10 years time

[greentrain]

The work done by railway preservation groups is fantastic.It is great to see so many restored locos but can it continue with the next generation who may not have the skill to continue with this great work.Where do you think heritage railways will be in 10 yrs?

 

[ainsworth74]

Why can't the 'next' generation learn the skill from the 'current' generation? That's how we've passed skills of all kinds down through the years, now if heritage lines aren't attracting young volunteers that want to learn these skills then that is a worry, otherwise I don't see a problem!

As for where they'll be in 10 years? I think they will be drowning in even more rolling stock than they already are!

 

[PinzaC55]

In ten years time every heritage line will have an HST and a Class 37.

 

[ainsworth74]

In ten years time every heritage line will have an HST and a Class 37.

Don't they already? I swear there are literally dozens of the things in preservation!

 

[12CSVT]

I wouldn't be surprised if some railways have joined up with each other by then (ie Great Central and GCR North being the most likely), and if the tram-train concept takes off the East Lancs Railway and GMPTE Metrolink might even have running rights over each other's lines.

Far fetched ? In 2001 who could have predicted that the NYMR would be running to Whitby ? Or that a Deltic would be hired to one of the freight operators for use on scheduled freight workings ?

 

[Ivo]

Expect to see plenty of Pacers!

 

[E&W Lucas]

I wouldn't be surprised if some railways have joined up with each other by then (ie Great Central and GCR North being the most likely),

The last figure I heard for the GCR link was £10 Million. That is beyond the scope of any railway to raise by itself, and public funding isn't going to be easy to come by.

I think you're more likely to see a period of consolidation and retrenchment, as disposable incomes fall, and people have less to spend on days out, or have less time/ money to volunteer. The latter is certainly a concern amongst heritage railway management.

As for Whitby, it was certainly envisaged in 2001. Background work was well under way - that scheme is about 40 years in the making.

 

[The_Rail_WAy]

Preserved lines 10 years in the future? A few points:

1.) Some lines will have expanded and developed to become/continue to run extremely succesfully.
2.) Some (but not many) lines will, inevitably, go bust and close.
3.) There will be greater co-operation between heritage lines and network rail.
4.) Societies will start develop a huge stockpile of unused loco's and stock on their sidings.
5.) We will, probably, see more pacer units running lines - I'm not so sure about HST's though!!
6.) An increase in tours running from heritage lines as more and more connect to the national rail network.
7.) Maintenance of steam locomotives will become even more expensive.

 

[Bish Boy]

I reckon some will have to build museum style halls to display their loco's carrages etc never mind sidings just look around the stations on the NYMR most of which is stored for other heritage lines as they dont have enough space. Wonder which lines people think will be reopened as heritage in 10 years which aren't now?

 

[deltic1989]

Expect to see plenty of Pacers!

Oh Hell No!!!!!!! seriously though ,a Pacer might be good to preserve to show future generations how not to build trains but equally it would also show future generations what could be done when new units were needed and there was no money to build them, simply take a rail chassis a bus body and weld.

 

[Bevan Price]

Expect to see plenty of Pacers!

Still on the main lines (despite suggestions that they will have to be withdrawn before 2020 because of disability access difficulties.)

Bevan

 

[YorkshireBear]

The last figure I heard for the GCR link was £10 Million. That is beyond the scope of any railway to raise by itself, and public funding isn't going to be easy to come by.

I think you're more likely to see a period of consolidation and retrenchment, as disposable incomes fall, and people have less to spend on days out, or have less time/ money to volunteer. The latter is certainly a concern amongst heritage railway management.

As for Whitby, it was certainly envisaged in 2001. Background work was well under way - that scheme is about 40 years in the making.

the figure is 20 million for GCR, and i believe they already have 80% of that through private funding, lafarge would like to transport goods along the line.

 

[LE Greys]

Fewer of the one-survivor classes will be running, since they must be harder to maintain, but a few more replicas will appear. Most probably, this will include a batch of Standard 3 tanks, useful little engines for preserved line duties. Hopefully, we'll see an increase in coaching stock diversity, MkIs everywhere can get a bit monotonous. I also imagine we'll be seeing the 125 Group's HST make her main line debut, complete with Valenta engines.

 

[PinzaC55]

"complete with Valenta engines."

That would be sweet. Especially if they got the old "Brake smell" again

 

[Rugd1022]

Don't they already? I swear there are literally dozens of the things in preservation!

Always thought 37s were a bit like restored Morris Minors; to paraphrase a quote sometimes used about Moggies....

"of the 309 Class 37s built, a total of 400 still survive today...."

 

[ainsworth74]

"of the 309 Class 37s built, a total of 400 still survive today...."

Sounds pretty accurate to me

 

[anthony263]

I wouldnt mind seing a valenta hst in preservation.

especially since there is word that the original hst power car is to restored to working order according to this:

http://www.projectmiller.org.uk/

 

[ACE1888]

I think the comment a 'bigger' link up between private and national networks will be one of best things that could happen, integrated transport systems HAVE to be the way to go?
And on a personal note, more societies need to concentrate on restoring what they have instead of continual 'stockpiling' and giving the perception of stock 'rusting' away in weed choked sidings...

 

[The Decapod]

6.) An increase in tours running from heritage lines as more and more connect to the national rail network.

It's also possible that some of the bigger heritage lines will become full-blown businesses relying on paid staff. Possibly one company might own more than one such line - maybe railtour operators could end up owning some heritage lines. I'm not saying this would be a good thing - but I think it could happen.

 

[The_Rail_WAy]

It's also possible that some of the bigger heritage lines will become full-blown businesses relying on paid staff. Possibly one company might own more than one such line - maybe railtour operators could end up owning some heritage lines. I'm not saying this would be a good thing - but I think it could happen.

Indeed this could be a possibility. It could be potentially quite lucrative for a well-run railtour operator to use a heritage line as for stock, maintenance and as a base for tours. Good poiint raised there.

 

[E&W Lucas]

It's also possible that some of the bigger heritage lines will become full-blown businesses relying on paid staff.

They are already!!

 

[LE Greys]

I think the comment a 'bigger' link up between private and national networks will be one of best things that could happen, integrated transport systems HAVE to be the way to go?
And on a personal note, more societies need to concentrate on restoring what they have instead of continual 'stockpiling' and giving the perception of stock 'rusting' away in weed choked sidings...

I tend to agree with both. Perhaps they could get any later stock, XP-64 onwards, to main line condition for some through services to the nearest large station, to be used by commuters going out and day-trippers coming in. That might also be a use for the preserved Pacers (poor commuters ) and Sprinters that we will undoubtedly see when that happens. The important point here would be to get recognition that the lines are part of the national network, thus appearing on national maps and journey-planning websites as well as in the NRT. That means that ATOC and the HRA have to work together.

Likely? Maybe.

 

[E&W Lucas]

The important point here would be to get recognition that the lines are part of the national network, thus appearing on national maps and journey-planning websites as well as in the NRT. That means that ATOC and the HRA have to work together.

Likely? Maybe.

But by definition, they are NOT part of the National Network, having been declared surplus to requirements, and closed. they are now totally separate private businesses, working to a very different, leisure related, agenda.

Most of the major lines now have the "full" signs out, so don't expect too many Pacers, etc to be heading towards them either. However, if someone would like to provide a home to a couple of XP64's, I know where there's a couple in need of one!

 

[Greenback]

No line should be considered as part of the national network until it has a year round service.

 

[LE Greys]

No line should be considered as part of the national network until it has a year round service.

Agreed there (although Stockport-Stalybridge is a bit limited, it just counts). This would most likely mean regular heritage DMU traffic, as happens on the Swanage Railway among others. You need the traffic to justify it, but we often see things like school runs using them.

 

[d5509]

And on a personal note, more societies need to concentrate on restoring what they have instead of continual 'stockpiling' and giving the perception of stock 'rusting' away in weed choked sidings...

Tarpaulined stock is preservation; people, skills and workshops are restoration; the restored item - the product - is what the public come to see.

These three are all distinct factors of heritage railways: the tarpaulined stock is there for the future - how many times have we heard "if only they'd saved such and such".

That said, its profusion it is a bit of a problem, keeping it safe - and above all tidy -for future generations is part of the game.

 

[Greenback]

Agreed there (although Stockport-Stalybridge is a bit limited, it just counts). This would most likely mean regular heritage DMU traffic, as happens on the Swanage Railway among others. You need the traffic to justify it, but we often see things like school runs using them.

The Swanage is one of the lines that I think might one day be a candidate to join the national network. They seem to run quite a good outfit down there from my very limited observations!

 

[YorkshireBear]

Agreed there (although Stockport-Stalybridge is a bit limited, it just counts). This would most likely mean regular heritage DMU traffic, as happens on the Swanage Railway among others. You need the traffic to justify it, but we often see things like school runs using them.

KWVR has a more regular service than stockport staylybridge.

 

[Nym]

Not to mention the East Lancs Railway, a regular service into Castleford would be quite helpful, hourly heratage DMU, or hourly Northern 156?

 

[Greenback]

Castleford? Don't you mean Castleton for interchange with National Rail?