Heritage railway starts reserve fund as costs soar

A heritage railway has called on supporters and local businesses to help rebuild its reserves.

The Nene Valley Railway, in Peterborough, has set up a resilience fund, after warning it faced a "tricky" financial position in 2026.

Ticket sales alone do not cover its full running costs, while steam coal now costs about £3.50 a shovel, equating to £355 per round trip, it said.

Chairman Michael Purcell said: "If you value what this railway represents, now is a good time to show it."

Nene Valley Railway, which has its headquarters at Wansford station, runs for 7.5 miles (12km) and covers the stations of Overton, Orton Mere, Yarwell Junction, and Peterborough.

It has featured in 150 commercials, TV programmes and films, including the Bond film Octopussy and Queen's video for Breakthru.

In 2025, the volunteer-run railway launched an urgent appeal to raise £300,000 to help keep it running in the face of rising costs and financial challenges.

An appeal launched in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic helped stabilise its finances, but "rebuilding reserves to a secure level remains an ongoing challenge", said the railway, which relies on ticket sales, donations and a team of more than 350 volunteers to keep going.

Costs included essential overhauls, which are required every 10 years and can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds, while track renewals can exceed £120,000 per quarter of a mile (400 metres).

These costs are the minimum required to keep the railway operating safely, added the volunteers.

"The resilience fund is about making sure we are here for the long term, protecting what we have built and ensuring we can continue to offer something genuinely special for our community and visitors," said Purcell.

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