RAILTOURS 2021 - MARCH / APRIL? What chance...

Lockdown has seen everything sadly cancelled during February, was going to see if any of the March ones survive, and that doesn't seem to be the case either looking at the list of tour operating services, so perhaps April / May at the earliest for 2021. The opening week in April sees the West Coast Railways steam railway tour 'The Jacobite' a regular daily service from Fort William to Mallaig and return hopefully that will be the start of a return to service with Easter a traditional popular period for heritage railways and tours. 

Let's take a look at some of the forthcoming tours from different tour operating companies as things stand right now, appreciate that things will continue to change from week to week;

http://www.ukrailtours.com
THE WEST HIGHLAND AND ROYAL DEESIDE
Friday 9 April to Monday 12 April 2021

Already deferred from April 2020 looks like this one has again been delayed. 

THE MERCHANT OF NORFOLK
Saturday 24 April 2021

A springtime trip from London over to Norwich sounds appealing enough, but add to that our favourite locomotive, the magnificent Merchant Navy class Pacific 35028 ‘Clan Line’, and we have a perfect Main Line Steam tour on our hands. This will be the first time in over two years that Clan Line has hauled a non-Pullman railtour, and it’s also her first trip to Norwich ever!

https://saphostrains.com/trips-tours/
This operator has updated their site and the first available rail tours are not until early May 2021. 

THE FELLSMAN TOUR 12th MAY 2021
The popular ‘Fellsman’ runs again in summer 2021 for its 13th season offering a 300-mile return steam hauled journey from Crewe on the spectacular ‘Settle to Carlisle Railway’ as we travel through the Yorkshire Dales and climb high towards the roof of England. With at least a dozen tours showing on the site around the country during May and June it's a very positive sign and hopefully a return to Steam action on the mainline. 

https://www.statesmanrail.com/
Another operator with plenty of planned tours for May and June, the 1st May offering a trip from Ely to Llandudno. 
“The Statesman” land cruise train travels across the Cheshire Plain with views of Beeston Castle, then through the Roman Walls of historic Chester and after crossing the River Dee we take the route along the spectacular Welsh coast past Rhyl and Colwyn Bay offering sweeping sea views for a visit to the beautiful Victorian seaside resort of Llandudno with its two sandy bays and traditional pier. Also the location for the Great Orme railway and links to Blaenau Ffestiniog although not sure if these will reopen in time as Wales have their own rules. There are plenty of interesting tours planned though. 

The Branch Line Society

While current tours are cancelled hoping to be rescheduled, they are asking for interest in overseas tours to Germany and Poland. I think in light of Travel restrictions you need to take additional care to research these beforehand, but at least they are European tours and in spite of Brexit should still be possible. The Branch Line Society do put on some interesting and unique tours.

THE BRANCH LINE SOCIETY 'ISLAND OF IRELAND' -- THE CORK STOPPER SUNDAY 19th MAY 2019

The Branch Line Society is delighted to announce its second unusual lines charter train in conjunction with Irish Rail. Traversing unusual lines in County Cork and County Kerry, there will be a leg stretch break in Tralee and a photo stop at Mallow. 

The society have already been travelling around Ireland with private BLS only tours but this one is open to non members too. Highlights of this tour include the Cork station avoiding line, the remains of the former line to Youghal at Midleton (and the rarely used non-preferred platform), Killarney avoiding line, engineer's sidings at Cobh / Banteer / Rathmore, and a number of other crossovers / little used platforms particularly at Tralee Platform 2.

The train will be formed of a Tokyu Car Corporation built Class 2600 DMU with free Wi-Fi and toilet. As usual, there will be an on-train raffle with proceeds donated to Railway Children. It is hoped there will be a trolley service of drinks and light refreshments. A souvenir map, ticket and route guide will be provided to all participants. The train is strictly limited to a maximum of 130 passengers. 

Our route, validated and bid by Irish Rail Operations Planning and Performance, is as follows: 

Cork P4 (PU 08.40) – Midleton P2 (rev) – Signal CE491 (rev) – Midleton P1 (above) – Midleton Siding, the extension on the Yougal side of the station which deviates off the former branch, (rev) – Cork P3 (rev) – Cobh P1 (rev) – Signal CE468 – Cobh Siding (rev) – Cork Loop (Station Avoiding Line) – Mallow P1 (rev) – Banteer Siding (rev) – Signal T203 (rev) – Banteer loop – Rathmore Dn Siding (rev) – Signal TL226 (rev) – Rathmore (main platform) – Killarney Check (avoiding the station) – Farranfore loop – Tralee P2 (rev) (lunch break 13.41/14.30) – Farranfore (main platform) – Killarney Check (rev) – Killarney P2 (rev) – Rathmore loop – Banteer (main platform) – Mallow P3 (rev / SD 15.58) – Cork P5 (SD 16.44) 

There are service trains to Dublin Heuston departing Tralee (P1) 13.45 (arrives Dublin Heuston 17.38) Mallow 16.49 (arrive 18.52) and Cork 17.25 (arrive 19.53). 

About the Branch Line Society
The Branch Line Society (BLS) is a UK-based voluntary association for railway enthusiasts. It is a nationally spread organisation with a membership of nearly 2,000 (including a few resident overseas). It was established in 1955 and is widely recognised as Britain's leading amateur group for the study of railway infrastructure and history of networks (and not nowadays, despite its title, just minor lines). It pursues its aims by a news service, mainline, heritage and private rail-tours and visits, and the production and distribution of publications.
The society place emphasis on the physical works and on operating arrangements, rather than motive power and rolling stock. Whilst seeking to record matters of history accurately for archive purposes, a prime aim is to publicise coming events and activities.