Of rain and events

6th August 2023

OK, it's been a wet week.

I try not to get in to politics in this blog, so let us say that the weather - for whatever reason - has been very unseasonal for the time of year and so distinctly wet. Two years or so ago we took RS8 to the Cromford Steam Rally and it was this weekend, the first weekend of a normally dry August, that was their event again. You will recall, when RS8 attended, the ground was wet and became very muddy, resulting in 3 tractors being employed to pull the low loader out. This year, the site was presumably even more waterlogged beforehand and with only the exhibitors having got onto site, it was judged unfit to open on Saturday as the forecast was for rain (Storm Antoni or its peripherals) and the whole event was abandoned on Sunday. The Steam Rally traditionally raises monies for charity and with all the expense and no income that will have been a bitter blow.

But to return to the beginning of the week. I had been expecting a box of hardware for the new alarm system to arrive by the previous weekend and when it didn't, I assumed it was going to be Monday. As my office is over the front door and gives me a look down on any vehicle that pulls up outside, I was doing paperwork but leaping up at any car door closing to see if it was for us. In some cases it was but not the expected parcel. By Tuesday night I had becme sufficiently concerned that I messaged the supplier, who checked Parcelforce's tracking and replied that they had tried to deliver on Friday, that there'd been no-one at home so it had been left at the local post office. Really? I had been in most of Friday, and when I wasn't someone else was. No red van had been seen near, and no card pushed through the door to declare they had actually reached us. Fortunately we were able to collect it on Wednesday, but not by me as I had had an early start and was on my way up to Tanfield.

I had rather underestimated the journey time, and the allowance I thought I had made for a stop or adverse traffic was eaten up by delays around Leeds, and I was expecting a call from Adam (who is normally on time or even early) to enquire where I was as the agreed time of 09.30 passed. But I caught up with him just after ten in the last quarter mile before Tanfield East station and gave the impression of us both arriving in convoy!

We were to collect a Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST of 1911, with a rather cutdown cab giving it an unusual yet rather attractive profile, and take it down to Butterley as guest loco for an event. The rain was described as showery - we'd come through some heavy showers on the way up (and partially accounted for the extended journey time) so that at Tanfield was mild by comparison. A slight delay ensued when Adam realised he had forgotten his work boots, and borrowed my van to get a fresh pair, but as the Tanfield team are always ready to muck in and assist, the ramp was soon down and ready. Although they had a Ruston 165 and a barrier wagon ready, we do recognise that winching is safer and employ it wherever possible. I had brought up the extension hoses so that the tractor unit could still power the winch, and on the;loco went, causing some interest with Tanfield personnel in the capabilities of the winch. The ramp was disassembled, the loco secured and we were still on the road by 11.30, and I advised Butterley to expect us about 4. The rain even eased sufficiently to get a picture or two as it set off.

As usual I got ahead after a few miles and thinking I had plenty of time in hand, pulled up at Woodhall services for a snooze as the early start was taking its toll. I was woken by Adam ringing me at twenty to three saying he'd make Butterley in about an hour and had just joined the M1 from the M18. This jolted me back into consciousness as that junction is only a few miles north of where I was. I charged down to Butterley where everything as ready, dmu's moved aside, the shunter to hand and the turnout set. At 3.25 Adam arrived and within the hour the loco was unloaded and Adam was on his way.

That was all the scheduled work for the week as Adam has asked me to hold back as he is short of a driver and has holiday season to contend with.

Thursday and Andy H arrived to start on the shed alarm system. Perforce I had to be there to cover but in this case I was needed to agree where X or Y would be mounted and how. The work progressed steadily, if unspectacularly, as it did on Friday until he ran out of the cable supplied with the kit (100 metres isn't all that much on a shed as large as ours) though at least there was someone else around and I managed to get back and complete a VAT-return in time.

Now normally, as the title of this blog infers, you would expect a report on what we got up to over the weekend, but Steph and I had an 80th birthday bash to attend in Henley on Thames and as Andrew had grandson, that precluded any work on Saturday, though Jagger was around on Sunday. We finally returned at about 3.15 and almost immediately went down to the shed to check all was well and do something so that the weekend was not entirely wasted, as a result of which Hunslet 6295 sports 3 buffers where it once had none.

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I have had time though to do some thinking this week. A dangerous practice at my age and limited brain cells I'm sure you'll agree, but here is the result of careful analysis and examination. One of the problems with running heritage railways today is that it isn't sufficient just to run trains and expect people to come for the ride. There are too many competitors for that market and just like toothpaste or soap powders, you have to develop your 'unique selling proposition' (or USP) to make you stand out. One such is to hold unique events at which the train ride may be secondary. Even here there are so many railways (and other non-railway tourist venues) that some events have become mundane, as each venue tries to milk the same theme. Most lines have long since given up on Thomas events as they priced themselves out, and while others hold Peppa Pig or some other children's character theme (why, even Ivor the Engine has had a turn) most railways have returned to non-licenced themes, like the 1940s events. But there are so many of them now - Severn Valley, North Yorkshire Moors, Great Central, Isle of Wight, Papplewick pumping station, why there's even a website listing all the ones you can go to - 11 this August alone. Of course the 1940s era offers the chance for visitors to dress in vintage clothes, admire preserved vintage machinery, purchase over-priced vintage goods, and wallow in a vintage nostalgic bubble when in reality people of that time were being killed and no-one knew for certain which side was actually going to win. We need something original with those same elements: something that will draw the punters in to live those years they probably only know by what their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles have told them. Here it is -

A 1960s weekend

What's that, there's nothing in the 1960s that can compare to the drama and pageantry of the war years? How wrong you can be. It has all the elements of a 40s weekend. The chance to dress up in colourful clothing and parade about in pvc knee boots and mini-skirts (obviously in today's society we cannot enforce any rules as to whether that is solely for the women). Visitors can stop and admire preserved machinery of the period - see their reflections the chromework on a Ford Corsair or the iconic Austin Mini. Savour a broad selection of those new, cheap, portable transistor radios, the most popular electronic device of the decade. Dance the 'Twist' until your artificial hip is dislodged. Gaze in wonder at a television that actually shows a programme in colour - or will once the BBC and ITA start making them. Admire man's harnessing of technology - natural gas that will power the future; a cleaner, non-poisonous bounty of nature that will replace coal gas and warm our homes with 'central heating'.

And then there's the special events that tie it in to your heritage railway to consider. Here's your suggested timetable-

Saturday

Event opens - re-enactor dressed as Harold Macmillan has opening speech finishing with 'You've never had it so good' (OK it was 1957 but who remembers that far back anyway?)
Mock Battle - re-enactors dressed as mods and rockers arrive on motor bikes and scooters and stage fights until re-enactors dressed as Dixon of Dock Green chase them away.
Celebration of the Great Train Robbery - afternoon - service train held up by re-enactors who proceed to 'rob' a BG by throwing mailbags to a 1960s lorry at a suitable underbridge. Additional fees for visitors who take part either as robbers or 'mail' by dressing up as mailbags. Clubbing of loco driver optional if volunteer is not popular.
Evening - bar open till late with non-stop Beatles music by tribute band.

Sunday

Un-restored coach added into the rake of a service train is 'smashed' by re-enactors dressed as football fans on way home from a match.
Lunchtime - re-enactor dressed as Beeching arrives to shut the railway down in scripted re-enactment that has railway committee dramatising their takeover. Stirring lines like 'Every time a child says they don't believe, a railway dies. You believe we can run trains, don't you children? Clap if you believe!' culminating in the next train departing to rousing cheers and after collecting tins have passed around the audience to 'Save our Train'.
Last Steam Train on BR celebration: specially grubbied loco with IT68 headboard operates as 'End of Steam' special - premium fare charged. (OK so it's an Austerity saddle tank: the audience weren't there for it anyway).
Afternoon Re-enactors dressed as religious zealots turn up with placards about desecrating the sabbath and are confronted with re-enactors chanting 'flower power' pacifism slogans and a subtle anti-battle takes place in ironic contrast to the mods and rockers re-enactment on Saturday.

Miniest mini-skirt contest.

Event winds down.

These are the broad brush strokes for an event that will draw in the crowds and make any heritage railway stand out from the rest. A USP above and beyond all the others.

And with that revelation ringing through your brains, it only remains to invite you back next week when more normal service will have been restored. See ya then.