More reopening dates for industrial steam loco operators

BY THE time this issue of The RM goes on sale, a number of heritage lines that operate ex-industrial steam locomotives will have run their first trains of 2021, while others will be preparing for their own reopenings in the coming weeks. Railways already open at the time of going to press included the Appleby Frodingham Railway (Scunthorpe Steelworks brakevan tours), Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway, Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway, Plym Valley Railway, Tanfield Railway and Whitwell & Reepham Station.

Meanwhile, both the Avon Valley Railway and Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway were expecting to reopen on May 1 before this issue went on sale. Other Welsh industrial operators, including the Barry Tourist Railway, Cambrian Heritage Railways (Oswestry) and the Gwili Railway, had yet to announce their plans for reopening. Lines in Scotland, such as the Bo’ness & Kinneil, Caledonian, Doon Valley, Fife Heritage and Royal Deeside railways, were still awaiting Government confirmation on when they can run trains again.

At the time of writing, Beamish Museum, the Bristol Harbour Railway, Chatham Dockyard Railway, Ribble Steam Railway, Telford Steam Railway and Yeovil Railway Centre had not confirmed when they would be running trains again, following the gradual easing of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.