Coronavirus halts new operating season

MOST narrow-gauge lines open their new season as Easter approaches, but Covid-19 has produced an unprecedented situation.

A few lines had started running with precautions in place, but around March 20 narrow-gauge lines throughout the country suspended public opening until further notice following Government restrictions concerning non-essential business operation and unnecessary travel.

Staff have been furloughed, seasonal staff expecting to start jobs (40 people in the case of the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland

Railways) are unable to do so, volunteers have been told not to come to railways, visitors asked to stay away, events cancelled, and projects put on hold.

Many railways have launched appeals to help tide them over what is going to be a very difficult period, but the health of staff, volunteers and visitors is the overriding concern.

With the start of a new narrow-gauge season in effect not happening, there are inevitable difficulties reporting news. Examples include not being able to record the return to operation following a major overhaul of Kerr, Stuart 0-4-0ST ‘Wren’ Peter Pan (due to be relaunched at the Leighton Buzzard Railway on April 19), planned visits (e.g. Ffestiniog Railway-based Hunslet 0-4-0STs

Britomart and Hugh Napier to Beamish’s April 2-5 Great North Steam Fair), and cancellation of early season special events.

The RM will try to continue narrow-gauge reporting as comprehensively as possible, although this may not constitute normal service amid the current ‘lockdown’ situation.

ANDREW DENNISON Right: Krauss 4-6-2 Whillan Beck pictured at Dalegarth station on March 20. In view of the Covid-19 situation the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway ceased operations that evening after this train had returned to Ravenglass. The line’s It’s Still a Lot of Fun gala, celebrating 60 years of preservation of the railway, which was due to feature visiting locos over May 8-10, has been postponed until 2021.