Scottish Railway Preservation Society on track to preserve history

Scottish Railway Preservation Society deputy chairman Jim Paterson at Bo’ness and Kinneil Station.

Two centuries ago, the modern railway was born – changing the face of Britain and the world forever. And, for more than a quarter of that time, one charity has been powering ahead to keep the history of Scotland’s railway alive.

Now, in this 200th anniversary year, the Scottish Railway Preservation Society reveals how Covid lockdowns, train strikes, and a safety overhaul costing more than half a million pounds could have derailed its mission to bring rail’s rich history to the people.

But it avoided the buffers thanks in large part to its donors, the 1,100-plus members and 300 active volunteers.

The charity that encompasses the Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway, the Museum of Scottish Railways, and a rail tours arm launched in 1970, is not only rocking, rolling and riding again, but it is steaming ahead with a spectacular new tour.

Still on track

The May 10 return trip will be the society’s first to depart from the new Leven Station – part of the £116 million Levenmouth Rail Link that last year, for the first time in more than half a century, reconnected the seaside town and Cameron Bridge to the rail network. A full day heritage train tour to Oban with a three-and-a-half hour stop-over, the outing will take in some iconic and spectacular sights.

Jim on board with chairman Andrew Wells. — Jim Paterson on board with chairman Andrew Wells.

Society chairman Andrew Wells, joined by his deputy Jim Paterson, a volunteer for 18 years, 14 of them as a rail tour manager and organiser, told The Sunday Post: “We are the only preservation society in the UK that has a rail tour arm. The rail tours originated as, and continue to be, a means of raising revenue to preserve the best of Scottish railway history.

“Given that we are, this year, celebrating 200 years of railway history, to know that for over a quarter of that the SRPS has been running rail tours is fantastic.”

The Scottish Railway Preservation Society, this year marking its 55th anniversary, runs trips across Scotland, going as far south as Newcastle and Crewe and as far north as Inverness and Loch Alsh.

Jim – who became a railway buff after his stepchildren gifted him and his wife a tour – said: “The tour to Oban is the first to leave from Leven and an extra-long platform was built to accommodate the tourist train. It goes past Loch Lomond and Garelochhead, and climbs up into the Trossachs and the Highlands, and there is the chance to go over the Forth Bridge.”

Catering and refreshments, including alcohol, are available on board, he said, with a first-class dining option served by liveried stewards at the table “with the chef in attendance.” But gaining traction wasn’t easy, with some potential blocks along the way.

Andrew explained: “Times did get tough during Covid. The heritage railway had to close, the rail tours couldn’t run, and then as they were emerging out of the Covid period, there was a whole series of strikes on the network.”

Vice Chairman Jim Paterson in uniform on board a refurbished train.

He said March 2023 saw the introduction of new safety regulations that meant some of their 70-year-old carriages had to be stripped back to the bare metal and internal frames rebuilt to ensure they were fit for purpose. Central door locking systems also had to be installed to ensure passengers could not open the doors while in transit.

He said: “Our carriages weren’t ready, and we had to take them off the rails, and find a lot of money for the overhaul. We have 19 carriages in total, but at present we are refurbishing 10 for use back on the main line.”

Five are finished and three are close to completion with the final two expected to be back in operation later in the season, he said.

But the society – whose carriages date to the 1950s and 1960s and are pulled by a combination of vintage engines from electric traction engines of the 60s to steam locomotives from the 1920s and 30s – has so far stumped up about half a million pounds for the work.

Donors’ generosity

Andrew, a finance executive for a high street bank, revealed: “We are probably looking at adding another £100,000 to £200,000 on top of that. The central door locking system costs about £100,000.”

He added: “The funding is from donors who have given generously over the years, and we had some reserves from rail tours gone by. For every year we have lost the programme it has effectively cost us £200,000 worth of profit.

“So, we have had to dig deep into our reserves. We are fortunate that people love what we do at the society. Not only do they donate but we have been fortunate to have been left legacies that we have had to dip into, although our preference is not to use those.

“And then we agreed a deal with The Royal Scot Trust in Crewe – part of the Locomotive Services Group – last year which gave us a down payment for the use of some of our carriages that has helped fund the conclusion of the overhaul.

“They provide some of the traction and the operating crew for some of the trains, like the drivers and the guards, but all the stewards are volunteers from the SRPS.

“Some of the tours in August are going to be pulled by the steam loco Sir Nigel Gresley, which is the sister loco of Mallard, the world steam record holder. It will be nice to see it on the Forth circle and going up to Aberdeen. The tour ties in with the Edinburgh Festival, and we will have waiters and actors from Fawlty Towers dishing out food.

“The volunteers and members have been supporting us so long to get to this point. It has been hard work but to be able to say we are coming out the other side of that and bringing joy to everyone who travels on these tours is amazing. We can’t be happier with the response we have had. It’s incredible.”

For more information on Scottish Railway Preservation Society tours visit: srpsrailtours.co.uk