How would i go about establishing a community rail partnership?

Question

It would be in the UK and would involve opening a heritage railway to the public all year round and would have a timetable similar to services on Network Rail. The idea would be to have not just heritage services running but also modern trains running and perhaps connecting to a Network Rail line at some point. There would also be freight services where possible. It would be a not for profit organization and would contribute greatly to the local economy.
What would be the steps towards achieving this?

Answer 1

For a start, it would not be a Community Rail Partnership. That is a description given to groups that support branch lines run by one of the conventional TOCs (See current edition of Railway Magazine for a full list). Apparently, also, you can't have a full CRP where freight trains are also involved

I can only wish you a great deal of success with your project but must warn you that the idea, whilst most praiseworthy, is fraught with difficulty. For a start, you mention a possible connection to Network Rail - they would charge a great deal for that, and for freight coming off on to your line (look at the trouble it has taken the Swanage Railway to get a connection to Wareham and the West Somerset to Taunton despite the connections being in place in both cases. Wensleydale doesn't look like connecting to Northallerton in the foreseeable future despite initially having the same intentions as your group ). You might have to pay a small fortune, for example, for resignalling. Then you have to think about acquiring your 'modern trains'. Where would you get them from? Leasing costs are phenomenal. Or are you thinking of asking your local TOC to provide them? They would take a great deal of persuading. Do you have the backing of all District Councils and the County Council through which the railway runs? What is the view of local residents? What funding do you have? I don't want to seem to be pouring cold water on your idea, but I am speaking from bitter personal experience, having been involved with a now notorious heritage railway in the north-east of England which had very much the same idea, but found it was impossible when the Government withdrew its plans for 'micro-franchising' on which all plans had been predicated. If you want any more information, email me privately.