annual report 2013 v2 1

Annual Report 2013

Annual Report 2013 2

Contents

Our Mission Statement

To promote the interests of members in the heritage and tourist railway and

tramway sector, and to encourage best practice in all fields and to promote the

sector as a significant tourism and cultural activity.

To represent our members’ interests to Government and other bodies.

To maintain high standards by requiring members to conform to the HRA Code of Practice.

To provide professional advice, a full information service and other such help and assistance

as may be appropriate.

To provide a forum for sharing information and experience by organising open meetings and

seminars.

To help members to develop their own business.

To encourage and assist members to develop training policies and programmes.

To encourage and assist members to develop educational policies and programmes.

To encourage excellence by organising awards and competitions.

To encourage and advise members on the heritage aspects of their activities, including

establishing and maintaining collecting, interpretation and archiving policies.

Dated 19th January 2014

Contents, Acknowledgements & Mission Statement

President’s Foreward Page 3

Vice President Page 4

Chairman’s Review Page 4

HRA Annual Awards 2013 Page 6

HRA Patron, President, Deputy & Vice Presidents, Contact & Board Page 12

HRA Officers & Advisers Page 13

HRA Annual Statistical Survey 2012 Page 14

Acknowledgements

Editorial Team: The report has been edited & produced by Andrew Goyns & Steve Wood.

Photographs: The editors wish to record their thanks to the contributors of photographs and for their waving any fees for reproduction.

Printers: Firpress Printers, Workington, Cumbria


“Heritage railways have been a remarkable development over a

period of sixty years, a phenomenon which was pioneered in

Britain and at which the country excels. It has developed

through the enthusiasm and dedication of a huge number of

volunteers and yet now supports many paid staff and is a major

contribution to Britain’s tourism. The larger railways are

significant contributors to the local economy of the areas they

serve. They have proved effective at transferring traditional

engineering and operating skills to a new generation of

volunteers and are continuing to develop in this area. They have

adapted to meet the challenges of a more regulated environment and are well placed to survive and prosper.”

Those few sentences – taken from the report of the all-party group on heritage rail on “The Value of

Heritage Railways” - sum up very well what is special and important in everything you do, and I was

delighted, as vice-chairman of the group, to be able to put my name to it when the report was published

in July. Many of the findings have already been quoted numerous times, particularly the conclusion that for

every pound that is spent on a heritage railway there is a benefit to the local economy of around £2.70:

this suggests that the economic benefit nationally is just under £250m. As I said at the HRA’s

autumn meeting in Ravenglass, these are figures that need repeatedly to be hammered home.

In addition to conducting the inquiry that led to this report, the all-party group has continued to meet

regularly and heard speakers on a variety of topics. The meetings are generally open to

non-parliamentarians, and we are pleased to welcome HRA members who wish to attend. I urge you to

engage with your own MPs, and encourage them to visit your railway and to join the APPG.

Staying in Parliament for the moment, I am pleased to report we have finally reformed the law governing

the sale of scrap metal, including outlawing the use of cash, and the introductions of new police powers

to enter premises and a rigorous licensing system. I understand from Network Rail that the incidence of

cable theft on the national railway has fallen by 70 per cent.

You will be aware that with your help I was able to ensure that the Railway Heritage Committee’s

powers of designation – the process which makes it possible for artefacts and records of the national

network that are significant elements in the nation’s railway story to be protected statutorily – were

smoothly transferred to the trustees of the Science Museum on 1 April, following the government’s

regrettable (and unnecessary) decision to abolish the RHC. Whilst I did not succeed in persuading

ministers to amend the legislation to bring Transport for London’s underground railways within scope,

the transport commissioner, Sir Peter Hendy, and I were able to exchange letters of understanding which

have the effect of treating the Underground as if it were. I was delighted that Sir Peter was able to be the

HRA’s guest of honour at the annual dinner in 2013 – his commitment to the cause of railway heritage,

particularly in the context of their 150th anniversary, is outstanding.

In my report on 2012 I said it had been a busy year for me as your President, 2013 was no different. I

have continued to get out and about visiting HRA members, and I thank everyone who has greeted me so

warmly. I was particularly pleased to participate in presentations of plaques at those railways which were

successful in winning HRA awards for best publicity: as a judge of the competition, I know how excellent

the entries were, and how hard you all work.

President’s Message Lord Faulkner of Worcester


Vice President Brian Simpson MEP

Chairman’s Review David Morgan MBE TD

It is a sign of resilience that exists within the Heritage Railway movement, that

despite the terrible economic climate, most railways have continued to maintain

their visitor numbers, and continued to offer an excellent product to the paying

public.

Of course a lot of this is due to the hard work of our volunteers; but I think we

should also recognise the hard work of our paid staff, be it in the workshop, the

office, or the kitchen, I am convinced that it is this team effort that ensures

success. 2014 will no doubt be as challenging as 2013 was. Despite; apparently; the

improvement in the UK economy, household budgets are tight and the pound in

people’s pockets has many demands on it. In 2013 we were helped by a good summer, and whilst we can

hope that 2014 is just as good; we all know that cannot be guaranteed. Whilst we have no control over

the weather, we do have control on the product we offer the general public. As a movement we can

never relax; or to use a sporting term “take our eye off the ball”. Be it in product quality or value for

money, and certainly in the area of safety, we must remain professional and fully focused in everything we

do.

During 2013 some areas have done better than others. I hope 2014 will see all the areas covered by the

HRA doing well. With your dedication, hard work and support I am sure this will happen.

A big thank you to you all.

The experience of 2013 was positive for most of our member railways, tramways

and museums, as the majority enjoyed an increase in passengers or visitors and a

commensurate rise in income. It was also a good year for the HRA, albeit for

rather different reasons. One important element in which we can all take pleasure is

the improvement in safety. Members may recall the concerns three years ago over an

increase in reportable incidents which led to a series of seminars on Safety and

Governance. The ORR believed, almost certainly rightly, that it was important to

engage those at the top of operating organisations with their responsibility for

safety. At the risk of tempting fate, I was therefore delighted to be told in October

that heritage railways and tramways had reverted to their former high standards,

as the number of incidents had dropped. However, it would be dangerous to become complacent.

It was also gratifying that our initiative of engaging with Parliamentarians in 2011 bore fruit in the setting

up of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Heritage Rail, largely thanks to our President, Lord Faulkner

of Worcester, and Nicky Morgan, MP for Loughborough. The Group this year took evidence from

various participants in the sector and published a Report on the Value of Heritage Rail, which is covered

by our President in his contribution above. Continued on page 5


That Report followed hard on the heels of a report of Industrial Heritage and Rural Tourism published by

the Transport & Tourism Committee of the European Parliament which approached the issues from a

different angle and included some findings from its own survey. After the publication of the Report, the

Committee's chairman, Brian Simpson, MEP, led a party of his committee members to visit Britain to see

the impact of railway heritage on this country.

All this has coincided with a bout of navel gazing on our part in the form of a strategic review to ensure

that the Association engages in those activities most relevant to our members. Many of the activities are

undertaken by committees, whose members are mostly volunteers actively involved in members’

operations and the Board is undertaking a review of each committee’s remit and report of actions.

We have also engaged with other partners, such as Heritage Alliance and the Transport Trust, with

whom we now share office accommodation. BESTT (Boiler & Engineering Skills Training Trust) also

shares the office; this is particularly apposite as they are drawing up apprentice schemes, having now

achieved charitable status and obtained a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). Bill Hillier and I

serve on their Board as Trustees as HRA is a major stakeholder. At the same time HRA has set up the

Heritage Engineering Training Group (HEATG) under the leadership of Mark Smith to coordinate training

in other engineering skills. We believe that there is a serious risk that railways could suffer from a

shortage of engineers with the relevant skills and is an issue that needs to be addressed.

I am pleased to report that our Rail-mounted Cableways Committee has been instrumental in improving

relationships between this sub-sector and HM Mines Inspectorate.

Internationally, HRA is an active member of FEDECRAIL (the European Federation of Museum & Tourist

Railways) and WATTRAIN (the World Association of Tourist Trams & Trains). FEDECRAIL lobbies on

the European level and has been very successful in amending directives which posed a threat to our

activities. WATTRAIN is developing its own strategy which is to focus on establishing an “Alexandria

Library” of the internet.

HRA is also in the process of setting up a mutual indemnity fund for the sector, a system which has been

so successful in other areas in keeping the cost of insurance down and we are indebted to Richard

Barnes for taking on this complex task.

Lastly, I should record two resignations from the Board during the year: first, Chris Bolt had to retire

because of health problems although we still seek his advice on regulatory matters, and Alan Greer of

Steam Museum has had to concentrate on his museum job because of the savage cuts imposed on local

authorities. At the AGM, David Madden retires by rotation and will not be seeking re-election, although

will, I hope, remain actively involved in HRA. I would like to express the Board’s thanks for and

appreciation of all their hard work and commitment in the past, particularly to David Madden who has

been a member for nearly forty years.

Continued from page 4


HRA Annual Awards 2013 WINNERS OF THE HERITAGE RAILWAY ASSOCIATION ANNUAL AWARDS 2013

These highly regarded awards will be presented at a dinner to be held at the Bath Guildhall Banqueting

Room on the evening of Saturday 8th of February 2014 during the weekend of the HRA Annual General

Meeting.

PETER MANISTY AWARD for an exceptional contribution to railway preservation.

The Winners.

London Transport Museum, London Underground and Partners for the excellent and

exhaustive programme of events to mark the 150th anniversary of the world’s first underground railway

including the successful operation of a complete steam hauled wooden bodied train.

HRA ANNUAL AWARD (LARGE GROUPS) made to a HRA member organisation for an

outstanding achievement in railway preservation.

The Winner.

The Bluebell Railway in recognition of its completing the long awaited physical link with the national

rail network which enhances the profile and business opportunities both on the railway and in the local

economy. This enormous task was made possible by the removal, mainly by rail, of a large quantity of

landfill waste material.

HRA ANNUAL AWARD (SMALL GROUPS) made to a HRA member organisation for an

outstanding achievement in railway preservation.

The Winner.

The Lynton and Barnstaple Railway Trust in recognition of it taking a major step forward in its

mission to recreate a piece of North Devon transport heritage in its original form with the restoration of

three original carriages. This was enhanced by the visit of a Lynton and Barnstaple replica Manning

Wardle locomotive in Southern Railway green. “Perchance the L&B is now wide awake!”

A Highly Commended Certificate will be presented to:

The Aln Valley Railway Society for the establishment, after many years of struggle, of a standard

gauge station and depot complex from new on a virgin site.

THE JOHN COILEY AWARD which is made for locomotive projects.

The Winner.

The National Railway Museum to acknowledge and celebrate the international co-operation and

achievement of the transatlantic partners in the movement of the “Dominion of Canada” and “Dwight D

Eisenhower” to take part in Mallard 75. This involved major input from the Friends of the National Rail-

way Museum, the National Railway Museum itself and all the groups whose generosity made this move

possible, particularly haulier MOVERIGHT INTERNATIONAL. This operation would not have been

possible without the unstinting support of Exporail: The Canadian Railway Museum and the National

Railroad Museum in the USA.

MORTON’S MEDIA (HERITAGE RAILWAY) INTERPRETATION AWARD.

The Winner.

The Purbeck Mineral and Mining Museum for the operation and return to steam of a section of the

former extensive narrow gauge mineral tramway network on the Isle of Purbeck, and for the creation of


Above: Bluebell Railway East Grinstead extension “the scale of the task”. (Photo: Nigel Longdon)

Below: “Lyd” framed at Woody Bay Station Lynton & Barnstaple Railway. (Photo: Martin Creese)


Above: Andrew Barclay 615 with replica NER signal gantry in foreground. (Photo: Dave Hewitt)

Below: “Dwight D Eisenhower”, “Dominion of Canada” & “Mallard” in the Great Hall at York. (Photo: NRM)


Above: 20227 works a train into Chinnor (Photo: Phil Marsh, Media-Operations)

Below: Eileen Clayton MBE. (Photo provided by Eileen Clayton MBE)


Above: 76084 on the East Lancs. Railway (Photo provided by Eric Bond, Publicity Officer 76084 Loco. Co. Ltd)

Below: D1015 “Western Champion”. (Photo: Paul Bickedyke)


Cover Photograph Captions:

Front Cover: “Isaac” on the 1 in 50 climb into Woody Bay Station on Lynton & Barnstaple Railway.

(Photo: provided by Peter Miles, Chairman)

Back Cover (Top): East Grinstead at last, Bluebell Railway achieve landmark goal! Picture looking towards

the Southern Station of East Grinstead. (Photo: provided by Nigel Longdon)

Back Cover (Bottom): London Underground 150 Celebrations; old meets new.

(Photo provided by London Transport Museum)

a unique museum devoted to the history and technology of ball clay mining complete with underground

mine tunnel and associated rail tracks and rolling stock, in part of the Jurassic Coast which is designated

as a World Heritage Site for the richness of its geology. The museum at Norden is not only a valuable

education resource in its own right but a quality visitor attraction adjacent to and interacting with the

Swanage Railway, a branch over which the extracted clay was shipped out, with the interchange being

recreated.

MORTON’S MEDIA (RAIL EXPRESS) MODERN TRACTION AWARD.

The Winner.

The Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway for staging an innovative modern traction event

featuring a special reinstatement of a main line connection with through running from Aylesbury and

some highly sought after guest locomotives.

Highly Commended.

A Highly Commended Certificate will be presented to the Diesel Traction Group for the standard

commercial use of a first generation heritage icon, D1015 “Western Champion”, in hauling freight trains

on the main line. It is the only diesel hydraulic locomotive in main line use.

RAILWAY MAGAZINE ANNUAL AWARD for

SERVICES TO RAILWAY PRESERVATION.

This Award will be made to Ian Allan OBE for popularising the hobby of loco. spotting by launching the

ABC number book series; for inspiring and educating a generation of enthusiasts through publication of

hundreds of quality railway publications; and for his long running sponsorship of the National Railway

Heritage Awards.

A Highly Commended Certificate.

This will be given to Eileen Clayton MBE for instigating and helping to run, for twenty one years, a

week of activities on the Ffestiniog Railway designed to get young people involved in a heritage railway,

thereby providing a valuable example to all heritage railways.

STEAM RAILWAY MAGAZINE AWARD.

This Award is given to the 76084 Locomotive Company in recognition of its efforts to return the Riddles

4MT locomotive to steam. It also recognises the significant financial contribution of its partner, the North

Norfolk Railway.


Patron: Dame Margaret Weston DBE

President: Lord Faulkner of Worcester

Deputy President: S Richard Bowker CBE

Vice Presidents: Ian Allan OBE, Allan Garraway MBE, Brian Simpson MEP

Website: www.heritagerailways.com

Board Members

All Correspondence and Enquiries to (1st Point of Contact):

Andrew Goyns, 28 George Street, Altofts, Normanton, WF6 2LT

Tel; 0800 756 5111 x 900 Fax: 0845 528 0775 E-Mail [email protected]

Chairman:

David Morgan MBE TD

12 Cheyne Gardens, London SW3 5QT Tel: 0800 756 5111 x901

Fax: 020 7222 6208 Email: [email protected]

Vice Chairman:

Mark Smith

25 Peile Drive, Taunton TA2 7SZ. Tel: 0800 756 5111 x902


Company Secretary:

Peter Ovenstone

33 Palmerston Place, Edinburgh EH12 5AU. Tel: 0800 756 5111 x331


Finance Director:

Ian Leigh

206B North Row, Milton Keynes MK9 3LQ. Tel: 0800 756 5111 x422

Fax: 01908 696422 Email: [email protected]

Geoffrey Claydon CB 3 The Park, Tamworth Street, Duffield, Belper, DE56 4ER

Tel: 0800 756 5111 x903 Email: [email protected]

John Crane 10 Hurdeswell, Long Hanborough, Oxon OX29 8DH.Tel: 0800 756 5111 x702

Fax: 01993 883384 Email: [email protected]

Bill Hillier 19 Simon de Montfort Drive, Evesham, Worcestershire WR11 4NR.


Paul Lewin Station House, Minffordd, Penryndeudraeth, Gwynedd LL48 6HF.

Tel: 0800 756 5111 x703, Email: [email protected]

David Madden 52 Station Road, Sheringham, Norfolk NR26 8RG. Tel: 0800 756 5111 x221 Fax:

01263 824924 Email: [email protected]

Brian Simpson MEP 9 Nevada Close, Great Sankey, Warrington, Cheshire WA5 5WW. Tel: 0800 756

5111 x 904. Email: [email protected]

Chris Smyth 7 Woodside, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 8BX.


Steve Wood 15 Croftlands Drive, Ravenglass, Cumbria, CA18 1SJ.

Tel: 0800 756 5111 x421 Fax: 01229 717080. Email: [email protected]


HRA Officers and Advisers

** See Board details for addresses etc. not shown below

HRA Ireland:

Chairman: Johnny Glendinning, Crunagh, 9 Highfields Court, Lisburn, Co Antrim BT28 3GF Tel / Fax: 028 9266 2181 Mobile: 07803 239 123 Email: [email protected] Vice Chairman: Clifton Flewitt, 6 Waterloo Avenue, Dublin 3, Republic of Ireland Tel: +353 1 8554081 Secretary: Brian Goodfellow, 15 Ballynaclosha Road, Tunnydonnell, Silverbridge, Co.Armagh BT35 9LS Tel: 07825 743531

Email: [email protected] HRA Archivist: Mark Sissons: Email: [email protected] Archiving Adviser: Dr Dudley Fowkes, 18 Helpston Close, Westhouses, Alfreton DE55 5AX. Tel: 01773 830520. Email: [email protected] ARPS Ltd Hon. Sec: Mike Stanbury, “Beechcroft”, Station Road, Wakes Colne, Colchester, Essex CO6 2DS Tel: 01787 224724.

Awards and Competitions:

Annual Awards: Mark Smith. ** Carriage & Wagon: Chris Smyth. ** Publications: Clifford Jones, Email: [email protected] (correspondence via HRA 1st point of contact) National Railway Heritage Awards: Clive Baker, Tel: 01366 385554. Email: [email protected]

Charities: Nigel Ward, Hollins Farm, West Lane, Haworth, West Yorkshire BD22 0ER Tel: 01535 642040

Email: [email protected]

Civil Engineering: John Buxton, Cambrian Transport Ltd, Green Farm Country House, Falfield, Gloucestershire GL12 8DL Tel: 01454 260319 Email: [email protected]

Diesel & Electric, Press Officer,

Sidelines & Broadlines Editor: John Crane. **

Disabled Facilities: Via 1st Point of Contact

Education: Stuart Gamble, 11 The Green, Newton Burgoland, Coalville, Leicester LE67 2SS Tel: 01530 271721.

Email: [email protected]

Employment: John Suggett: c/o Eldridges. Avenue House, Avenue Road, Freshwater PO40 9UZ 01983 752492 Email: [email protected]

Environmental: Tony Tomkins, Mount Pleasant House, Aspley Guise, Milton Keynes MK17 8JU. Tel: 0800 756 5111 x413. Email: [email protected]

FEDECRAIL: HRA Representatives: Peter Ovenstone **, Steve Wood. ** European Co-ordinator: Livius Kooy, De Akker 25, 7481 GA Haaksbergen, The Netherlands. Tel/fax:+31 53 57 27357. Email:

[email protected] Fire Safety: Michael Tarran, 419 Halifax Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD6 2JY. Tel: 01274 608582 Email: [email protected] Forestry: Gordon Heddon, 31 Lordsmill Road, Shavington, Crewe, CW2 5HB. Tel: 01270 568706. Email: [email protected] Historical: Vacant Internet: Andrew Goyns, 28 George Street, Altofts, Normanton WF6 2LT Tel: 0800 756 5111 x320 Email: [email protected]

InterRail Passes (Corporate): Di Akers, “Neves”, Holmewood Close, Ryde, Isle of Wight PO33 3JJ. Tel: 0800 756 5111 x425. Email: [email protected]

Legal (UK and English Law): David Morgan. ** Legal (Scottish Law): Andrew Boyd, 12. Learmonth Place, Edinburgh EH4 1AU Tel: 0131 332 3696 Email: [email protected] Loco Boilers: Contact Bill Hillier ** Lottery Grants: Jackie Cope, 30 Gledhow Drive, Oxenhope, Keighley, BD22 9SA Tel: 0800 756 5111 x333. E-mail: [email protected]

Mechanical Engineering: John Butt, The Old Stables, Grove Farm, Church Road, Stoke Hammond, Bucks Tel: 01525 270491. Email: [email protected]

Medical: Contact via Bill Hillier ** Meetings Secretary: Bill Askew, 24 Grosvenor Road, Broxbourne, Herts EN10 7JG. Tel: 0800 756 5111 x427 E-Mail: [email protected]

Membership: Private Members: Dr Alan Saunders, 31 Cedar Avenue, Malvern Link, WR14 2SF Tel: 0800 756 5111 x423 [email protected] Corporate Members: Steve Wood ** [email protected]

Museums: Rob Shorland-Ball, 216 Mount Vale, York, North Yorkshire YO24 1DL. Tel + Fax: 01904 632751. Email: [email protected]

Overseas Liaison: Richard Tapper, 39 Grange Court, Boundary Road, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 7PH. Tel: 01635 30464 Fax: 01635 35083

Public Relations: Rupert Brennan Brown, 18 Holloway Road, Duffield, Derbyshire DE56 4FE. Tel: (Mobile) 07973 950923 Email: [email protected]

Railway Heritage Register Carriage

Survey/Carriage Restoration: Michael Cope, 30 Gledhow Drive, Oxenhope, Keighley, West Yorks BD22 9SA Tel: 0800 756 5111 x333 E-mail: [email protected]

Railway Operating: Operating & Safety Committee via Bill Hillier** Rating: Roger Wilkins, 1 Shaw Street, Worcester WR1 3QQ Real Estate: Tom Carr, 18 Old Library Mews, Norwich, NR1 1ET. Tel: 01603 614030. Email: [email protected] Safety: Bill Hillier ** David Woodhouse ** Secretary-Awards Committee Clive Morris, Email: [email protected] Secretary-Business Development Barbara Barnes, Email: [email protected] Secretary-Education Committee Bill Askew, Email: [email protected] Secretary-Finance & Admin Robert Raynor, Email: [email protected] Secretary-Heritage Committee Alan Saunders, Email: [email protected] Secretary-Heritage Tramways James Hammett, Email: [email protected] Secretary-Legal Services Chris Austin, Email: [email protected] Secretary-Member Services Andrew Goyns, Email: [email protected] Secretary-Operating & Safety John Baxter, Email: [email protected] Secretary-Rail Cableways Martin Slader, Email: [email protected] Secretary-Scottish John Ransom, Email: [email protected] (John Ransom doesn’t have e-mail so e-mails sent are automatically faxed) Secretary-Training Martin Smith, Email: [email protected] Specialist Adviser: Richard Gibbon, 202 Mount Vale, York YO24 1DL. Tel: 01904 631840. Email: [email protected] Swindon Historic Castings: Andrew Goyns (Company Secretary), see 1st Point of Contact. Email: [email protected] Taxation & VAT: Martin Bairstow: Email: [email protected]

Tramways: Michael Crabtree, 31 Nevis Drive, Crewe, CW2 8UH. Tel: 01270 212778 Email: [email protected] John Shawcross, 10 Birch Avenue, Ambergate, Belper, Derbyshire DE56 2GL Tel: 01773 856116 Email: [email protected]

Young Volunteers: Liz Fuller, 261 Lower Higham Road, Chalk, Gravesend, Kent DA12 2NP: Tel: 0800 756 5111 x424. Email: [email protected]


Annual Statistical Survey 2012

Bill Hillier, HRA Returning Officer

annual report 2013 v2 1

Documents

interests of members

members interests

cumbria annual report

vice president page

hra annual awards

hra officers advisers

presidents foreward

heritage aspects