Is there such a thing as too many heritage railways?

As far as the S&D is concerned, some of the trackbed in Radstock is built on and there is no way the line could ever cross the road on a level crossing again.

I suspect that it may be easier to assemble a decent length of trackbed at the southern end but I could be wrong

 

Nothing about the S&D makes it any more historically important than most other sections of railway. It has a cult following yes but that doesn't justify reinstatement. If you know of a stash of cash just waiting to be spent on a heritage railway there are plenty of arguably much better places to spend it. Google will quickly reveal the preservation activity which is already in progress on several isolated lengths along this former route.

 

From my own experience, I would strongly agree that two or more attractions close together is of benefit as opposed to a drawback. Can share volunteers in many cases as well as rolling stock/loco exchanges more cheaply than long hauls. Also visitors may perhaps be encouraged to visit more than one within a day or a holiday.

For funding, one idea I've considered is a form of two person pass (similar to the HRA pass) open to the general public. Would be ran by a national organisation, the money going towards the heritage rail scene through participating organisations and the scheme offering a slight discount to public members. For the punter if the card is worthwhile they might make an additional trip to a site which brings footfall and money to the specific line. The group could then use the revenue from the purchase of the card for beneficial purposes for its scheme members, such as bulk purchase of consumable products (perhaps Rail, sleepers etc) to sell on at cost to the heritage lines or money donated out equally to all members of scheme to contribute towards running costs/restoration etc. Win win for everyone!


ABTRA

Ashington, Blyth and Tyne Railway Association.

Website: https://sites.google.com/view/abtra/home

 

Alas it seems (Yes, you've guessed it) like yet another outbreak of W.I.B.N.)
P.H.

 

As a Trainman, guard, conductor, Senior Conductor at Bournemouth I was lucky enough to work with a lot of Branksome men.

None told me rose tinted stories of the old S&D, in fact Peter Guy (drove the last Down Pines) said it was a dangerous railway and was glad to see it shut.

Peter did tell a great story about the last down Pines. He wanted another coach added to the train so that he could say he took the heaviest unassisted train southbound over the Mendips, in his story he lumped the local inspector because he would not agree to his request.

I'm sure Aubrey Punter (his fireman and Midsomer Norton volunteer) could verify this.

 

Go on, what's W.I.B.N. ?

 

Mr Hitch's favourite quote 'Wouldn't it be nice'

 

Absolutely so. In other words someone's bit of wishful thinking, depending entirely on the hard work and financial sacrifice of others. Yes I know every established scheme started with wishful thinking but after fifty or so years experience (more in the case of narrow gauge) there really is no excuse for back of fag packet economics.

PH

 

Nice to see a story without the usual rose tinted glasses. I love the stories and photos of the legend that is the S&D but in reality it had to go, given the "day that was in it" (as they say here), as did a lot of other lines. Still don't let that stop some people whipping the WR....

 

The problem faced by all heritage railways is that life, and progress goes on. You can be sitting in a restored wooden carriage, pulled by a pre-BR tank loco of the appropriate company and period running on chaired bullhead rail and perhaps even a telegraph pole route alongside - but at the boundary fence the illusion stops. Modern farming methods and vehicles and building will all be there to jar with you careful recreation, but that view of the countryside from your window is probably what most passengers travel for. If a group was to propose a line with a corridor of traditionally worked farmland either side of the line then I think it would be onto a real winner - heavy horses, traction engines and ploughers, early tractors, stooks and sheaves of corn in the fields, hayricks and so on - wouldn't that be something!

 

Yes, that thought sometimes strikes me as we roll past the vineyards either side of the Bluebell!

Tom

 

Every scheme starts off as a " wouldn't it be nice" idea, its how do you turn it into a viable idea that's got legs, ok, some will be no hoppers, others will fall by the wayside for a variety of reasons i think we have reached the point now where any new schemes in an area that already has an established centre or railway will dilute any available funding and man power, the only ones that i feel will be of benefit are schemes that add onto exsisting sites such as the GCR joining the two sites, and in my own railways case the RVR reopening the Junction Rd to Robertsbridge section, as long as neither pull down the rest of the line because of increased liabilities, but hand in hand with any extension has to be a realization that your own facilities need to improve, longer lines need more engines, more coaches, etc,and you have to be able to ensure you can cope with increased examinations, more regular washouts etc, far to many railways in the past did not expand there workshops, its only recently that our leading railways have built better facilities to ensure those who are doing the work have the facilities they need.

 

Had exactly this experience once! Riding in a C19th carriage hauled by a similarly Victorian locomotive, both in early thirties condition, I was amazed to pass under a bridge just as a c. 1929 Austin 12 crossed overhead. Absolutely non pre-arranged.

Paul H.

 

Beamish?

A lot of lines host - for example vintage bus days or the show on the WSR. For a smaller line - say the Middy how about something like a lineside vintage ploughing/whatever demo?

Again there have been a number of ideas discussed on this thread that could add to the heritage experience eg adding non corridor carriages or vans to trains which all seem 'do-able' so here's another to add

 

But that's normal on the Isle of Wight. .....

 

But the passengers in the carriages would have not been dresses for the right time in history.

 

In many ways the NYMR meets my ideal, because most of it runs through a non-agricultural landscape that has been unchanged for centuries - its only close to the stations where things start to go awry. But I think that the countryside surrounding the S & D, for example, was the reason for the rose-tinted popularity of the line and now, delightful though the recreation of Midsomer Norton is, the close proximity of the real world destroys any chance of rebuilding the illusion.

Beamish has been mentioned and it is as good an example of a recreation as one could hope to find, but it has the advantage of being a nuclear (i.e. with a nucleus and environs!) site rather than a linear one. The IoWSR is perhaps the best candidate for an HLF application to purchase the fields beside it to recreate the views of an earlier age from the carriages, perhaps it would be an idea for other country lines like the East Somerset to do something similar - it would be a big ask for the West Somerset to do the same, but wouldn't it be nice to recreate, for example, Watchet docks!

 

But the passengers in the carriages would have not been dresses for the right time in history.
That's missing the point, the passengers on the train are viewing the passing scenes as viewers rather than participants

 

deleted

 

Alas no but it is a 100% L.B.S.C.R. day as far as the rolling stock and motive power today are concerned,

PH