What can we look forward to next year?

I am.
Have no plans to visit Severn Valley next year.
Glos Warks? Just the one event.

 

Shame.

 

I do take back what said about KESR and GWR engines.
I just hope they run 1638 and 4253 on the same day.
Will be nice to see a USA tank in service too, I do miss WD300.

 

Gwsr should see 2807 and 3850 (in that order) re enter traffic after overhauls, most likely from early summer onwards. The spring visitor will be a fun one, whilst plans are in full swing for the Cotswold festival of steam in May. That if it all comes to fruition is one to put in the diary!

 

I hope that 2023, sees our heritage lines able to manage the changes that must come, some people will have less disposable income, but people will still spend on leisure activities, some lines may have to go upmarket to catch that market, rather than the traditional day trip with steam, with more enthesis on fine dining etc,
Online booking, paying in advance, clearly is better for the cash flow, and this might become the preferred way, with reserved seats, and at your seat packages,
So things will need to change, but it might offset some of the down sides, Railways might have to think outside of the box, and the advent of pre booking, actually might help with selling special events,
For example, My favourite line is the MHR, and normally, you would not see an small shunting engine on passenger work, pre booking, and running when it has the line to its self, kilmersden, on the two bulleid coaches, 2, or 3 round trips, each pre booked, max of 100 people per trip, i think would sell out, on a day when you might not fill one train, and on another the ivatt, on a 3 coach set, re creating a typical branch line train , with photo opportunities at stations, prehaps with an pmv,
things the railways would not normally do, maximise the money you can make, without adding to your own costs, other than what it takes to run .

 

Churnet Valley hope to finally re-open to Leek, possibly Spring/Summer.

Return to traffic of 6046 in Spring.

Possible return of 3278 second half of year (other projects dependent).

completion of RSO 4779 overhaul for Spring (hopefully).

Planned overhauls of CCT 94581 and TSO 4046.

All is achievable - but there’s always something that crops up…

 

Another huge moment that might be in 2023; the return of no. 71000 "Duke of Glouchester"!

Knut

 

I would happily settle for nobody going bust

 

I hope that our Heritage railways can source usable steam coal or a workable substitute of some sort.

Does anyone know if the Ffos-y-fan operation in S. Wales has yet been granted an extension to continue extracting coal? Nothing recently reported on Google.

46118

 

Cant be long now for Beachy Head