“Next year I’ll put my own stamp on things”

“THIS LAST year has been a baptism of fire” UKRailtours’ Liz Morris told me on June 10. The Welwyn-based company last ran a steam-hauled trip in February 2020, and in April last year, John Farrow – the firm’s founder and Liz’s father – passed away after contracting Covid-19.

Liz has been working for the family’s company for a number of years and is now the business’ boss. She told me her intention is to move the company forwards, and evolve the firm her dad built.

“At the moment I want to see the rest of this year out in a manner to which people are accustomed. Next year I’ll put my own stamp on things; we’re going to do a few things with the Pullmans and mix things up.”

John had a soft spot for ‘Merchant Navy’ No. 35028 Clan Line and UKRT has formed a close working relationship with the MNLPS. Liz told me this will continue: “We work really well with the MNLPS and we’ll be talking about how we can expand our steam programme.”

Under John, UKRailtours had a knack of always selling out trains and trips were never cancelled owing to low demand. Liz told me this will continue. She added that she will postpone charters in case of a failure instead of just running with a diesel: “People are outraged when steam isn’t at the front – you’d be furious, and rightly so if you turned up to find a diesel there.”

Three trips with the ‘Merchant Navy’ are planned this year: a trip from London Victoria to Sherborne and return in memory of John on August 18, a charter from King’s Cross to Norwich and return on August 28, and a run around Hampshire with the Pullmans on November 6.