STOP and Examine
OUR INDUSTRY INSIDER ON THE COST OF KEEPING STEAM ALIVE
LAST MONTH, I wrote that there was a need to clear the air between railway leaders – the operators and administrators – and railway supporters. However, hot on the heels of that statement come some tough questions about where the money to run our railways is coming from, just how much our hobby really costs, and how we should deal with the things that we cannot save.
For many of us, heritage railways are close to our hearts and regarded as being at the very centre of the UK heritage scene. However, it is really difficult to justify saving everything that has survived merely to tell future generations about an industrial past that is not only rapidly disappearing but is doing so alongside generational attitude changes in an era when pride in our history is diminishing. We cannot escape the fact that our industrial exploits as a nation are coming to be viewed in a cooler light. Our ‘hobby’ is, therefore, increasingly a lifestyle choice as opposed to a burning passion driven by nostalgia.
So just how much does our hobby cost? How many of us can afford to own our own locomotive or railway? The answer is, of course, very few. Even if an individual does own a piece of the heritage railway jigsaw puzzle then it is only of value if they can share it with others who own the other pieces that go with it. One of the reasons why our heritage railway movement is so strong is that our national culture leans towards working together – collaboration. The National Trust is a glowing example of this. If you need to be convinced of the importance of a tradition of collaboration in our approach to heritage railways, a visit to the USA will reveal a culture where individual ownership is regarded as being more important. This has resulted in many individual items of rolling stock being ‘saved’ rather than a team effort bringing one key piece to completion. As a result, there are far fewer complete preserved railways in the USA than the UK. The UK is historically a nation of joiners, volunteers, and team workers. That culture is pivotal to the success of the UK heritage railway scene. We are blessed in that those who can afford to make big financial contributions are prepared to work alongside those who contribute hours of labour rather than cash. Those who both work ‘hands-on’ and contribute financially are the backbone of the movement, and efforts to engage people who are yet to make a contribution are of key importance.
Answering the question ‘what does it cost?’ reveals some eye-watering figures. Restoring a small narrow gauge locomotive can easily cost £100,000. Tackling, say, a ‘Black Five’ in poor condition can soon end up with a bill in six figures rather than five. Want to do a nice job on a crumbling BR Mk 1 saloon carriage? Then you will need £100,000 to get it to the award
