[1] Elsecar Heritage Railway was mothballed indefinitely when its operators surrendered their lease in November 2020, it was reported at the time that a commitment was made by Barnsley Council to reopen the site.

[2] In November 2023 Barnsley Council and Historic England announced plans to re-open the site with a track engineering college with places for 400 students each year and employment for 40 staff.

Other ideas for developing the site include a restaurant, a cycle hire centre, an outdoor performance area, and public spaces.

On 19 April 2013 the EHR built the level crossing on Tingle Bridge Lane, financed by a Director's loan, and began extending the line into Cortonwood Colliery, as the next step of the Project.

The railway is now engaged in refinements to the permanent way, together with the necessary regulatory processes (with the local authority and the Office of Rail and Road) to see the extension opened for public services.

In November 2013 the EHR received a lottery grant of £50,000 to finance the provision of a Coal Mining Memorial Park at Cortonwood Colliery,[4] a nationally important site, where the 1984/5 Miners Strike began.