The Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway has announced that it will not resume train operations in Summer 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The railway is based in the Skegness Water Leisure Park, which opened on the 4th July 2020.
The LCLR had been planning to celebrate its 60th anniversary of being the first heritage railway in the world to be built by enthusiasts.
The railway opened on 27th August 1960 on its original site in North Sea Lane, near Cleethorpes, from where it carried passengers to a nearby beach and holiday camp. The railway closed this site in 1985 and moved to the Skegness Water Leisure Park.
Events had been planned for 2020 to mark the anniversary.
Chairman of its Historic Vehicles Trust, Richard Shepherd, said: “We have decided to postpone everything to next year. Some of our volunteers are still self-isolating because of the pandemic; others have work commitments which limit the number of days on which they could operate trains. That would have made it difficult to staff and operate our trains to meet the requirements of the Office of Rail and Road and other statutory bodies, to ensure the safety of passengers and volunteers. Their safety has to be our priority”.
Railway spokesman John Chappell said: “We're sorry for the disappointment our decision will cause, but hope people will understand the reasons for our decision. In the meantime, the volunteers will continue with restoration, renovation and preparation of the Railway for when it can reopen”.
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