Yorkshire Wolds' Fimber Halt reopens post-pandemic after volunteer push
YORKSHIRE Wolds Railway volunteers pulled out all the stops to reopen their line on Sunday, May 30, after missing the whole of 2020 due to the pandemic with a resulting loss of income.
The Fimber Halt site closed at the end of September 2019. As soon as Government guidelines allowed, Covid-secure working practises were set up and willing volunteers returned.
Membership secretary Matthew Brown said: “Our amazing volunteers have pulled out all the stops to give the public a muchimproved experience when visiting us at Fimber Halt, the biggest changes being a completely rebuilt platform and tripling the length of our track to around 1000ft!
“Having listened to customer feedback and thanks to a very generous donation, we have also just taken delivery of a newlyconstructed toilet block which is fully access-compliant.”
Creating a Covid-secure environment for the visitor has also been a major consideration, with the number of people in the visitor centre and on locomotive cab rides limited by social distancing.
Volunteers are continuing restoration work of a 1961
BR brake van delivered to the line on Yorkshire Day in 2018. Throughout the pandemic, the team, led by Andy Barwick and Keith Jakowyszyn, have worked replacing timber, tidying metalwork, and making new parts.
Chairman Phil Robson said: “A big thank-you must go to all those who have kindly donated in excess of £5700 towards our £8000 brake van restoration target. We are now on a final push for the £2300 needed to complete the works.
“Any amount donated would be gratefully received.”
Visit www.yorkshirewoldsrailway. org.uk/support