Let's pull together
Country Life UK|May 24, 2023
We all love to see a heritage train chugging through the landscape, but without the extraordinary volunteer dedication, many would be rusting in the sidings. Melanie Bryan selects some nostalgic journeys and Kate Green finds her local Somerset line thriving
Melanie Bryan
Let's pull together

EVERY day, across all corners of the countryside, alarms ring out at ungodly hours as a vast army rises to donate that most precious of commodities—their time—to one of Britain’s 170-plus heritage railways. Whether to serve refreshments, pull ancient points levers, tend floral displays, blow whistles or sandblast ancient, rusting components back to life, they do it free of charge and for the love of trains.

All of the ‘lost lines’—which were mainly, although not all, victims of the cuts by one Dr Beeching, a short-term chairman of British Railways (BR)—have been reclaimed by enthusiasts steadfastly keeping them open in the face of redevelopment and a frail economy. There may be comical comparisons with The Titfield Thunderbolt, a 1953 film in which villagers fought against a BR closure, but their hard work is not whimsy. The heritage railway trade is estimated to attract some £400 million annually to the UK economy.

A few lines—which would have been lost forever had it not been for the enthusiasts— have even recently been reincorporated into the national network. The Okehampton to Exeter line on Dartmoor was officially returned to the Great Western Railway fold in November 2021 after decades as a heritage line. Only last month, more than half a century since its tracks were unceremoniously torn up, the mainline track from Wareham, Dorset, was reconnected to the picturesque Swanage Railway. A victorious Peter Frost, who as a teenager in 1976 dedicated his free time to restoring the tracks, was proudly in charge of the first train to run along it.

Bu hikaye Country Life UK dergisinin May 24, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Country Life UK dergisinin May 24, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

COUNTRY LIFE UK DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
All gone to pot
Country Life UK

All gone to pot

Jars, whether elegant in their glazed simplicity or exquisitely painted, starred in London's Asian Art sales, including an exceptionally rare pair that belonged to China's answer to Henry VIII

time-read
3 dak  |
December 04, 2024
Food for thought
Country Life UK

Food for thought

A SURE sign of winter in our household are evenings in front of the television.

time-read
2 dak  |
December 04, 2024
Beyond the beach
Country Life UK

Beyond the beach

Jewels of the natural world entrance the eyes of Steven King, as Jamaica's music moves his feet and heart together

time-read
5 dak  |
December 04, 2024
Savour the moment
Country Life UK

Savour the moment

I HAVE a small table and some chairs a bleary-eyed stumble from the kitchen door that provide me with the perfect spot to enjoy an early, reviving coffee.

time-read
3 dak  |
December 04, 2024
Size matters
Country Life UK

Size matters

Architectural Plants in West Sussex is no ordinary nursery. Stupendous specimens of some of the world's most dramatic plants are on display

time-read
5 dak  |
December 04, 2024
Paint the town red
Country Life UK

Paint the town red

Catriona Gray meets the young stars lighting up the London art scene, from auctioneers to artists and curators to historians

time-read
7 dak  |
December 04, 2024
The generation game
Country Life UK

The generation game

For a young, growing family, moving in with, or adjacent to, the grandparents could be just the thing

time-read
3 dak  |
December 04, 2024
Last orders
Country Life UK

Last orders

As the country-house market winds down for Christmas, two historic properties—one of which was home to the singer Kate Bush-may catch the eye of London buyers looking to move to the country next year

time-read
5 dak  |
December 04, 2024
Eyes wide shut
Country Life UK

Eyes wide shut

Sleep takes many shapes in art, whether sensual or drunken, deathly or full of nightmares, but it is rarely peaceful. Even slumbering babies can convey anxiety

time-read
6 dak  |
December 04, 2024
Piste de résistance
Country Life UK

Piste de résistance

Scotland's last ski-maker blends high-tech materials with Caledonian timber to create 'truly Scottish', one-off pieces of art that can cope with any type of terrain

time-read
3 dak  |
December 04, 2024