Recommissioning after Coronavirus

I did sit down to write the December roster this evening... My laptop has crashed, think it might be telling me something.

 

November may be cancelled now, let's hope December is go ahead!

 

It will very much depend on whether you, your railway and the law considers volunteering to be work, or not. Last lockdown, volunteering and charitable purposes were allowed but my gut feeling is that it was badly worded legislation and didn't really mean volunteering for your charity controlled heritage railway. Having said that, heritage railways are still a business and businesses have to do what is necessary to protect that business.

 

Prescient. You should have told Boris!

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I think it depends on the nature of the work. If it can be classified as “Safety Critical” and it can’t be done from home I’d say yes. If it’s commencing a restoration of a Barry wreck that is estimated to take 10 years, I’d say no.

 

"Well I'm sorry dear, it may be 140t of rust, and it may look untidy on the porch, but I can't work on it at the railway..."

Good luck to all railways wrangling with this one

 

The late Phil Rollin, 76084, a back garden and (if I remember) a divorce

Patrick

 

I can remember somebody else having a BR standard tender outside his kitchen window.

Bob.

 

Hypothetical situation ( except it isn’t). A loco is due to come out of service due to expiry of boiler cert. You are working on a loco to replace it. The clock on the boiler doesn’t stop ticking and the inspector won’t give an extension. You need the replacement loco. Is that essential work?

 

personally speaking I’d say yes. If we work on the principle that Heritage Railways are a business, and the (replacement) loco forms part of that line’s short term plans then I think that is justifiable.

what is less justifiable (in my view) is any work that could be deferred legitimately without affecting the business in a negative way. There will be grey areas but presumably if this loco wasn’t ready that would affect the railway concerned.

 

Would that be Mr Foster when he restored 76079? Had the pleasure of his company in your namesake buffet car at Steam, Steel and Stars in 2012 behind 44806 and 70000. What a lovely bloke

 

I'd hope so too, but I think it very unlikely. I think this'll run over into the New Year if I'm honest.

 

I think the idea is to somehow save Christmas, No one wants to be ‘the grinch’ however this government really couldn’t organise a piss up in a brewery.

 

Yes. He's still about at Llangollen. I think that he's 86 now.

Bob.

 

Steve, Not in our dept of the railway.
2 staff and 1 volunteer only from March to October.
I got 1 day in last week the first since March.

 

There was a trap in the Furlough rules that employees of charities could not volunteer for their charities. Even in a different role to their paid job.
The Culture, Media & Sport Select Committee wrote to the chancellor asking for that trap to be removed. It never was.

 

Had a quick look at several Preserved Railway websites after the latest announcement. So far the Bluebell, NYMR, MHR, Didcot Railway Centre and GWSR have suspended services in November. The NNR are currently reviewing their operations in November.

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Do heritage railways in England Scotland and wales have a choice this time during the 4 week national temporary lockdown to remain open or close? Or has B.J. enforced a non essential travel ban like in 23 march national lockdown anyway?
Does anyone know?
Davo 56F

 

The leisure sector is being forced to shut in England, and non-essential travel is banned from Thursday. So no railways in England will be able to operate.

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Unless things are different this time around, railways, and that includes heritage railways, will not be required to close. However, the general public will not be allowed to travel on them as it is a non essential reason for leaving the home. Little point in running empty trains.