Brian Craven is deputy chair of the South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society, which has run as a society since 1983 but started in the early seventies.
The group is working to reopen a nineteenth century railway closed by British Rail in 1976. The service from Haltwhistle to Alston provides a vital, environmentally-friendly link between towns that rely on tourism to survive.
The railway has been supported by two grants from Power to Change, most recently £207,310 towards the creation of a ‘railway experience’ package for sale to the general public, by restoring a steam locomotive.
1. What do you do?
I joined the railway as an active volunteer about 15 years ago, because I had always wanted to be a steam engine driver since I was a little boy. I’m now deputy chair and in my spare time I get to drive the steam engine.
2. What is the point of the project?
The founding aim is to create a viable, sustainable, all-year-round community railway and the vehicle we’re using to do this is conservation and contemporary use.
3. When was the moment you decided to do this?
It was seeing the steam engine called Barber at Armley Mills Industrial Museum in Leeds in 2003. I suggested that someone should get it out and restore it. A museum engineer said, “You could always write a letter.” So I did and nine months later they said yes!
Then I had to find a railway to put it on.
4. What’s been your proudest moment so far?
There are many, including opening the railway to Slaggyford Station in July 2017, which brought trains to the village for the first time in 40 years.
But the thing I’m most proud of is being part of a team of volunteers and the staff, especially one that has achieved so much over so many years. To name just one, there’s a guy called Sean Wilson, who has put in decades of effort, often unseen, and I admire that effort and sustained input by him and so many others.
5. What’s been hardest?
The hardest thing is communicating the vision to those who you really think ought to understand it, especially to those who have the capacity to make decisions that affect what we do and how readily we’re able to do it.
There are not many heritage railways in the north of England – but there are a few successful ones like the Yorkshire Moors, the Aln Valley, the Ravenglass and Eskdale, but not that many in the far north.
Go to Wales and the south where heritage railways have been a huge boost to the local economy. Although some have had battles, the economic and social community benefits in terms of creating jobs is just huge.
Research by the University of Bangor in North Wales has shown a substantial and sustained economic benefit to the local community.
6. What drives you when it gets hard?
We had a terrible winter in 2010 and temperatures of minus 16 degree centigrade: it was really cold. Then we had a poor summer.
Spring has sprung in the North Pennines! Gorgeous blue skies above you as you travel today. pic.twitter.com/BvQsWfxBeo
— South Tynedale Railw (@strps_rail) April 19, 2018
The number of visitors to the Pennines dropped 30 per cent in 2011. With nearby and stiff competition from the Lake District and Northumberland National Parks, and the Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site, the situation for the railway was serious. The thing that motivated me then was not being prepared to let 30 years voluntary effort go down the tubes.
7. What’s the next step?
We open the extension to Slaggyford, and get trains running regularly to the village first. The objective is to get back to Haltwhistle. Our earliest target date is 2022, but this relies on everyone being supportive and being able to complete the work in a reasonable timeline.
We’re actively working on that now. We’re looking to recruit a Friends of South Tynedale group for people that are interested in renewable technologies, the environment, the built landscape, all the features that South Tynedale has to offer. It’s about getting the support to get the railway reopened in its entirety.
Our volunteer crew today are Derek (driving) and Paul (guarding) and in the signal box we have Mike Moore. Don’t forget to give them all a wave and say hello to Kimberly who is staffing our shop today. Here are Derek and Paul in action! pic.twitter.com/wabAxh8SZx
— South Tynedale Railw (@strps_rail) April 19, 2018
9. How will the outcome of the EU referendum affect what you do?
EU rules as they are applied in the UK restrict the amount of support the state can provide for any organisation operating as a business, whether not for profit or not. Usually this is in the region of £200,000 over three years, but we need £25- to £30 million to build a railway. Continually fighting for relatively modest amounts of support is rather absurd and needs to change.
Once we’re outside the EU, there is no need for state aid rules. The UK Government will then have the capacity to decide how and where it invests public money that can be considered state aid, without having to satisfy EU regulations. We wouldn’t be giving the money to Europe to give back to us, doing away with a number of tiers of bureaucracy.
The majority of the railway’s visitors come from the UK. The fall in the value of the pound has had quite a benefit for us, we have seen an upturn in tourism from the UK and from elsewhere as overseas visitors find their money goes much further.
10. What would you say to someone looking to do something similar?
Think of something else to do!
It’s National Tea Day and a perfect excuse to treat yourself to one of our scrumptious homemade cakes or tray bakes at our Crossing Cafe! #nationalteaday #kettleson #anyexcuseforcake #milknosugar pic.twitter.com/QrK071m321
— South Tynedale Railw (@strps_rail) April 21, 2018
But if you do decide to go ahead, go into it with your eyes open. Never, ever quit; always adapt and persist; don’t take no for an answer.
11. What does community mean to you?
People of common interest.
We’re trying to develop a friends group, quite a substantial group to comprise communities of interest. This could be geographic, for those in Alston, Tynedale, Haltwhistle and the north. But it is also for railway enthusiasts, those who have an interest in renewable technologies, those who love the environment and want to protect it from roads and those who want to bring visitors to the area in an environmentally-friendly way.
