Climb every moun
PAUL BIGLAND joins the teams from railway organisations raising money for charity by climbing the highest peaks in Wales, England and Scotland
The railway industry is often criticised for being too fragmented, a confusing mixture of companies and acronyms that even the seasoned observer can struggle with.
But when it matters, it soon pulls together. A superb example of this is the annual ‘Three Peaks Challenge by Rail’ to raise funds for the Railway Children charity. People from across the industry enter teams or volunteer to run the event, and this year I was persuaded to join them and document the occasion. I’m glad I did - it’s an epic trip!
Crewe station was the starting point for this year’s challenge on June 15 (it’s too difficult to get a path out of Euston).
Direct Rail Services provided the train (a rake of Mk 2s with a kitchen car, hauled by DRS 37609). The enthusiast community also help - the stock had been used earlier in the day by the Branch Line Society for a tour that raised extra funds for the charity, and BLS Fixtures Secretary Kev Adlam stayed on as a volunteer.
The train would be our mobile home for the next two days as it carried us between the peaks. On the platform the team from the Railway Children, led by Events Manager Katie Mason, checked in the teams.
They came from train operating companies, engineering or consultancy firms, Network Rail, the British Transport Police and the Department for Transport, among others. There was even a team from Irish Railways, led by their Managing Director David Franks. The event is a great leveller, with gateline staff and directors in the same four-person group. Some (TransPennine Express, for example) send more than one team.
Upon leaving Crewe, the train headed for Bangor (from where the teams would be bussed to the foot of Snowdon). En route the climbers were served a hot meal which had been prepared earlier and heated on the train (all