There is no Board meeting in August (summer recess). However, I would like to cover some issues that occurred during August.
Headlines
- Popular Events return
- Heatwave
- Coal Update
- Retirement – Long Serving Employee
- New Volunteer Tours Restart
- Unsung Heroes
Events
Thomas the Tank Weekend 6-7 August
The 2nd Thomas the Tank Engine weekend for 2022 was another huge success.
Pepper Pig 25-26 August 2022
The return of Pepper Pig, after many years away held over 2 days proved to be very popular with children and adults alike. I addition to recognisable Pepper Characters, Mummy and Daddy Pig along with with Pepper and George, there was a funfair, petting zoo, balloon and face painting. Visitors could have unlimited rides on our heritage trains.
Gladstone Bury
Once again the ELR was proud to take part in this fund raising event for Bury Hospice and local causes. This year we got a little extra cosmic help at the bar.
Heatwave
Like all heritage railways, our steam operations were impacted and suspended for several days to avoid the risk of lineside fires and crew welfare.
Due to hot weather lineside fire risk, heritage Diesels will operate all ELR ordinary timetabled services during August. Dining services were unaffected and continued to be hauled by a steam locomotive where the risks could be kept to a minimum. Customers with pre-booked tickets for the dates and trains affected were able to transfer to a different day if required.
Thanks go to our great staff and volunteers, in particular the diesel crews, where everyone braved the hot weather to keep services running in very challenging conditions.
Coal Update
As ever, we continue to look for some clarity on the wider position on coal supplies, but all the signs are that supply is still challenging and that this will continue for some time.
Globally, some countries are limiting exports of their own natural resources – including coal and anthracite – and sanctions around Russian goods became even tighter from last week. While we believe that most heritage railways have secured reasonable stocks of coal or ovoids to see through the main season, coal prices to members have varied significantly.
Just like most other energy related markets, the coal market continues to be very volatile and the HRA are tentatively suggesting that prices are unlikely to stabilise until Spring 2023 at the earliest.
John Whittaker P Way
During August, with some of his buddies we said a sincere farewell to long serving John Whittaker who is retiring from his paid position as Team Leader in the P Way Department.
John joined the ELR in 1986 just a year before the first passenger train ran from Bury to Ramsbottom and helped, with other staff and volunteers, with reopening stations at Rawtenstall and Heywood. John has probably lost count how many miles he has walked along the railway and how many sleepers and track he helped to replace.
We wish him well in his well-earned retirement.
Halloween Returns
East Lancashire Railway has just announced a series of spooktacular events this Halloween, with the addition of a brand new creepy carnival at the Bury Transport Museum- tickets now on sale.
The Halloween Ghost Train is returning to haunt the heritage railway, families who are brave enough to climb aboard the real heritage steam train will make new freaky friends including Count Brian the Vampire, Veronica the Witch, Bob the Zombie and lots more creepy critters that need help to break a terrible curse.
Guests can show off their best fancy dress and join in a singalong of spine chilling songs with the tuneful terrors.
The frightful fun continues across the road at the Bury Transport Museum where families will find a Carn-Evil that’s home to a haunted cottage and a host of rides including the Dragon Coaster, the Spooky Sizzler Twist and many more family friendly rides – https://www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk/events-activities/halloween-ghost-trains/
Working Member Tours Restart
Following a break of more than two years, tours of the railway for society members who are interested in becoming working members with the company, have restarted. David Wright who restarted the tours, has now passed on the tour organisation role to Brian Mather who many of you will know from his work in the buffet and station departments. The new tour team initially comprises Mike Coupe, Peter Critchley and Brian Mather – I caught up with Brian at Bury station recently.
“Brian said that he would like to thank David for his support in getting the tours up and running again and that he is looking forward to working with Margaret Wilson, (volunteer liaison) and developing his new role. Brian added that although numbers attending on the tours so far this year have been disappointing, recent attendances are showing signs of improvement. Brian commented that whereas in the past these tours have been aimed at new society members who are interested in volunteering; working members who want to know more about the railway and the range of volunteering opportunities are now welcome to join the tours. A new aspect of the tours will focus on retaining working members who are perhaps looking for a change or wish to take on additional volunteering roles in other parts of the railway”.
I asked Brian what he and his new team had been up to – Brian said that: “the initial focus of the team had been to review the existing risk assessment documents and also introduce a safety briefing for tour participants. Future plans include looking at how the tours could be promoted to the existing society membership so as to increase participation and also updating the existing booking system on the Society website. Any Society Member should book a place by going to the ELRPS website (at www.elrps.co.uk), log on and go to the Tours area in the Members section.
Unsung Heroes
This month we shine the spotlight on Stuart McDonald a long serving volunteer for over 30 years. Stuart is currently the volunteer Head of the Guards Department. But did you know Stuart is helping us solve the Chestwheel geological puzzle. Stuart’s day job is working for the Environment Agency and is a Chartered Geologist. His knowledge and skills of the Chestwheel geology is vital if we are to secure a permanent solution. I was pleased to work with Stuart recently at Chestwheel installing new drainage pipes to divert rainwater away from a vulnerable part of the track.
Stuart has been painstakingly gathering information over several months at the site, especially during rainfall events, often getting soaked in order to video the movement of the rainfall as it impacts on the track. Lots of remedial work has already been undertaken overseen by Stuart including locating and cleaning out blocked drains, redirecting rainfall away from the track. In addition, bore samples have been taken to understand the strata to map the geology of the site.
Stuart’s geology study continues.
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Chairman's Blog 