Crew / Loco Divisions on Preserved Railways

I often wonder why there are such issues on Preserved Railways when they should all be working for the same aim.

I am aware at one railway the norm is for drivers to go to one pub, fireman to another and the cleaners to another. Why? Dont understand the logic.

And then we come to the steam / diesel them and us attitude... Can maybe see why but would have thought that they are both there at said railway working towards the same aim....

Also understand that some railways even have internal squabbles between steam owners on same railway. One particular railway the diesel "support group" of one loco hardly ever meet for a beer with the "support group" of another loco in the same location.

I dare say there is logic to it all somewhere.

Would have thought they would be working together as "on team"

 

With all the fragmented ownerships in railway preservation the very structures encourage this form of tribalism.

P.H.

 

Just mirrors the norms in the outside world of 'real life'. I've visited several lines, with a view to volunteering, and been put off quite rapidly by being plunged into a small club of shed men doing down footplatemen, or ex-BR operational staff dissing everyone else.

Equally, I've been to plenty of railways where the atmosphere is completely unlike that; people muck in with whatever needs to be done and backchat is merely goodnatured banter.

On most preserved lines, resources tend to be scarce to limited, and some healthy competition between departments can be useful to claim and allocate priorities. Sometimes - too often, perhaps - this combines with natural tribalism to poison the atmosphere.

One aspect I've rarely noticed, though, is much outspoken rivalry between different railways. On the contrary, many will speak with informed generosity of their nearest 'rival' railway. Unlike the internal tribalism, there's a real sense that 'we're all in it together' - just not within our immediate shunting limits!

Roger