The Eden Valley Railway

 

You can see the lines of carriages from the A66, as we have done a number of times as we have whizzed past on our way to the Lake District, on days the EVR has not been open. Last week they were running trains on the Monday, in the form of their ancient-looking but in fact 1957-built, BR Southern Region Class 205 Thumper unit DEMU No. 205009, so we took the opportunity for a look round. The staff were welcoming and the usual facilities were available, but it was still rather quiet for a pleasant day in the school summer holiday.

The original railway was also part of the trans-Pennine Stainmore route from Tebay and Penrith to Darlington. This particular resurrection has not got very far out of Warcop station on its way to eventually re-establishing the line as far as Appleby, but the signalbox still stands on the platform and is open to visitors and there is plenty of stock to inspect in the sidings including a Class 47 and a number of diesel shunters. The return trip to the current terminus at Southfield is 2.2 miles away.

Some of these ventures obviously struggle more than others. I guess that’s down to acquiring the numbers of volunteers with the right skills, made more difficult if your location is relatively remote and you are not in a tourist area. The EVR seems to be more on the way to places rather than an obvious attraction in its own right. There are clearly some very dedicated individuals involved in all these projects, but I do wonder how dispiriting it might be to see rather piecemeal progress being made as time inevitably ticks by.

The heritage railways can be very different from each other in terms of the visible progress they have made over the decades. This reflects their location and proximity to potential customers as much as anything else, though a multitude of factors are actually involved. It can also be affected by the existence of, or the potential for, a direct link to the national rail system. Some have made enormous strides in living memory and others not so much. They all rely heavily on volunteer labour, too, of course, which may or may not always be either available or forthcoming.

Where there is a tangible goal in sight, like the re-uniting of two formerly linked stretches of line or the reopening of a junction station on the main line, I can see why there might be that added determination to make things happen. It may also help with fund raising, as the concern can sell an idea that people can more easily identify with and one which can become a reality within a relatively short time.

All the heritage railways seem to have significant numbers of stalwart figures amongst their ranks, who give limitless amounts of their time, perhaps without even a thought about the end game. I have enormous admiration for these unsung heroes of the preservation movement. Without them, we would not have the recognisable and successful railway heritage movement that so many of us value and cherish.