Partnership between Network Rail and heritage railway - Severn Valley

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)

A heritage railway is to work in partnership with Network Rail to share expertise and resources.

Severn Valley Railway, which runs trains between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth, said it would receive spare materials, trackside equipment and track components.

In exchange, Network Rail will be able to train its teams on the railway.

The Severn Valley Railway said it would create "significant savings" at a time of rising costs and reduced income.

The railway said this contract was the first of its kind in Britain and could become a model for other heritage railways to adopt.

Which other heritage railways would this arrangement help?

[Electric train]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)

A heritage railway is to work in partnership with Network Rail to share expertise and resources.

Severn Valley Railway, which runs trains between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth, said it would receive spare materials, trackside equipment and track components.

In exchange, Network Rail will be able to train its teams on the railway.

The Severn Valley Railway said it would create "significant savings" at a time of rising costs and reduced income.

The railway said this contract was the first of its kind in Britain and could become a model for other heritage railways to adopt.

Which other heritage railways would this arrangement help?

There have been adhoc arrangements with several Heritage Railways over the years.  NR^» (Network Rail - home page) send its graduates / apprentices and volunteers usually office based staff to have experience days; there no exchange of good or chattels, the Heritage Railway gets some work done the NR staff get a boots on ballast experience in a safer environment than an operational mainline, TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) also will use heritage railways and many mainline contractors will use heritage railways to train staff

NR wants to be community minded, the Seven Valley Railway arrangement looks is great news and well done to the team that made it happen

[johnneyw]

Which other heritage railways would this arrangement help?

Early thoughts from me is that the Great Central could be a contender being the only double tracked mainline heritage railway in the country....perhaps even more so when the north and south sections are finally reconnected.
There's not going to be much scope anywhere though for training on electrified lines.

[ChrisB]

Sounds as though West Somerset might engage with them. Start chatting about serving TAU^» (Taunton - next trains)?

[broadgage]

Sounds as though West Somerset might engage with them. Start chatting about serving TAU^» (Taunton - next trains)?

There have been previous examples of cooperation between NR^» (Network Rail - home page)/WSR and hopefully this will continue and be expanded,