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*On 25 March the [http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2020/7/contents/enacted/data.htm Coronavirus Act 2020] was passed, emergency powers legislation under which subsequent Orders were made legally to regulate activities by the authorities in England, Scottland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
*On 17 April the partial shutdown was extended for a further three weeks. The government pay scheme for furloughed workers was extended until the end of June and would be extended again "if necessary".<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52323918 BBC Business, 'Coronavirus: Salary subsidy scheme extended into June', 17 April 2020] (Retrieved 18 April 2020)</ref>
*On 22 April Prof Chris Whitty, the government’s chief medical officer, said social distancing would have to stay in place until a vaccine was available, with “highly disruptive” distancing needed to be in place for “really quite a long period of time” and until at least the end of the year.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/22/uk-will-need-social-distancing-until-at-least-end-of-year-says-whitty Mason, R. and Proctor, K., 'UK will need social distancing until at least end of year, says Whitty', The Guardian, 22 April 2020] (Retrieved 22 April 2020)</ref>An unprecedented 20% contraction in the UK economy in April followed lockdown.
*On 10 May the government announced plans to ease lockdown restrictions in England to enable more people to go back to work, but that people should avoid public transport for social distancing reasons. At the earliest shops would not open until June and pubs and restaurants until July.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-52530518 BBC News, 11 May 2020] (Retrieved 11 May 2020)</ref> People in England should now aim to wear face coverings in enclosed spaces where social distancing is not always possible, such as on public transport and in some shops.
*On 11 May the ORR published heritage railways recovery plan guidance, reminding them always to risk assess their return to service.<ref>[https://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/42877/heritage-railway-recovery-plan-in-response-to-covid-19.pdf ORR's heritage railways recovery plan guidance, May 2020]</ref>
*On 23 June relaxations were allowed on social distancing, and opening of pubs from 4 July.
*On 17 July further relaxations were announced to allow use of public transport and, effective 1 August, updated advice on going to work, and opening most remaining leisure settings, with appropriate social distancing<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53441912 'Coronavirus: Boris Johnson sets out plan for 'significant normality' by Christmas', BBC News, 17 July 2020] (Retrieved 17 July 2020)</ref>.
*On 31 July the following day's relaxed restrictions were withdrawn following an increase in cases, leading to fears of a 'second wave'. The SVR's reopening was not affected. The three-month period to the end of July showed a further contraction in the UK economy of 7.6%. *August and September saw frequent and short notice changes in guidance with both further relaxations, local lockdowns being introduced and restrictions on overseas travel. Despite some recovery from May onwards, the UK economy in August remained 12% below the pre-pandemic levels<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/sep/11/uk-economic-recovery-from-covid-19-crisis-continues Partington, Richard, 'UK's economic recovery from Covid-19 crisis continues', The Guardian, 11 September 2020] (Retrieved 11 September 2020)</ref>.
===Timeline of events on the SVR===
*On 23 July the Railway's gala management advisory group took the decision to cancel the [[Autumn Steam Gala]] and Autumn Diesel Gala as there seemed little prospect of being able to mount safe and financially viable events that would appeal to a gala audience.
*On 27 July three days of test running started, with staff and volunteers as passengers to test operations prior to the public restart.
*On Saturday 1 August passenger services restarted as planned, with the day being a sell-out. The Fight Back Fund total was more than £800,000.<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/blaug20 Branch Lines, August 2020]</ref>*By 6 August the Fight Back Fund total was more than £900,000.*During August [[Head Office|Comberton Place]] offices were closed to visitors.<ref name="blsep20">[https://www.svrlive.com/blsep20 Branch Lines, September 2020]</ref> The same month the SVR submitted an application to the [https://historicengland.org.uk/coronavirus/funding/recovery/ Historic England Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage]. <ref name="blsep20"/> Tickets went on sale for an amended [[Christmas services]] programme. *On 20 August services for September were announced, on a Wednesday to Sunday basis, and also including a diesel diagramme (the first diesel passenger services in 2020). A limited number of seats in open carriages was included, for groups of 1-4 passengers. By mid-September variations on the plan were announced for October (Friday to Sunday, plus half-term and Ghost trains) and November (weekend) services
==Effects on the SVR==
The SVR also announced it would not be able "to make our crucial annual investment into the Railway. This amounts to £4.5million, and funds essential restorations to our infrastructure and rolling stock, along with apprentice training and a desperately needed overhaul of our IT infrastructure"<ref>[https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2020/04/severn-valley-railway-future-safe-as-416000-raised-in-appeal.html? Holden, M., Rail Advent 17 April 2020] (Retrieved 18 April 2020)</ref>.
The Railway could lose up to £6 million income in 2020.<ref>[https://www.shropshirestar.com/entertainment/attractions/2020/06/11/severn-valley-railway-to-reopen-in-august/ Shropshire Star 11 June 2020] (Retrieved 21 June 2020)</ref> It successfully applied to HSBC for a £1.5 million loan under the CBILS scheme, which alongside its existing overdraft facility would mean £3 £2.5 million available. The SVR Charitable Trust applied for won a [[:Category:Lottery funding|National Lottery Heritage Fund]] grant to support the reopening of the Railway.<refname="blaug20">[https://www.svrlive.com/epjun20 Express Pointsblaug20 Branch Lines, June August 2020]</ref> With the intervention rate for furlough payments dropping from 1 August 2020 the SVR made up to 40 roles redundant among salaried and zero hours staff who were unable to return to their previous roles, and for whom the Railway was unable to find alternative employment<ref name="blaug20"/>.
==See also==
