British heritage lines which are returning to normal, post Covid-19 restrictions.

[33056]

Is the GCR back to normal, anyone know? Walk up fares etc.?

Yes it is. Turned up at Quorn last Tuesday, purchased a ticket and happily rode around for the rest of the day (choice of DMU and steam-hauled set).
Had no problems with getting a bay of four / compartment to ourselves (2 people) but the trains weren't busy enough for the issue of sharing to arise.

Also recently been to Leighton Buzzard which is still book in advance on specific trains although that is their usual mode of operation.

Embsay & Bolton Abbey is still book on a specific train but Keighley & Worth Valley is back to normal though it's worth pointing out that there is a 10% discount for rover tickets booked on-line at least a week in advance (not available on "special event days")

 

[30907]

Keighley & Worth Valley is back to normal though it's worth pointing out that there is a 10% discount for rover tickets booked on-line at least a week in advance (not available on "special event days")

Good flag-up there, though that's part of the "normal" offer - IME (booking clerk) the take up of these has increased compared to 2 summers ago.

 

[geoffk]

Launceston Steam Railway still not running anything, according to their website.

 

[33056]

Lakeside & Haverthwaite also back to normal and quite busy, we had no problems getting and keeping socially distanced seats (in a compartment) on a six coach train.

 

[John Luxton]

Launceston Steam Railway still not running anything, according to their website.

They announced that they were opening on Facebook but as the July 19th approached they seemed to change their mind, but then it is not really a preservation operation as such, more a sort of family business. Though as their stock is mainly toast rack open carriages one would think any risks would be minimum anyway.

 

[KeithMcC]

Going 'up north' next month and was thinking of visiting Beamish as we haven't been for a couple of years, but they are still requiring pre-booking, the trams and train aren't running and they have lots of statements about wanting masks to be worn. I think I will give it a miss!
Tanfield's website doesn't say anything about September running - presumably they are seeing how they get on in August.

 

[matt]

Severn Valley back to normal from 7th September including the steam and diesel galas

Severn Valley Railway - a great family day out. Tourist attraction and heritage steam railway.

Severn Valley Railway - a great family day out. The Severn Valley Railway is a tourist attraction and heritage railway based in the Midlands.

www.svr.co.uk

From 7th September, the Severn Valley Railway will welcome back ‘hop on, hop off’ passengers to all regular services, either with full-day freedom-of-the-line tickets or on journeys between selected stations.

Additionally, passengers at its forthcoming Autumn Steam Gala and Autumn Diesel Gala will also now be able to choose their itineraries, rather than travelling on designated trains as previously planned.

 

[John Luxton]

Severn Valley back to normal from 7th September including the steam and diesel galas

Severn Valley Railway - a great family day out. Tourist attraction and heritage steam railway.

Severn Valley Railway - a great family day out. The Severn Valley Railway is a tourist attraction and heritage railway based in the Midlands.

www.svr.co.uk

Good.

Been itching for a trip to the SVR - not been since February last year just before the world went mad!

 

[Techniquest]

Excellent news on the SVR, I will happily reinstate my plan to have a ride on that line soon!

 

[Titfield]

Whilst Swanage Railway is sort of back to normal (no dining trains, no Devon Belle observation Car) it seems to be suffering from a lack of volunteer staff in passenger services judging by the urgent plea on the staff website this morning.

 

[30907]

Whilst Swanage Railway is sort of back to normal (no dining trains, no Devon Belle observation Car) it seems to be suffering from a lack of volunteer staff in passenger services judging by the urgent plea on the staff website this morning.

I don't expect they are the only one: "big railway" problems of staff isolating, training backlogs etc - plus older or extremely vulnerable volunteers being extremely cautious and younger ones catching up on family holidays.

 

[Titfield]

I don't expect they are the only one: "big railway" problems of staff isolating, training backlogs etc - plus older or extremely vulnerable volunteers being extremely cautious and younger ones catching up on family holidays.

Yes I do not suppose they are the only one but it exposes the increasing fragility of many heritage railways. I get the impression from many forum postings (and it is only an impression) that costs are rising far quicker than income, that volunteers whilst numbers are still high are less able / likely to give the level of commitment (number of hours) that previous generations of volunteers were able to do so and that the demands of rolling stock and infrastructure renewal are increasing.

 

[Mat17]

...that volunteers whilst numbers are still high are less able / likely to give the level of commitment (number of hours) that previous generations of volunteers were able to do so and that the demands of rolling stock and infrastructure renewal are increasing.

I wonder if this is down to changes in working practises/lifestyles, I.e. people working further away from where they live, holding down multiple jobs or even simply having to volunteer at the nearest railway which might not be all that close.

Free time might have more demands placed upon it than hitherto. The world seems a busier place.

 

[pdeaves]

I wonder if this is down to changes in working practises/lifestyles, I.e. people working further away from where they live, holding down multiple jobs or even simply having to volunteer at the nearest railway which might not be all that close.

Free time might have more demands placed upon it than hitherto. The world seems a busier place.

Possibly also inability to find suitable accommodation? I don't know.

 

[Titfield]

Possibly also inability to find suitable accommodation? I don't know.

I think the reasons are many but the ones that spring to mind are a) people are working longer in life due to the decline in final salary pension schemes and generous redundancy payments b) grand parents are being used far more for child minding duties as two parent working has become the default situation or indeed due to single parents working c) the "saga cruise" generation with more time spent on holiday by those fortunate enough to have the means to do so d) retired couples spending more time "hobbying" together rather than apart e) generally speaking people having multiple interests rather than just one.

I know of some volunteers on a heritage railway who literally treated volunteering as a full time but unpaid job. Those volunteers are becoming far fewer in number.

 

[paul1609]

Just some feedback from Kent, we K&ESR are currently running our normal summer services. Passenger numbers for August are running ahead of the 2019 season so it seems that we are experiencing a stay cation bonus. The Wealden Pullman dining train is running busily clearing the backlog of prebooked customers. We have a couple of events booked for September and we hope to recommence railway experiences in the autumn. All looking good, fingers crossed.

 

[30907]

Just some feedback from Kent, we K&ESR are currently running our normal summer services. Passenger numbers for August are running ahead of the 2019 season so it seems that we are experiencing a stay cation bonus.

Applies to Embsay and KWVR - and I expect most others (in footfall or in income).

 

[geoffk]

Not really a heritage railway, but I read that the Snowdon Mountain Railway is running only as far as Clogwyn and the Visitor Centre at the summit is closed. At the same time, the BBC website reports a large increase in visitors climbing the mountain, many not dressed for the occasion, at a time when many more are taking their holidays at home. "About 700,000 people now visit Snowdon each year, compared with about 500,000 in 2018" (BBC).

 

[craigybagel]

Much to the disgust of certain posters here no doubt I paid a visit to Ravenglass today and had a wonderful time. I don't feel like I enjoyed it any less then on previous Covid free days, and I was just grateful to be able to go on such a journey after the dark days of Covid.

Granted, whereas on other lines I like to hop around from station to station at Ravenglass I normally just make one return trip the length of the line anyway so the intermediate stations being shut didn't affect me, but I can see why they're running the line the way they are at present.

With reserved seating there really wasn't much space for ad-hoc travel anyway - and given the given the huge amounts of visitors to the Lake District at the moment and the difficulties of social distancing on the tiny carriages I can't knock the R&ER for keeping restrictions going a little longer than normal.

 

[ExRes]

For anyone interested I received an email from the Bluebell Railway today saying

Open and running steam trains every day in September

Toy and Rail collectors Fair on 19th September

Beer Festival 10th to 12th September

and I'm off to try the Fish & Chip train tonight, I wonder if they do the chips in the firebox?

 

[E759]

For anyone interested I received an email from the Bluebell Railway today saying

Open and running steam trains every day in September

Toy and Rail collectors Fair on 19th September

Beer Festival 10th to 12th September

and I'm off to try the Fish & Chip train tonight, I wonder if they do the chips in the firebox?

Only if they are oven chips! Hope they use a clean shovel...

 

[Up Main]

It's the diesel gala weekend at GCR Loughborough from today. Plenty of trains all day and no restrictions on travel or stations.

 

[KeithMcC]

Going 'up north' next month and was thinking of visiting Beamish as we haven't been for a couple of years, but they are still requiring pre-booking, the trams and train aren't running and they have lots of statements about wanting masks to be worn. I think I will give it a miss!
Tanfield's website doesn't say anything about September running - presumably they are seeing how they get on in August.

We are heading north this weekend. Beamish still restricted and wanting bookings, although some trams claim to be running.
Tanfield is running (I think - their website is dire) but with pre-booking and compulsory facemasks, so will skip that as well.
But we have booked a Pullman dining trip on the NYMR which has rather blown the railway trip budget for the week!

 

[lyndhurst25]

I too was a long time regular visitor to the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway pre-covid, but haven’t wanted to do so since as I nearly always used the intermediate stations and want be flexible on what services I use on the day. The current prebook online, inflexible, out and back fairground ride with inflated prices doesn’t appeal to me at all. The suspension of through fares from Northern is a downside too. I suspect that the problem for the R&ER is that they have already sold reserved journeys on trains up to the end of September and so are stuck with the current system until then. Hopefully they can return to normality after that and go back to providing a more usable public transport service like they used to do.

Disappointingly, the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway have extended compulsory bookings and the closure of intermediate stations until the end of October, which is around the time that the daily service ends each year.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Disappointingly, the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway have extended compulsory bookings and the closure of intermediate stations until the end of October, which is around the time that the daily service ends each year.

With not long left it is probably easier to leave changing policy until next year.

 

[geoffk]

Launceston Steam Railway are saying they're not opening until 2022. Devon Railway Centre at Bickleigh still requires pre-booking but they are not running steam until next season, i.e. Easter. I visited West Somerset and Lynton & Barnstaple last weekend. Washford and Doniford Halt remain closed on WSR (and also Minehead because of the level crossing works). I had a ride behind Lyn on the L&B and not that many travelling as their gala was the previous weekend.

 

[John Luxton]

Launceston Steam Railway are saying they're not opening until 2022. Devon Railway Centre at Bickleigh still requires pre-booking but they are not running steam until next season, i.e. Easter. I visited West Somerset and Lynton & Barnstaple last weekend. Washford and Doniford Halt remain closed on WSR (and also Minehead because of the level crossing works). I had a ride behind Lyn on the L&B and not that many travelling as their gala was the previous weekend.

To be honest L&B have been one of the best lines to visit last year and this year. Just turn up and go. No wonder each time I visited I found them busy. Just normal normal.

 

[John Luxton]

Reading through the latest Branch Line Society News I noticed a comment regarding the Dean Forest Railway still operating a restricted service based on Norchard. A visit to the DFR revealed this was still to be the case though there is a comment about making contact if one wishes to arrive by mainline service to Lydney Junction.

Rather surprised by this continuing restriction led me to wonder which lines have still not yet returned to a normal any station service.

Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland continue with their "experiences" - though I note this is starting to raise negative comments on social media.

There seems to be some management desire to maintain this approach and have dressed it up claiming that feedback from passengers still worried about Covid prefer it.

Two weeks ago I visited Llangollen Railway and things just appeared 100% normal.

Given the FWHR and Llangollen are only about 30 miles apart and probably draw on the same pool of potential passengers makes me wonder what is going on.

Personally as a member of the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland societies I was quite happy to see the services operated in 2020 and 2021 in their restricted mode - just to see something operating and get some trips in.

Thus I made a point of making quite a few visits, however, now that I can board a Network Rail service and some heritage lines and have a totally normal experience I no longer feel the inclination to visit lines which have not returned to normal.

Anyone else feel the same?

 

[Sheridan]

I seem to remember from your previous posts that you’re a member of either the FR or RhE (or both?) - apologies if I’ve misremembered. Members can now board or alight at any station. I suspect they’ve started with members only as these are the people who know the railway well and want to take advantage of walks between stations etc, as well as being most of the ones causing the negative publicity, while most tourists (who bring in the big money) are happy just with an end-to-end ‘experience’.
I’m certainly looking forward to boarding at Tryfan Junction next week!

(Edit: having read your post again I see you definitely are a member!)

 

[John Luxton]

I seem to remember from your previous posts that you’re a member of either the FR or RhE (or both?) - apologies if I’ve misremembered. Members can now board or alight at any station. I suspect they’ve started with members only as these are the people who know the railway well and want to take advantage of walks between stations etc, as well as being most of the ones causing the negative publicity, while most tourists (who bring in the big money) are happy just with an end-to-end ‘experience’.
I’m certainly looking forward to boarding at Tryfan Junction next week!

(Edit: having read your post again I see you definitely are a member!)

Yes I am aware that three is some returning normality for members - but I am thinking of non member enthusiasts and also walkers and people who want more than just the "ride" and of course who wish to do circular tours and use the Conwy / Cambrian link