Heritage Rail is reopening after being closed for nearly two years.
John Sprung, chair of the (FVHRS), announced on the society鈥檚 website they will open with a 鈥渕odified schedule鈥� for the rest of 2021.
鈥淥pening on Saturdays only, all tickets to be purchased online and include social contact information for your group,鈥� Sprung wrote. 鈥淭here will be no walk-up tickets available until further notice.鈥�
Sprung noted speeder rides would start Aug. 14 and go until Oct. 9 and tickets to ride in one half of a train car will be available online.
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鈥淭he carriages are divided with plexiglas; each ticket allows one person, or small group, to sit in their own social bubble.鈥�
He noted spur rides would start Aug. 21 and run just two weekends until the Aug. 28.
鈥淭hese rides are on our own spur line,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淭his is not a ride to Sullivan.鈥�
Sullivan journeys would then begin Sept. 4 and run until Oct. 9.
鈥淏oard at Cloverdale Station, ride on our spur to join the SRY mainline (original BCER Fraser Valley Line) to Sullivan, and return,鈥� Sprung explained.
He added the volunteers at FVHRS are happy to get back on track after such a long break. The FVHRS has not been open to the public since they ran their Christmas train in 2019.
鈥淲e will be inspecting all our equipment and re-certifying our volunteers to ensure you have a safe ride on Surrey鈥檚 Heritage Rail experience,鈥� Sprung wrote.
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Michael Gibbs, communications coordinator for FVHRS, said the society is holding a volunteer fair Aug. 7 in an effort to replenish a volunteer corps that has been depleted over the last 20 months of inactivity.
鈥淭he event will include speeder rides and tours,鈥� said Gibbs. 鈥淭he purpose of the event is twofold: to encourage visitors to consider volunteering and to view what is new at the station.鈥�
He said it鈥檚 being held as a drop-in event so that prospective volunteers and their families can see and hear the plans for Heritage Rail鈥檚 summer and fall programs. He said they are looking for people who鈥檒l enjoy participating in part of Surrey鈥檚 living history.
鈥淭here are many areas to consider volunteering, including: maintenance and restoration, tour guide, sales clerk in the gift shop, and greeter,鈥� said Gibbs. 鈥淭he station is also home to the and they鈥檙e always looking for those who would like to dress up in period costume and entertain in song and short stories.鈥�
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Gibbs said every volunteer would receive adequate training in their specified area of interest, including train restoration and railcar maintenance.
鈥淎ll this activity requires many volunteers who enjoy meeting people and sharing n the wonderful history of our city,鈥� he explained. 鈥淭he volunteer fair is crucial and will be rewarding to all those who hop on board.鈥�
Gibbs added full planning is underway for their annual Halloween train and their annual Christmas train.
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Gibbs also noted the special FVHRS exhibit is still on at the Museum of Surrey, but will be ending on Sept. 2. The exhibit covers the first 20 years of history for the group.
PAINT THE TRAIN
Gibbs said a joint project between the railway, Surrey Arts Council, and 91原创 Arts Council is also back.
In its third year, offers artists a chance to win some cash prizes for their artwork created around a specific theme. This year鈥檚 theme focuses on 鈥渢he era around the BC Electric Railway that includes both the impact of electricity on (modern day) areas of Surrey and 91原创, and includes the various Steam railway operations for freight, passengers and logging.鈥�
Entry deadline for 鈥淧aint the Train鈥� is Aug. 21 and all artworks must be submitted by Oct. 16.
The FVHRS volunteer fair runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more info on the fair, 鈥淧aint the Train,鈥� or the summer and fall programs, visit .
editor@cloverdalereporter.com
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