PLEAS have been made to revive a once-popular heritage railway which attracted visitors from across the globe - after one of its long-standing volunteers urged authorities to act.
Harry Stenton began volunteering at Elsecar Heritage Railway in February 1998 but stepped down - along with many others - when the Covid-19 pandemic took hold in 2020.
The line operated an out-and-back tourist route on a one-mile-long section of the branch using steam and diesel locomotives, previously running between Rockingham station - at the back of the Elsecar Heritage Centre - and Hemingfield Basin.
Its custodians had planned to eventually operate the line into Cortonwood, with a new halt at Hemingfield, doubling the length of the line to two miles before the project was ditched due to cash.
The lease was surrendered in November 2020 and despite a joint bid from Barnsley Council and Historic England to give it a new lease of life mainly in the form of a 400-place track engineering college, the £25m plan has not yet come to fruition.
Harry now fears that its precious infrastructure could be lost to the elements for good.
He said: “Myself and dozens more operated the railway until Covid took its toll and we had to shut down.
“Elsecar Heritage Railway was created after the colliery closed and money was sanctioned by the European Funding Commission to build stations and reopen the line and terminate at the Earth Centre, Conisborough, but this never happened.
“Our railway was among the most-visited heritage railways in the country.
“We had Easter specials, summer dining trains, Thomas the Tank Engine, remembrance events, Halloween trains and Santa trains all way through December, which were all sell-outs.
“We also had steam and diesel experience courses which attracted people from countries from all over the globe.
“We also allowed new mainline workers a safe environment to learn track-laying skills.
“However, my favourite was to have a mother and father and their twin nine-year-old boys come over from Australia to be involved with our Thomas the Tank Engine weekend.
“These lads were suffering a life-threatening disease and visited thanks to funding from the Wishbone Trust, an Australian charity.
“Anyone who visits our station site now will be totally disgusted as what was once a good railway and sidings and workshops are now a bomb site.
“It is just a matter of time before the railway line to Cortonwood will be removed as scrap metal, despite thousands of pounds being spent over the years on this wonderful railway.
“It seems such a sad waste of time, effort and money.
“Surely we can offer something which has much to shout about?
“We’ve even had King George V and Queen Mary going underground at Elsecar.”
Elsecar has remarkable surviving heritage, including extensive industrial and archaeological sites, and is home to the world’s oldest steam engine still in situ, constructed at Elsecar New Colliery in 1795.
The village’s last colliery closed in 1983 and in the 1990s, Elsecar Heritage Centre was created centred on its Victorian workshops.
More than 600,000 are estimated to visit each year, including the village’s park, reservoir, canal and Trans Pennine Trail.
Coun Robin Franklin, cabinet spokesperson for regeneration and culture, said: “The former heritage railway trust faced major difficulties a few years ago which resulted in the lease for the land being transferred back to Barnsley Council.
“The rolling stock and engines were never given to the council.
“We developed a vision for a new heritage railway attraction, a rail college and a new locomotive powered by sustainable fuels.
“This ambitious vision was designed to suit the funding schemes available at the time through the last government.
“Unfortunately we did not secure the multi-million pound investment required to deliver this vision.
“We know it will take time to make any new developments a reality considering the challenging financial landscape for projects like this.
“We are revisiting these plans in the coming months as part of a master-planning exercise for the whole site to assess what might be possible.
“We are however pleased to have secured £3.2m of Cultural Development Fund investment which is improving and reopening buildings across the Elsecar Heritage Centre site, including the recently opened new visitor centre.
“These improvements all make a huge difference at Elsecar, creating a welcoming, inclusive and exciting experience for all at this fantastic visitor attraction which Barnsley can be proud of.”
Stephanie Peacock, who represents the Barnsley South constituency, added: “The regeneration of Elsecar Heritage Railway has been an ongoing issue for a number of years and I have been pleased to visit the site on a number of occasions.
“I know that this is an important project for a number of people in our community, paying tribute to our local history.
“As the local MP, I am happy to lend my support to the project.
“Thank you to the brilliant volunteers who continue to work hard to ensure that the regeneration goes ahead.”
