Winter Services

Many railways have pulled out all the stops to maintain services during this unwelcome cold spell and we should pay tribute to the determination of the volunteers up and down the country who have worked all hours to ensure train services have been maintained.

Just heard that KWVR attempted to run 80002 today, but were thwarted by lack of water at Keighley, but they have substitued a diesel and are continuing to operate. Well done there.

A group of KWVR members went to Pickering today , but NYMR have been forced to cancel all services due to the freezing weather - not surprising as there's been an awful lot of the white stuff up there lately. Let's hope they are able to sort things out soon!

Well done to all the volunteers who have worked so hard this last few weeks.

 

No bulk water supply available at Grosmont - all frozen - hence the cancellation. Announcement for tomorrow:

As further accummulations of snow are expected over the next 24 hours, we are planning to run a limited service on Tuesday 28 December 2010 between Pickering and Levisham only. It is hoped that the trains will feature a steam locomotive, but otherwise, a diesel engine will be substituted.

Trains for Tuesday are now retimed to run as:

Departing Pickering at 1100hrs, 1230hrs** and 1400hrs:

Returning from Levisham at 1140hrs, 1310hrs and 1440hrs

**The 1230 departure from Pickering will form the Christmas Moorlander Pullman dining service. Passengers with dining reservations are asked to arrive at Pickering for 1205hrs please.

We ask you to accept not only our apologies, but also our thanks, for your continued co-operation during these exceptional weather conditions.

We shall continue to monitor the situation and a further update will be published on Tuesday about the running of services on the 29th.

Philip Benham
General Manager

The conditions have been unprecedented in terms of length of freezing temperatures and depth of snow. Levisham and Goathland loops are both out of action due to snow and ice and Grosmont Station points are being handworked. The hours of effort put in to achieve the bulk of the pre-Christmas service have been way and above and beyond the call of duty - many thanks to all on the NYMR (and there will be many similar situations on other lines) who have made this possible.

Steven

 

Thanks for the update and best of luck for the rest of the week. Fully appreciate the many difficulties you've had up there.

 

The festive season, especially with Santa specials, is generally looked upon as a major financial input into railway funding and many railways will have been relying on this income. Some railways have managed to carry on but many have had to cancel some services, at least. This has the double-edged sword of lost revenue and money tied up in stock. I've heard of one railway making a plea to its members to buy some of this stock to release desperately needed cash. Another is running Santa's in January in the hope that they can recover at least some of the lost revenue.
This winter weather will have quite a knock-on effect, I fear.

 

It's been a rising trend for some years now, that "Ordinary" trains have proved more difficult to fill and what used to be regarded as "icing on the cake" events such as "Santa" etc have become more and more vital to the financial viability of our heritage railways. As Steve rightly says, this terrible winter weather is bound to have a major impact on all our railways, with the smaller ones certainly suffering more than some of the larger outfits. Indeed, 2011 looks like being a year which could well bring further difficulties for the heritage sector, not only because of rising VAT and other costs, but the impact of new legislation such as the provision of "new" diesel fuel from january 2011 which on the face of it would appear to mean that much more attention will need to be paid towards storage of the stuff, with regular cleanouts being required. HRA will be looking into the possible impact of this new fuel and reporting tomember railways as soon as possible.

 

Quite right, Steve. I suspect most lines will try and use vouchers instead of full refund for cancelled Santa type services but, as you say, shop stock and the actual Santa presents themselves are cash tied up as we head for the time of year when most railways will have severly reduced income but greatest expenditure - "the closed season".

Steven

 

Do you think that january santas will be at all popular?

Will harrassed parents, already overdosed on Christmas, really want to hear about the man in red again in january - with all the confused messages that will sent for the kids?

 

Santa couldn't get home because of the bad weather, so he needs to stay here a few weeks. The kids won't mind seeing him.

And it will help to cheer up the most depressing month of the year.

 

Latest update from the NYMR:

Customer Update Number 11 – Timetable for Thursday 30th December 2010.

Although lowland areas are relatively free from snow and ice, there is still a considerable covering of snow in the North York Moors. In particular tracks at Levisham and Goathland remain heavily covered.

A reduced service between Pickering and Grosmont will operate on Thursday with the following departures:

Departing from Pickering at 1100hrs and 1400hrs to Grosmont;

Departing from Grosmont at 1230hrs and 1530hrs for Pickering.

Passengers booked on the Pullman dining train are advised that the train will depart from Grosmont at 1230hrs. For anyone booked on the Pullman train who would prefer to leave their car at Pickering, guests can travel on the 1100hrs service from Pickering to Grosmont at no extra cost, returning on the 1530hrs service from Grosmont to Pickering.

A snow plough is to be used on Thursday to help clear the line and it is hoped that a normal service will resume on Friday 31st December. Further updates will follow.

As the railway moves closer to resuming a near normal service, it really is the last chance to see the Moors in the snow and enjoy the spectacular scenery.

Thanking you for your understanding.

Philip Benham
General Manager


This will have involved repairs to internal plumbing on the Pullman set so the dining cars can be used over the full length of the line, as one of the main reasons for the Levisham shuttle was the lack of on board water for catering or toilets.

Steven

 

Good news. They are really pulling out the stops up there right now.

 

I'm surprised that water supplies were frozen up on the NYMR. On the real railway during steam days it was normal to use braziers near to water columns to prevent them freezing up. I was reminded of this yesterday on the Bluebell where I saw a brazier with a supply of good steam coal in a wheelbarrow next to a water column at Sheffield Park.

Regards

 

So can we look forward to some spectactular shots of the snow plough working?

Pity is so difficult to get there through the snow etc.

Good luck to all those working and visiting this excellent line.

 

It wasn't necessarily the columns that froze - the NYMR ones have provision for a fire to keep the column warmed. It was the supply into water tanks and towers that froze. Even the fire hydrant in Grosmont village was said to be frozen.

Steven

 

Oh dear! As bad as that!

Regards

 

Yep. It's pretty difficult to defrost buried pipes, even if you have lots of braziers! Keeping coaching stock frost free is also a real headache, even if you have a 24 hour steam heating availability.

 

Some photos taken this afternoon (not by me) show how much snow still exists on the NYMR.
http://picasaweb.google.com/chazwalk/SnowInDecember2010#

 

Due to failure of the electric on the kitchen car Robin (this car still has original blown air heaters, which needs the electricity), The Moorlander set is now extended to 9 coaches but it has been decided not to run a second set due to the authentically variable reliability of the Steam Heat boiler on the Class 24.

This is somewhat of a disappointment after all the work that has been put in to clearing the passing loops but is felt the safest way of providing an acceptable service to passengers.

Steven

 

Pity that Steve but I am sure that all your customers appreciated the effort made to give them that special journey today.