Most boring preserved railway?

[BoroAndy]

The Derwent Valley light railway near York.

Except when santa turns up, and the drunk elves

 

[trebor79]

The Derwent Valley light railway near York.

Except when santa turns up, and the drunk elves

There's a story behind this!

 

[nanstallon]

I feel that this is a rather unfortunate thread. Every railway has to start from zero, and a lot of effort goes into even the smallest set up.

 

[D6968]

I feel that this is a rather unfortunate thread. Every railway has to start from zero, and a lot of effort goes into even the smallest set up.

I don’t disagree with that, maybe boring is it not the right word to have used in the thread title, but there’s been a few times when myself and my good lady have thought ‘why on earth are we here?’

 

[D841 Roebuck]

I like the Derwent Valley. Mind you, I had consumed several pints of Taddy Lager before visiting.

Went to scratch in the 03 there - don't remember the railway much, but I do remember a posh baritone sheep at the farming museum saying "BEAR" to me very loudly (not mehh or even behh - the woolly quadruped enunciated the dipthong and looked smug about it )

 

[12C]

I feel that this is a rather unfortunate thread. Every railway has to start from zero, and a lot of effort goes into even the smallest set up.

The size of the operation isn’t always a factor in it being interesting either. For example I was recently on holiday in Cornwall with the family and visited the Helston Railway. Only about a mile of track but I found it a really good day out, the volunteers were very friendly and enjoyed telling us about the history of the line and plans for expansion. There was an interesting exhibition built into a goods van. The loco crew made a fuss over the kids and allowed them on the footplate. Also a very good cafe in an old Park Royal DMU, and gift shop in an old GUV with a good selection of railwayana and models.

In contrast we also visited the Bodmin and Wenford, which I must admit we found rather boring. Not a lot to see other than the train ride, still operating on COVID mode with reserved seats and a pre planned itinerary which you could not deviate from, not that there was really anything of interest at either end of the line. The main focus seemed to be selling pre booked cream teas to retired coach party groups. The kids enjoyed Helston far more, so size isn’t necessarily everything!

 

[Alanko]

I feel that this is a rather unfortunate thread. Every railway has to start from zero, and a lot of effort goes into even the smallest set up.

I disagree with the premise 'every railway has to start...'.

There are so many preserved railways in the UK, especially in England, compared to many European countries. Do they all exist to preserve interesting or unusual rolling stock or to tell the rich history of an interesting line? Some did not need to ever 'start', in my opinion as they do neither.

It seems a fair few don't get much beyond being a self indulgent 'mens shed' type of project-on-wheels. Somewhere for retired engineers to spin a spanner for a few hours away from 'er indoors, but more of a therapeutic enterprise for the participants than anything approaching the diligent preservation of history. Once you lift the rock on these railways you find a bafflingly complex ecosystem where every loco is owned by a different preservation group, etc.


I think the ugly truth is that we will lose some smaller railways in the next few years, as they won't offer enough to remain financially solvent.

 

[Titfield]

I think the ugly truth is that we will lose some smaller railways in the next few years, as they won't offer enough to remain financially solvent.

Going off topic but this is my concern. Some HRs have quite high fixed costs and have reported a significant drop in passenger numbers / income this year resulting in losses. I suspect that some would not be able to sustain losses for more than 1 or 2 years before they run into real trouble.

 

[Paul Hitchcock]

I disagree with the premise 'every railway has to start...'.

There are so many preserved railways in the UK, especially in England, compared to many European countries. Do they all exist to preserve interesting or unusual rolling stock or to tell the rich history of an interesting line? Some did not need to ever 'start', in my opinion as they do neither.

It seems a fair few don't get much beyond being a self indulgent 'mens shed' type of project-on-wheels. Somewhere for retired engineers to spin a spanner for a few hours away from 'er indoors, but more of a therapeutic enterprise for the participants than anything approaching the diligent preservation of history. Once you lift the rock on these railways you find a bafflingly complex ecosystem where every loco is owned by a different preservation group, etc.


I think the ugly truth is that we will lose some smaller railways in the next few years, as they won't offer enough to remain financially solvent.

I suspect that it will be the longer ones, with excessively complicated structures, which find themselves in trouble.

 

[12C]

I suspect that it will be the longer ones, with excessively complicated structures, which find themselves in trouble.

This kind of became apparent during Covid, when many of the very small lines were able to shut up shop for the duration of restrictions, and open again when they could run normally.

 

[Alanko]

I suspect that it will be the longer ones, with excessively complicated structures, which find themselves in trouble.

To me that raises the question of why so many lines have plans to extend?

 

[Llanigraham]

Well we have already lost the Rhiw Valley Light Railway, which closed a couple of weekends ago.

 

[plugwash]

Because they are run by rail enthusiasts not businessmen.

 

[Paul Hitchcock]

To me that raises the question of why so many lines have plans to extend?

Possibly akin to be legend of the crock of gold at the foot of the rainbow?

 

[stuu]

Well we have already lost the Rhiw Valley Light Railway, which closed a couple of weekends ago.

What happened there? Did the family no longer want to run it?

 

[Llanigraham]

What happened there? Did the family no longer want to run it?

The mother died recently and they have found that the number of volunteers was dropping off, so decided to close it down.
Long article in this month's Narrow Gauge World.

 

[stuu]

The mother died recently and they have found that the number of volunteers was dropping off, so decided to close it down.
Long article in this month's Narrow Gauge World.

That is a shame, but then that has happened a lot in the past with similar private concerns, so it's a bit removed from concerns over viability

 

[D6968]

Possibly akin to be legend of the crock of gold at the foot of the rainbow?

Where’s the crock of gold on Vectis Paul?
The IOWSR is a classic case of running nowhere to nowhere?

 

[plugwash]

Where’s the crock of gold on Vectis Paul?
The IOWSR is a classic case of running nowhere to nowhere?

Yeah, even if they extent to Ryde St Johns road they would still be very much in the residential backstreets nearly a kilometer from the beach. They would be pretty close to the bus and coach museum though.

 

[Paul Hitchcock]

Yeah, even if they extent to Ryde St Johns road they would still be very much in the residential backstreets nearly a kilometer from the beach. They would be pretty close to the bus and coach museum though.

These are visitor attractions rather than public transport providers and gain the bulk of their revenue from people who are not committed railway enthusiasts. Particularly in the present economic situation it is assuming too much to believe that they will be prepared to fork out more and more for longer and longer journeys.

 

[trebor79]

These are visitor attractions rather than public transport providers and gain the bulk of their revenue from people who are not committed railway enthusiasts. Particularly in the present economic situation it is assuming too much to believe that they will be prepared to fork out more and more for longer and longer journeys.

I dunno. A lot of the current "premier" railways were small and extending in the 1970's and 1980's and they were hardly economically utopian times. People are still going to want to do things for fun/interest/enjoy something different.

 

[Calthrop]

The IOWSR is a classic case of running nowhere to nowhere?

Yeah, even if they extent to Ryde St Johns road they would still be very much in the residential backstreets nearly a kilometer from the beach. They would be pretty close to the bus and coach museum though.

"Somewhere(s) to nowhere(s)" -- in the various permutations thereof -- is a particular bugbear of mine concerning preserved railways; but I consider this judgement re the IOWSR a bit harsh. I am inclined to applaud almost any preserved railway which connects, in any way or shape, with the "real railway"; and for me, the IOWSR ticks this box -- a junction station with actual functioning passenger connections on to and off, the "real" undertaking and the "outside world" (so far as I'm concerned, the visitor-attractions aspect is neither here nor there). The other end of the IOWSR, Wootton station, would seem admittedly not very much of anywhere (though it does give a connection with a Ryde -- Newport bus route with a frequent service); but this is through no fault of the railway's, and -- I understand -- contrary to its dearest wishes: unfulfillable ones in the absence of funds in the multi-millions category.

 

[D Williams]

These are visitor attractions rather than public transport providers and gain the bulk of their revenue from people who are not committed railway enthusiasts. Particularly in the present economic situation it is assuming too much to believe that they will be prepared to fork out more and more for longer and longer journeys.

And how many of the thousands of passengers who flock to the Severn Valley, North Yorkshire Moors, North Norfolk, West Somerset, Swanage, Torbay, just to name a few , are " committed railway enthusiasts"?

 

[Flying Phil]

I disagree with the premise 'every railway has to start...'.

There are so many preserved railways in the UK, especially in England, compared to many European countries. Do they all exist to preserve interesting or unusual rolling stock or to tell the rich history of an interesting line? Some did not need to ever 'start', in my opinion as they do neither.

It seems a fair few don't get much beyond being a self indulgent 'mens shed' type of project-on-wheels. Somewhere for retired engineers to spin a spanner for a few hours away from 'er indoors, but more of a therapeutic enterprise for the participants than anything approaching the diligent preservation of history. Once you lift the rock on these railways you find a bafflingly complex ecosystem where every loco is owned by a different preservation group, etc.


I think the ugly truth is that we will lose some smaller railways in the next few years, as they won't offer enough to remain financially solvent.

There is a lot of truth in this post...However it could be argued that this social/physical activity for (Mainly) older males is very beneficial for their physical and mental health - which the NHS benefits from by virtue of reduced demand. Also the passing on of skills as well as artefacts to future generations is not to be undervalued.

 

[Paul Hitchcock]

And how many of the thousands of passengers who flock to the Severn Valley, North Yorkshire Moors, North Norfolk, West Somerset, Swanage, Torbay, just to name a few , are " committed railway enthusiasts"?

There are some in this list who, even before Covid, were seeing fewer "flocks" than they used to. Not all the lines quoted are unduly long but a 25 mph top speed means it is all too easy to extend journey lengths to the point of tedium. The place I have particularly in mind is not mentioned in this thread.

 

[D6130]

There are some in this list who, even before Covid, were seeing fewer "flocks" than they used to. Not all the lines quoted are unduly long but a 25 mph top speed means it is all too easy to extend journey lengths to the point of tedium. The place I have particularly in mind is not mentioned in this thread.

Are we by any chance talking of either Peak Rail or the Wensleydale Railway?....both of which run through fine scenery but have, IIRC, a 15 mph speed limit for loco-hauled trains.

 

[plugwash]

What really put me off peak rail was basically zero variety in rolling stock. I think every single time I visited it was the same industrial tank engine, rake of ex-BR carriages and when they switched to top and tail operation so they could get into Matlock a mainline style diesel loco on the other end.

A group there restored an 8F loco and from the photos it looked stunning, sadly they didn't bring it out much I never got to see it before it moved on.

There was also the heitage shunters trust with a selection of deisel shunters but I think they only bring them out once a year or so.

 

[Paul Hitchcock]

Are we by any chance talking of either Peak Rail or the Wensleydale Railway?....both of which run through fine scenery but have, IIRC, a 15 mph speed limit for loc-hauled trains.

Neither of these.

 

[Llanigraham]

And how many of the thousands of passengers who flock to the Severn Valley, North Yorkshire Moors, North Norfolk, West Somerset, Swanage, Torbay, just to name a few , are " committed railway enthusiasts"?

A friend who has recently retired as a Guard on the SVR says very few (And he added, thankfully!)

 

[Thebaz]

In fairness there was some sort of visitor attraction near the terminus at Blennerville. The coaches were very uncomfortable with wooden benches and almost zero suspension. I have been told the originals were also like this. The Hunslet loco was quite nicely preserved.

Yep - the Blennerville windmill! If you ask, they actually have video footage of the Tralee and Dingle line from back in its heyday.