After more than a year in lockdown in many cases, the UK’s heritage railways are slowly awakening from their enforced hibernation and have started to welcome back passengers. For most it’s been an experiment to find out what works and what doesn’t while social distancing remains. One factor that has helped is the use of compartment stock for family groups, which makes separation from everyone else much easier. Fixed timetables and being allocated tickets on the same day have also been successful. These restrictions should gradually ease as the lockdown is lifted, so expect more changes shortly. However, it is no doubt a huge relief to the railways, groups and organisations to finally see bums on seats once more after what has been a very difficult year.
We present a small snapshot from some of the re-opened lines.
(Stephen Ginn)
BELOW: Services on the Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway have also resumed, with wartime S160 Class 2-8-0 2253 OMAHA now in traffic as is evident here on April 29. The USATC loco, which has also seen service in Poland with PKP (Polish Railways), works hard up the grade away from Goodrington with the 1410 non-stop service to Kingswear.
(Frank Lees)
ABOVE: BR Standard 4MT 80080 passes Shottle on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway on May 2 with a service from Duffield to Wirksworth on the day after the line re-opened. These trains are called ‘Bounce Back’ services and are worked by a mixture of the EVR’s resident steam and heritage diesel locos.
(David Staines)
The 2ft gauge Bredgar & Wormshill Railway in Kent was able to re-open to outdoor socially distanced visitors on May 2 given its large open air site. No passengers were conveyed but there was an intensive service of demonstration mixed and goods workings to observe. No 5 Bredgar (ex-MoD, Baguley-Drewry No 3775 of 1983) approaches Warren Wood on May 2.
(Kevin Whitehurst)
It could almost be rural Kent in the late 1950s as Class 4 D5054 powers the 1020 ex-Bury service past Springside Farm on the East Lancs Railway re-opening event on May 1.
(David Bissett)
With the Severn Valley Railway’s diesel diagram active again Class 50 50035 Ark Royal makes a splendid sight at Arley on May 9.
(David Bissett)
The crew of 0-6-0 tank No 7714 swap tokens with the signalman at Highley on May 1. It’s so good to be able to see the ‘old way’ back in action again.
(Martyn Tattam)
The East Lancashire Railway re-opened post lockdown during the
May Bank Holiday weekend but it was not without its problems. The line’s Class 122 Bubble Car L101 was used to ferry passengers between Rawtenstall and Ramsbottom due to issues with track work just south of Irwell Vale. The Bubble is seen passing Springside Farm with the ECS from Bury on May 1.
(Adrian v Paul)
The Swindon & Cricklade Railway was another to reopen on May 1, with Class 03 D2152 doing the honours with the 100 departure from Blunsdon. Our reported says that patronage was good, which is good news indeed.