The South Devon Railway Thread

I'm sure the SDR are fully conversant with the Covid rules and will be heartbroken at losing your patronage. However, in the real world, the SDR have to balance the costs of making changes to their rolling stock and operating methods against any revenue that will be gained. Several heritage railways have decided not to operate if the costs outweigh the benefits. Unless you have insider knowledge to the contrary I don't think you should have stated "So they won’t start again until theres are no restrictions at all."
Ray.

 

There are so many assumptions and accusations in your post that it's hard to know where to start!

 

I think the best. place to start is not at all ...

Tom

 

And I wont be!

 

According to the linked RailAdvent Article, 5526, L92 and 6412 will all be spending 2021 away from the South Devon Railway. 6340 is arriving, but just for contracted repairs and it will be leaving for elsewhere once completed. Given that 1369 is also going to be visiting the Plym Valley in June, what does that leave with SDR with for their steam fleet? All I can think of is 5542, and something is telling me her boiler ticket expires this year. Is there another loco due back from overhaul imminently, or are they going to be hiring in another loco?

 

Pannier 1369, and I think 5542 lasts until 2022. Looking at their calendar I don't think they have any 2 train days this year, so 2 steam locos seems fairly reasonable, and if something goes badly wrong it wouldn't be unheard of for an on hire loco to return to base to cover for that.

 

It would seem pretty silly for the SDR to hire out 3 of its locos only to need to hire another in from elsewhere.

The SDR always tends to retain enough locos to run its services, and earn money by hiring out any spare ones. This year is no different, it clearly thinks it can cover things with 5542 and 1369.

 

Unless you have access to the contract details it is difficult to pass judgement. They might, for all we know, be getting a more favourable rate on what they hire out than they do for what they hire in, in which case they wouldn't look so silly.

 

The response of individual lines in the West Country to the challenges of Covid 19 appears very variable ,indeed almost curiously so. As has been said, no-one from the outside can be aware of the particular circumstances faced by each organisation. However, some lines are opening up bang on 12th. April whilst others can be several weeks later.

Why? Everywhere needs the money and there will be a pent up demand from those who have been stuck in their houses. Arguably, the ''early openers'' will benefit more than the latecomers.

 

There is no need to pass judgment anyway because it’s not happening.

 

But it would seem you already did! :

It would seem pretty silly for the SDR to hire out 3 of its locos only to need to hire another in from elsewhere.

 

Seem to remember from somewhere that 1369 was going on hire can’t remember where and 5542 & 5526 were loco’s rostered for SDR.
Seeing this all started on 1st April could it be an April Fool lol


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I guess where their volunteers come from may have an impact. If they rely a lot on those who visit from a distance away then it would be self catering only until May 17, so April 12 may be impractical. I have no knowledge if volunteers re mainly local or not.

 

I take your point entirely but some, I think, are in a position to open today it they were permitted to. In normal circumstances they would be open for Easier. A three or four weeks delay hardly follows the Nelsonian maxim of ''lose not an hour''.

 

OTOH - Easter has been and gone before April 12th: railways may have done well at Easter in normal circumstances, but would they necessarily have been busy between Easter and late May in a normal year?

There’s also I think some doubt in my mind about how heritage railways qualify for the 12 April date, which is primarily for outdoor attractions. No doubt those opening then have taken good advice, but there does seem to be a divergence of opinion as to whether April or May is the relevant date. Maybe it depends on the extent that individual railways rely on indoor catering.

Tom

 

My reference to Easter was purely on the basis of it being the normal time of year when services start. Thus one week later ought to be achievable. Inter alia the Severn Valley, North Norfolk and Mid Hants reopen on 12th. April.

No-one knows what trade will be like although it is fair to assume potential customers will be glad to get out. There is one certainty though. Unless you try you won't know.

 

Guidance issued by DCMS states:
Heritage railway services going from place to place (i.e. point A to point B) are permitted from 29 March for the purposes of transport, providing all social distancing and face covering requirements are followed

Heritage railway services provided primarily for dining or other recreational purposes; or for the carriage of passengers from the same start and end point (a loop) must remain closed alongside other indoor attractions until Step 3 - no earlier than 17 May, when they can reopen in line with the wider social contact limits at this stage - in a group of 6 people or 2 households indoors; and multiple groups are permitted.
Whether a railway chooses to open before 17th May will probably depend on whether they see themselves as a transport system or for recreational purposes. If they are requiring people to remain in their compartment for a return journey to aid cleaning, etc,, it is difficult to argue that it is a transport system.

 

Oh! When was that guidance issued?

 

I think it also depends on how your local authority views the rules? Certainly here in Cambridge what regards indoors and outdoors is very much in the hands of the planning office.

 

I think it was first published on the 16th March but am open to correction on this.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/the-visitor-economy
Look under national restrictions.