East Somerset Spring Gala 2020 March 21/22

It may well be. It was an event I was planning to attend and especially looking forward to (even if it did originally mean leaving London very early after a day stewarding the Chester tour).
However I do feel it is somewhat reckless to still be running the event. Sure the railway may put in extra measures but people will still be travelling, maybe from London where the main are of infection is, and risking infecting many away from the railway.
Not sure how this sits with the request for not undertaking unnecessary travel.
Either way I will not be attending even just at the lineside.

 

Totally reckless selfish & socially unacceptable. Not a good decision.

 

As I live only 23 miles from Cranmore, I had intended to visit but obviously will not now.
Totally irresponsible putting peoples health at risk.

 

I was going to go to the gala, but changed my mind in view of the current situation and government and health officials advice to avoid unnecessary travel and not to congregate in groups. I am surprised that the railway has taken the totally irresponsible decision to continue with the gala.

 

Both the ESR and the nearby Avon Valley Railway have obviously put financial gain as their priority in
going ahead with their forthcoming events over and above the benefit to protect the wider community. Every railway that has acted responsible in cancelling their events is going to suffer financially, some may, unfortunately never recover, it must have been a heart wrenching decision for these organisations. I know which railways I will be supporting when they get up and running again.

 

Why all the hostility nobody is forcing anyone to attend these galas? It will be interesting to see whether the trains run empty and further losses occur or whether people travel to them to stand, suitable distances apart, taking photographs with incredibly low risks of infecting one another. I had hoped that we were still a free country where people were allowed to take their own decisions but maybe not?

With suggestions that CV induced reductions in polluting activity are leading to better air quality which may save large numbers of premature deaths and as many of the at risk groups are those with conditions brought on by air pollution one could argue that a key part of improving resistance to CV or similar infections would be to permanently maintain improved air quality.

As all galas cause unnecessary travel and pollution maybe the current closures should simply be made permanent to help tackle air quality and climate change?

 

Gala now CANCELLED.

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Cancelled https://www.facebook.com/171986566156278/posts/2927897307231843/

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I can't believe that I'm reading a suggesti0n to close down all heritage railways on on heritage railway forum.

 

And if anyone had suggested the mere thought of it 4 months ago, they'd have been laughed out of the room. But alas, it feels necessary right now to - reluctantly - temporarily close them given the current circumstances.

 

This aged well