Steam returns as a number of heritage lines consider reopening options
PRESERVED railways across the country may still have their doors firmly closed to the public, but behind the scenes there have been teasing glimpses of steam at some of them as certain departments return to work.
The Great Central Railway took its first tentative steps towards its eventual reopening with a series oftest runs on May 22, involving recently repaired BR '2MT' Mogul No. 78018.
Earlier that week 1Oof the railway's paid staff returned from furlough to carry out essential functions and to prepare for eventual reopening, including workshop staff who completed valve repairs to No. 78018.
Appropriate precautions were observed for the light engine and loaded trial runs, including the loco crew wearing appropriate face coverings.
They were the first of a series of tests the GCR hoped to carry out over the following two weeks in order to test stock and infrastructure.
On the previous afternoon at the Buckinghamshire
Railway Centre, ex-Fraser & Chalmers Bagnall 0-4-0ST
No. V47 (2469/1932) and
Hunslet 'Austerity' 0-6-0ST No. 66 (3890/1964) successfully passed steam tests ahead of a hoped-for reopening in due course.
May 21 also saw steam in action at Peak Rail's
Rowsley works, where Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns 0-4-0ST No. 15 Eustace Forth (7063/1942) was on test following running repairs.
With the loco in steam the opportunity was taken to carry out some necessary shunting at Rowsley, and perform spot checks on the running line. Some railways are now looking with a little more certainty on when they might reopen.
The 15in-gauge Heatherslaw
Railway in Northumberland, which at one point feared closure, has said it is looking at a July reopening, while the Severn Valley Railway is understood to be looking at a potential return of some services in August.
■ Steam Dreams owner David Buck ran his Aveling & Porter 4wGT Sir Vincent at his private railway in Berkshire on April 21.
This came about following a suggestion by Steam Railway magazine, to ensure no month since the early 1800s passed by without at least one standard-gauge steam locomotive operating.