Granite Line Ltd revives Dartmoor operations

摘要

Trains ran on the Dartmoor Railway again in August. Granite Line Ltd - a new company formed by five Dartmoor supporters, including former manager Roger Webster -revived passenger services using an ex-Southern Region "Thumper"diesel unit. British American Rail Services (BARS), the line's American-based owners, suspended all services in May (RM May) and since that time no trains had run over the Dartmoor line, other than a pre-booked June charter. Mr Webster, who had been obliged to cancel plans for the season - including hired steam operations between April and October - then stood down from his managerial role. BARS envisaged running solely dining trains (plans that were dropped after volunteers declined to support them in the absence of heritage operations) and a repeat of Christmas 'Polar Express'operations. As previously reported/Polar' operations were profitable at BARS'other line (the Weardale Railway), but the Dartmoor version lost money.