Heritage Railways Travel Facilities

[Northern1]

Hi, I know at times the whole subject of staff travel is a minefield and that we all get diffrent facilities depending on TOC and date of entry / grade etc.
But i was'nt aware that some heritage railway staff also get national rail priv travel facilities, I had a gentleman on my train today who had a BR Box Card (all boxes crossed out) who had a 1st Class Priv entitlement, that on looking at the issue location was Severn Valley Railway. Is this an historic BR agreement and how comes it was 1st Class.

 

[LowLevel]

It's ongoing now and has been for years - certain railways have reciprocal agreements with ATOC - their staff who meet criteria get a boxless priv for quarter fares, and ATOC passholders, both safeguarded and TOCNE get discounted travel on the heritage railway. The SVR are certainly participants. I presume a 1st class one is for a senior manager - I believe the railway pays for them regardless.

 

[Gazza1970]

The heritage railway members that have had historic agreements with BR prior to 01/04/96 issue paid employees priv rate travel faciliities for use on the national network. The heritage railways are allowed to issue class of travel at the same grading structure as BR did (STD class for levels up to MS3then 1st Class priv rate for staff graded MS4+) However Directors of a heritage organisation (paid or unpaid) are also entitled to 1st Class travel facilities at priv rate. Even now if someone joins a heritage railway that is a member of the scheme they are granted these facilities. The only diffrence is that thoses employed prior to 01/04/96 are also entitled to continue to recieve their facilties through retirement and also enjoy the added benefit of receiving priv oyster discounts.

It is possible for heritage railway companies to apply and join the scheme now, however since privatisation the TOCs have to agree to new members joining but currently since privatisation no new groups have applied to join.