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But the country railway provided more than transport. It was always part of the district it served, with its own natural history, its own legends and folklore, a staff who were at the heart of village affairs, its stations and adjoining pubs places for exchange of gossip, news and advice. Its mourners recognised that more than British Railways' statistics showed would be lost when it died. Today the preservation of old relics is an accepted thing, be they Victorian chamber pots or ancient cottages. In the early 1960's the idea of preserving a complete railway branch line was regarded as something extraordinary when preservation was largely confined to a few stately homes, official museums and private collections. Outside museums, transport relics were limited mainly to old cars, traction engines, etc. which could be stored in large garages or barns and exhibited at rallies. In the late 1960's and early 1970's many communities previously served by branch lines were wrestling with the legal and financial problems of forming railway preservation societies and setting up operating companies to make them run, raising very considerable sums of money to purchase the lines and track and the station premises from British Railways so that steam operations could be continued or re-instated even though road transport had taken over all the original functions of the local railways. The love of steam and the link with tourism to produce revenue were the basic essentials, and in some cases there was the intention to provide commuter service, linked to continuing British Rail (as it became known later) operations on main lines at one end of the branch line. Government regulations meant that the standards of maintenance and operation had to be high. In many cases previously-removed track had to be re-laid for several miles, buildings updated, repaired or built new and signalling systems, water supply and lighting provided. A daunting task even for professionals, but the amazing thing is that the vast majority of staff, who operate these steam trains in many places all over Britain, are unpaid volunteers. Obviously some foundation of engineering, building and railway operation know-how is essential, but there are relatively few salaried personnel and most volunteers learn as they go along - all ages from teenagers to senior citizens are involved and voluntarily committed to long-term service and steady progress through the ranks of responsibility and experience. The secret is that it gets in their blood - they are not merely "playing trains" - it's their railway. Years of hard work have been spent in restoring not only the "real estate" but the working machinery, the locomotives in particular (most of which were purchased from scrap yards where they had been slowly rusting away for years), and the carriages and freight cars all had to be re-furbished, repaired and re-painted. Smart appearance is a matter of pride. Most of these railways operate year-round, more regularly during the summer months, and are very popular. Additional revenues are obtained from their own shops on the platform where every type of souvenir imaginable (all good quality) is available; from buffet catering on the stations and on the trains; from "special" trains like a wine-and-dine train on Saturday evenings; to seasonal events like Christmas and other national days, and special exhibitions. While in England in May and June, I visited and rode on four such railways, from Hampshire in the south to Pickering in Yorkshire, with two in the West Midlands, all of varying lengths and scenery. And I met some very interesting people too. Leaning out of the window often meant getting smuts in my eyes, but then I knew I was really on a "proper" train again!