This summer sees the 40th anniversary of BR's last standard gauge steam trains but, apart from a few days in the depths of winter, you can still find steam trains operating on heritage railways.
On the busiest summer weekends, across the country well over a hundred steam locomotives can be in operation on lines varying from a dozen or more miles long to a demonstration track at a museum centre.
Heritage lines aren't just for enthusiasts, apart from rekindling past memories they offer a different family day out and can offer a variety of facilities and interests for visitors of all ages.
If the sight, sound and smell of steam isn't your thing, it is – for some of us more than others - salutory to remember that 50 years ago diesels were beginning to appear on BR lines and many are now a familiar sight on preserved lines.
It's the Midlands where the big news in heritage railways is happening this spring with the reopening of the Severn Valley after last year's flood damage, and the first runs of completely new steam locomotive, Tornado, on the double-track Great Central Railway.
The Severn Valley reopened fully at Easter after a nine-month closure of most of its line after floods devastated it last summer. Around £3 million has been spent since then to rebuild much of the line which runs from Kidderminster (where its station is right next to London Midland's) to the Shropshire town of Bridgnorth. Opened for the first time at Easter was SVR's new visitor centre – The Engine House – which was due to open last summer. The Engine House is at Highley, about half-way along the line, and houses many of the railway's non-operational steam locomotives along with other exhibits and a café restaurant.
In the East Midlands the Great Central Railway will later this spring host the first trials of Tornado, a completely new main line steam locomotive. Built at Darlington over the last 14 years, Tornado is billed as the 163rd member of the London and North Eastern Railway's A1 class – none of the originals survive. Although several other railways have created "new" locomotives, they have been based on some original parts of older locomotives, such as the boiler or frames.
The Great Central – an eight-mile line between Loughborough and Leicester North – is the only preserved main line railway with a substantial section of double track. It is planned that both Tornado and the railway's own newly-overhauled Oliver Cromwell will be in service during late spring.
Both are 4-6-2 express locos. Oliver Cromwell is a BR-built Britannia class and remained in main line operation until the last day of steam in August 1968.
"It is fitting that 40 years on since the end of steam we can bring together the engine which finished British steam in 1968 and a brand new one which heralds the new dawn," said GCR general manager Robert Crew.
The Severn Valley and Great Central are just two of the 80 heritage railways and preservation centres operating in the UK.
They can be found from the north of Scotland to Cornwall. Most started up as BR replaced its steam locos in the 1960s but the first preserved railway in the world was the narrow-gauge (the rails are closer together than the 'standard' 4ft 8ins) Talyllyn line in Mid Wales. Built mainly to carry slate from mountainside quarries to the coast, after this traffic ceased the railway carried on as a tourist attraction and a preservation society took over in 1951.
Mid and North Wales have a special fascination for narrow gauge enthusiasts and locomotives from this area can sometimes be found on newly-built narrow-gauge lines built elsewhere.
But standard gauge is most usual and most heritage lines are former BR branches, using former BR stock and locomotives – and in some cases specialising in diesels as these locomotives become rarer on the national network.
Another source of equipment and location for preservationists was heavy industry as Britain generally moved from the steam age in the 1960s. Some preserved lines – such as the Tanfield and Bowes railways in the North East – look to our industrial past as well as straightforward railway history.
There are almost as many ways of enjoying heritage railways as there are railways themselves. You can simply visit your local line as a visitor, many have picnic facilities and can be the basis of a family day out.
Look out for special events – many lines have gala days during the summer, either with a railway theme such as goods trains or with 'outside' interests ranging from vintage road vehicles to real ale and jazz.
Several of the larger lines have evening dining trains, although you usually have to book for these so if you're looking to celebrate a special occasion check things out well in advance.
Another special occasion offered by some lines is the 'railway experience' where you can become a driver for a day – again make sure you book well in advance, not surprisingly these days are especially popular around Father's Day.
Dining trains and experience days aren't particularly cheap but you can have as many experience days as you like for free – well, at the cost of your time and effort – as a volunteer on a heritage railway. The majority of people working on preserved lines are volunteers and they come from all walks of life.
Many, of course, are seasoned railway people – either using their everyday skills on a different type of train or railway; or trying something different, or still keeping their hand in after retiring from the 'main line'.
If you want to find out more about lines in your area – or further afield if you're thinking of a holiday trip – try looking at www.heritagerailways.com, the website of the Heritage Railway Association. HRA also publishes a leaflet: Steam and Tourist Railways in Great Britain and Ireland that also includes museums and vintage tramways. If you prefer a handbook, Ian Allan Publishing's 'Railways Restored 2008' (just published at £14.99) is the latest version of this annual guide which includes timetables for many of the lines as well as details of the lines and the trains you can expect to see.
Don't forget many of the longer lines offer 'priv' tickets (see the twice-yearly Railnews priv guide for some details or contact your travel facilities section).
Reader Comments:
Views expressed in submitted comments are that of the author, and not necessarily shared by Railnews.
The article also seems to have overlooked the many special trains that operate over the national network practically every week, the trains are hauled by both steam and heritage diesel locomotives and offer the opportunity to experience these locomotive operating as they once did on the mainline.
Peter BEll, Winchester, England
Whoever wrote this article has clearly not bothered to carry out some basic research! Tornado, though it will bear the number 60163 is actually only the 50th member of the A1 class designed by the LNER's last CME A. H. Peppercorn.
Mick, Cardiff, Wales
Sir,
A good artical. However, I think you missed an important fact specific to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. They are the first Heritage operator using volanteer drivers to be granted an operating licence over the national infrastructure and who operate heritage trains over a piece of open Network Rail Infrastructure which they share with Northern Rail. This is unique and makes their daily normal service the longest heritage regular steam haul service of 24 miles and where the operating speed is greater than 25mph when on the Esk Valley line.
Christopher Exley, York