Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

I have lost track a bit ...is anyone able to list all the companies and societies that make up the L and B whether formally linked or not?

 

The Lynton and Barnstaple Railway Trust
the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway CIC
the 762 Club
Manning Wardle and Co Ltd
Blackmoor PLC

Exmoor Associates CIC
Yeo Valley Trust

The top five are linked where as the bottom two are not linked to the L&BR Trust but in my opinion they do just as good a job.+-

 

I do hope that one of the questions asked at Woolhanger today was "Why, given its extensive, and as yet unfulfilled, remit, has Exmoor Enterprise been wound up?"

 

You might not hear then, if contracts have not yet been exchanged then then I doubt you will hear anything. In any case shareholders should hear first.

 

Knowing the people concerned I think they will want to say something to all those that attend, even if it is just to ask them to empty there wallets for more money to buy the place.

I can't say for certain, but it wouldn't surprise me if there has been some touchy questions asked, if they say anything they will be dammed if they do or dammed if they don't they simply can't win either way. Should we then go on to lose the Section 73 planning, the mood at the AGM is going to be very hostile to say the least.

While I haven't mention this before It has come to my attention that the number of dissatisfied members has continued to grow over the last year, but just how many that is I don't know, I also don't know what each persons issue is with the railway, it may well be that they are not seeing as much progress as they would like to see.

In all honesty some progress should have been produced during the lockdown, as we have all had to find different ways to work over that period.

It certainly didn't help that Exmoor Association managed to purchase Bratton Fleming, which in my mind should have been done and dusted with the backing of the Trust, but that is a debate for a later date.

I still believe that we have to find a solution to bring all the trackbed and stations together under just one legal body and it needs to be done in such a way that even if this project fails none of it can be sold off. But it would still be there for another attempt to rebuild it.

 

An odd thing to say, what do you mean by that then?

 

What I mean is that it has put extra pressure on the Trust to come up with something positive before the next AGM.

I would like to suggest that if buying trackbed is your thing then why not join Exmoor Association https://www.exmoor-associates.co.uk/ in this long term project, they are very good at it. Mike tells me they are talking to a few more landowners so more funds will be required to make this all happen.

 

Bratton Flemming is in the area which Exmoor associates is purchasing trackbed so it is totally appropriate that they purchased it.

 

It shouldn't put any pressure on anybody. EA just do their thing, they are not faster or better, they just buy as and when they can. Sometimes no buses come along, and then you get three at once.
From the little I know the purchase of OSHI has been very complicated, and I do not see that as a reflection on the trust. We should be glad that it is finally coming to fruition.

Buying Bratton Fleming was no sincecure either, EA kept telling the estate agent they were interested, and he took no notice, and came within a hair's breadth of selling it to someone else!

So we do our best. I hope that EA can surprise us soon with the next two, which have been brewing for a while and which, perhaps like OSHI, are prevented from that final act to reach a conclusion by stuff. Jeez!

I'm pretty pleased about it all really. Maybe shareholders of the OSHI purchase might be invited to a meal there? That would be a fitting reward.

 

As far as I know the Trust has never indicated any wish to get involved with trackbed purchase below Wistlandpound reservoir, or north of Woody Bay, but I have been told that Exmoor Associates have talked to many of the land owners along the entire trackbed in the past and have always come away with a feeling that something could always happen.

 

I think you'll find that @Breva is already there.

 

I am not saying that it does bring pressure unless you see it that way, but the last time I went to an AGM the question was raised and certain people where not very happy about it being raised.

The purchase of the OSHI should be straight forward, but the trouble has been that the goalpost keep changing and as far as I know still are, it was described to me as as trying to pick up an eel while your hands are covered in soap.

Don't get me wrong I want this all to happen, but the longer it all drags on the more difficulties we face and at present I can't see any one come out of this smelling of roses right now.

If you are an OSHI shareholder having a meal will be one of the peaks of being one. But as the old saying says there is never a free meal.

 

Indeed. And that one would have cost at least £500.
Let's not be too pessimistic yet. Eh?

 

So presumably Exmoor Enterprise is not the same organisation as Exmoor Associates? Is it yet another organisation - it wasn't presented in this list:

And who or what are OSHI, who also seem to have shareholders?



Tom

 

The OSHI = Old Station House Inn, ie the ex-Blackmoor station which a group (Blackmoor plc?) are trying to buy though a share issue.

AIUI Exmoor Enterprise is/was more of an 'initiative' than a formal organisation, being a grouping of a number of railway Trustees - but I stand to be corrected on that one.

 

Exmoor Enterprise was formed by the Trust, and headed by Peter Miles. It has recently been wound up (as reported on here).
EA is totally different.
OSHI is the Old Station House Inn, aka Blackmoor station. This company is dedicated to the acquisition, via an ongoing (class B- no voting rights) share issue.

 

go to the L&B website, scroll to the bottom of the page, click L&B archive, hover over 'supporters' click on Exmoor Enterprise

 

Maybe a letter of gratitude or a personal phone call of thanks should be given to the shareholders when the deal is complete and by all means invite the shareholders to a meal as long as they pay for it, with what the OSHI will cost it will have to start paying its way immediately and in the current climate that will be no mean feat and every penny will count

 

As an aside, but also as a 'sign of the times'......

Until recently - when my (hopefully temporary) mobility problems put paid to regular long country walks - I used to go out at least one day almost every week for a long walk in the country with lunch at a pub on the way round. Apart from the fact that many of the pubs which I used to visit have either closed down completely, or restricted their opening hours/days to such an extent that it is often no longer possible to visit them anyway, the sheer scale of some prices there for such basic staples as "a sandwich + a pint" etc is becoming almost unaffordable for those of us on a fixed income. The days of going out for lunch 'on a whim' have passed and 'economic rationing' is now the rule. One pub to which I used to go quite regularly was often jammed full by 1:00 pm and without prior booking it would be impossible to get a table - now I can be there at noon and have the place to myself until about 1:30pm. Frankly I don't know how such places manage to cling on :-(