BLAENAVON’S HERITAGE RAILWAY GETS ON BOARD ‘LOVE YOUR RAILWAY’ NATIONWIDE CAMPAIGN
Blaenavon’s Heritage Railway is joining organisations from as far afield as Cornwall, Suffolk, North Wales, North East Scotland and Northern Ireland* in a new nationwide campaign to raise awareness of heritage railways.
Spearheaded by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR), ‘Love Your Railway’ is a six-week summer campaign from July 26th to September 5th, which aims to shine a spotlight on not only the important work heritage railways do with regards to conservation, education and research, but highlight how they have all been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of reduced capacities and income.
Blaenavon’s Heritage Railway is collaborating with the NYMR and over 35 other famous heritage railways, including The Bluebell Railway, Crich Tramway Village, Severn Valley Railway and Snowdon Mountain Railway.
Jamie Warner, Secretary of the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway Company (1983) Limited, said that the railway was excited to become involved in the campaign:
“After enduring the most challenging period in our 40-year history, 2021 has seen Blaenavon’s Heritage Railway return to going from strength to strength.
“We’ve experienced incredible interest and support from the public, and after initial fears about how just well visitor numbers would recover, we ended up enjoying record passenger numbers throughout May and June.
“By becoming involved in the ‘Love Your Railway’ campaign, we hope that our visitors and neighbours alike can learn more about the work that we do and discover some of the heritage and stories behind our little railway.”
Chris Price, General Manager at NYMR, said: “We’re optimistic and excited about the summer ahead, but the last 12 months have been like no other year, with lockdowns, reduced capacities due to social distancing, and staff and volunteers falling victim to the virus.
“There are more than 150 operational heritage railways, running trains over nearly 600 miles of track, which protect, conserve and bring to life part of the nation’s rich cultural heritage - giving enjoyment and learning to thousands of people every year.
“We want to do all we can to raise awareness of every heritage railway across the country and the challenges we face; all the participating railways will be posting their own social content across the six themed weeks, but we also want to encourage the public to get involved by sharing their favourite memories and inspiring imagery from their visits, using the hashtag #LoveYourRailway.”
The six themed weeks are: Heritage, Education, Volunteers, Family, Sustainability and Future.
Picture shows steam locomotive 'Jessie' charging under our unique rail-over-rail bridge with a demonstration coal train bound for Furnace Sidings.
For further information please contact secretary@pbrly.co.uk
*The full list of railways participating in #LoveYourRailway include:
● Apedale Valley Light Railway
● Bluebell Railway
● Bodmin & Wenford Railway
● Bure Valley Railway
● Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway
● Colne Valley Railway
● Crich Tramway Village
● East Somerset Railway
● Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways
● Foxfield Railway
● Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway
● Great Central Railway
● Head of Steam, Darlington
● Isle of Man Steam Railway
● Isle of Wight Steam Railway
● Keighley & Worth Valley Railway
● Keith & Dufftown Railway
● Lathalmond Railway Museum - Shed47
● Lincolnshire Wolds Railway
● Lynton & Barnstaple Railway
● Mid Suffolk Light Railway
● Northampton & Lamport Railway
● North Dorset Railway
● Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway
● Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway
● Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway
● Severn Valley Railway
● Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway
● Snowdon Mountain Railway
● South Devon Railway
● South Tynedale Railway
● Spa Valley Railway
● Stephenson Railway Museum
● Vale of Rheidol Railway
● West Somerset Railway
● Whitehead Railway Museum
● Whitwell & Reepham Railway