The Churnet Valley Railway is delighted to announce it will be operating services again from the 1st August 2020, in line with Government guidance.
After the embers of their steam locomotives’ last fires had died down on the 15th March 2020, the Railway went into an enforced closure from the 24th March 2020 with all offices and workshops being closed for three weeks. During this time the Railway has not sought to raise funds by means of an emergency appeal to the public, acknowledging their supporters’ own challenges, and instead has relied upon their Bank, the support of their ever-loyal staff, the supporting Charity 'The North Staffordshire Railway Company (1978) Ltd' plus exceptionally supportive suppliers to the company.
The pandemic has severely affected the Railway however, with lost income from not operating its 2020 season as planned. Whilst the goodwill may continue, nevertheless the current situation is not sustainable, and so the railway is now looking for support from the public, by people buying a ticket and travelling on the revamped services. Your support will make a tremendous difference, helping to secure the future of the Railway.
Gradually, the line has awoken from this slumber and looks forward to welcoming passengers again from the 1st August 2020. This will be a phased reopening with a reduced timetable and the suspension of all special events, until the re-arranged Borders Explorer weekend on 7/8 November. This will be followed by the traditional Santa Specials, commencing in late November and throughout all of December - again all subject to Government guidance.
As is the case now in many walks of life, the new ‘normal’ of how the Railway operates has changed. To help maximize the segregation of passengers, please read the FAQ’s on how the railway will be operating until further notice.
https://www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk/news/post-lockdown-services