England has the good fortune to obtain money for railroad preservation projects from the Heritage Lottery Fund (through its funding stream, the National Heritage Memorial Fund). The organization has funded more than 300 projects relating to heritage railways with the total of awards being £103 million. Within this figure HLF has funded over 60 individual locomotives with awards totalling £7.6 million through March 2008.
Here are some recent projects:
NHMF grant of £1,832,750 towards the purchase of the Flying Scotsman by the National Railway Museum in York. HLF also made a grant of £275,000 for its restoration to running order.
Severn Valley Railway had a recent grant totalling £3,766,000 for its Locomotive Display Shed & Visitor Centre project, which included a grant increase of £250,000 towards the repairs to the line following June 2007 floods.
A grant of £498,500 to the Darlington Railway Centre and Museum for the re-instatement of the museum in line with its historical significance and updating the facilities to provide a modern visitor experience. Restoration was undertaken to the original station. Educational and research facilities were improved for school children as well as lifelong learners on an informal and formal basis. The sequence of displays was re-designed and contains sound effects and interactive techniques, bringing railway heritage to life. Visitor facilities were improved, with a refurbishment of the bathrooms and the addition of a new station platform cafe.
A grant of £49,900 to the Bowes Railway for the restoration of historic track to allow trains to run and recommence operation of the unique rope haulage system. The rope haulage demonstration is the essential element of special interest of the site, ensuring continuation of traditional skills.
A grant of £768,500 to the Great Western Society for the restoration of the GWR Steam Railmotor and Auto Trailer.
A grant of £154,000 to The Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust for the conservation of the 1912 London, Midland & Scottish Railway No.1 Dynamometer Car.
A grant of £48,800 to the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Association towards the restoration of two 0-4-0 Barclay steam engines to give the public and specialist groups the opportunity of steam-hauled trips up the recently reinstated historic incline to the quarries and from there to follow the association’s heritage trail.
A grant of £21,500 to the Wensleydale Railway Trust for the conservation and interpretation of a Great Eastern Type 7 Signal Box at Leeming Bar Station in North Yorkshire. Volunteers and apprentices provided the labor to complete the work, learning new skills as they did so, with some assistance from a skilled artisan. The box was restored to its original external condition using traditional skills and materials. It now fulfills its original function in controlling trains but internally will use the latest technology to do this.
At the National Railway Heritage Awards held in November 2008 three HLF funded projects won awards – the Severn Valley Railway, Darlington Railway Centre and Museum, and Richmond Station.
For more information on these organizations: www.hlf.org.uk and www.nhmf.org.uk.
See the May 2009 Trains for a feature story on successful railway preservation projects in England.
