BETTER NEWS FROM PITHIVIERS
The operating season started May 8th instead of Easter on the grounds of a new offensive of C19 and the ensuing third stay- at- home order .In May the turnout was rather poor except for the Belated Egg Hunting Specials weekend that was counted a succcess with 325 riders but can't be by no means likened to the Easter Egg Hunting Specials that ran in 2018 and 2019 that drew in over 700 riders. At Witsun a rail yardsale was held in the back of the museum and yielded around 3000$ but as quite a lot of artifacts are still left the yardsale will continue every operating day through 2021. The financial position of AMTP, like the one of WW&F, is sound. As it turns out, all sorts of savings of course but also governmental and local authorities subsidies and donations that are fortunately both on the rise without forgetting the yardsale have almost offset the loss of operating revenue. The feelgood- factor comes back slowly but surely among the volunteers and the leadership has found the can-do attitude again. One of the three disabled steam locomotives, very likely 080 MTP #12, will be repaired during the next off-season and will be put into operation again in 2022. A solution is in view as regards the AMTP facilities and buildings in Pithiviers that need substancial costly repairs the association can't afford in anycase. In the Fall and if everything is OK as regards the C19, the usual European Heritage Weekend will take place in late September. In October a Steam Festival to commemorate both the 55th Anniversary of AMTP and the 150th plus one year of the Schneider built locomotive that has been called off last year would be set up and held with two Germans guest steamlocomotives, the haulage would be paid by the township of Pithiviers. I'll keep you posted.