolling stock Paul Middleton, who bought it in 2017, his family and volunteers, came top in Steam Railway magazine's annual readers' poll.
Lucie, supplied new to the Tramway of East Brussels, has been invited to back to that city for the first time since 1897 to take part in the 40th anniversary of the Musée du Transport Urbain Bruxellois in 2022. After its stint on the Brussels tramway, Lucie worked for a zinc mine and sugar factory. It was restored by Dorothea Restorations in 1988 and ran at Peak Rail, before moving to the Middleton Railway in 1995.
HRA chief executive Steve Oates said: “There was a point where we weren't sure we could have an awards event for 2021. Then there was a point when we wondered whether members, rightly so preoccupied with lockdown issues, would have any enthusiasm for participating.
“I'm happy to say we were delighted by the huge positive response we saw, with record numbers of entries in several categories.”
Featuring recorded interviews and location footage, the on-line show drew a record audience for an HRA awards event.