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Peak Rail Annual Report and Action Group

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by huochemi, Aug 11, 2017.

  1. crantock

    crantock Member

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    [​IMG]

    The power of theatre. This is the scene after the arrival of the 11.15 from Bishops Lydeard at Minehead today. The point is the thing they are watching a loco being turned.

    You could do the same at Rowsley.

    Similarly, the PRAG suggested removing the Matlock box-an alternative is to open it to visitors.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  2. T'Bogger

    T'Bogger New Member

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    I don’t think anyone is saying Peak Rail will be able to compete with the likes of those Railway you mention. That ship may well have sailed 20 years ago.

    It feels like people are more lamenting what could have been and given the current situation and climate are making suggestions, if not how to turn the railway around, then save it from imploding, given the perceived financial situation.

    Who knows how things will turn out. I just don’t want Peak Rail to fail. Besides putting 24 years of my life into the railway (and others much more) the railway has the potential to give so much to those who support it, the visitors and the local economy and community.

    It just needs new life breathing into it somehow. Unfortunately it feels like the current situation is doing the opposite. It’s like it all needs to come to a head and the ice broken.

    I wish I had the answers. All I long like to see, and I’m guessing everyone here who is making the effort to post does, is Peak Rail thrive and be the best it can be. Of course opinions will vary on what the definition of ‘best’ is....
     
  3. Lax ambition

    Lax ambition New Member

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    It wasn't a slip of the keyboard, the comment about the Darley Dale footbridge in post #437, I was hoping that the forum would have a closer look at Darley Dale... while on holiday I've looked through some old "Peak Express / Steam in the Peak" mag's, negotiations started for the lease of the down building in 2011, the D&WVRT's website (today) still say's they are negotiating!!!! The building is no-brainer for conversion to holiday accommodation just like the S and C Trust have done at Ribblehead.

    Whilst away I called at the East Kent Railway at Shepherd's Well, no trains running, but a gang were working on a "thumper" and another group on an 08. Here's the thing, the buffet was open for the working parties, but also using the facilities were several mothers with children and "locals" making use of the "woods walks" that is part of the railway operation. This is the point about the EKR operation, the buffet was a new building that wasn't there last year! Apart from a plastic tent erected by the owner of two coaches, there is no undercover restoration / stock maintenance buildings, but their General Manager is always looking for ways to increase revenue.

    In the Annual Report for the year ended 31st December 1998, page 20 item 18 Legal Dispute, Deterioration of a Railway Carriage - resolved in April 1999 upon payment of £13,000 - in the 1999 Financial Statement, page 2, the cost is £23,000 with associated legal costs!!!!!! So, there is nothing new in the current situation!

    The PRAG Vision statement is good, just hope that the current management look at it and put into place some of the low cost options to start gaining some income. My wife and I usually ride on the train 3 - 4 times a year and have at least one meal on the Palatine dining train, however her opinion is not to put any more money into Peak Rail because of the poor management team. Hmmm.
     
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  4. Midlandsouthern

    Midlandsouthern New Member

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    I have read PRAG proposals couple of times now, yes it may not be extravagant and pushing boundaries, its nice and simple just to provide new operating patterns and keeping costs downs and getting more money in the bank, so it has cash to actually improve things with and pay the bills easily without going to a begging bowl.
    I think PR would make a great KWVR 2.0 but really pack the character and theme well recreate MR, LMS stations, might not be huge long but plenty to see and do keep people occupied
    Trying to be SVR is out of reach now to be honest. Just got too get PR back to a standing where local governemt industry etc take them seriously and know the railway has clout to influence
     
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  5. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

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    Lost me there - in which ways does PR resemble the KWVR? PR ex-mainline, no challenging gradients, few stations and no destination of note. Nothing akin to Haworth as an attraction unless they extend to Bakewell (highly unlikely currently). Rowsley could be a good enthusiast draw, but little for Joe Public.
     
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  6. Midlandsouthern

    Midlandsouthern New Member

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    Didnt say it was like the KWVR, but it could become something similar, yes PR is ex mainline unless you want to relay and build like it was before closing, you have to compromise on that especially now you have a cycle route for company so aint going to happen
    My point being if your look at haworth and keighley, theres no reason why PR cant recreate stations to be as they were over time. You can be creative in drawing people, families to stay while, just got to be creative like bluebell has with the elephant van play zone
    I do agree with you Sheff that bakewells unlikely but still could get up to original rowsley station as not to challenging i would imagine
     
  7. jnc

    jnc Well-Known Member

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    I was reading the Young People and Heritage Railways report and I came across this:
    which seems rather relevant to PR.

    Noel
     
  8. T'Bogger

    T'Bogger New Member

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    That’s quite an interesting read, even though I only skimmed through it. Definitely worth reading for those with responsibilies on Heritage Railways. We have two young people volunteering with us they are hard working and learning new skills every time they come. It’s also a priviledge to pass on what little I know.

    As for a board of directors, which the original quote was aimed at, I would guess you need a fairly broad age range to ensure continuity for the organisation.
     
  9. Breva

    Breva Well-Known Member

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    Yes, but the issue with PR plc is that the MDs are not electable. (or so I understand). That is quite unusual, I don't know how that got into their constitution.
     
  10. Greenway

    Greenway Part of the furniture

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  11. T'Bogger

    T'Bogger New Member

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    Yeah, I don’t know the full history behind it, but I think there was a ‘kerfuffle’ maybe 15 or 20 years ago when the share holders tried to oust one or more of the directors and the net result was having two joint MDs who don’t stand for election at AGMs. Heaven knows how that was agreed, but it’s been like that ever since. Maybe there should be a day to day General Manager who should be employed and is not a director? Duno? Just throwing that out there.

    It’s clear the current arrangement needs to change so the whole organisation can be more democratic to allow new ideas and momentum to flourish. I hope the current board can do something about this otherwise, given the current climate, it seems the revolution will come and who knows how messy that might get.

    We must not loose sight of why we are a preserved railway, what our purpose is and the many people who have poured a good proportion of their lives into it.
     
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  12. jnc

    jnc Well-Known Member

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    There's a whole thread here about it.

    Noel
     
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  13. Breva

    Breva Well-Known Member

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    In a similar spirit to Greenway's joke (and not really connected to peak rail, sorry for the thread drift here):

    wc2.jpg
     
  14. Vulcan Works

    Vulcan Works Member

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    Yes there are some undemocratic arrangements in both the Plc and PRA (the D&WVR Trust is a mystery, which is telling in itself). It's difficult for any challengers to be elected or to function. The Boards devote much time and energy invoking various clauses and technicalities to keep undesirables out, either as Directors or Members! None of the current Directors or Joint MDs are linked to any deliverables so their performance can't be assessed. A significant number of shareholders and members seem content with the arrangements and hence the Directors carry on largely unchallenged year after year, following the same tired policies. There's no getting away from the fact that a small number of individuals wield considerable influence over PR. Currently there's little sign that they recognise themselves as being part of the problem or are willingly going to release their grip on power.
     
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  15. Vulcan Works

    Vulcan Works Member

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    Yes there are some undemocratic arrangements in both the Plc and PRA (the D&WVR Trust is a mystery, which is telling in itself). It's difficult for any challengers to be elected or to function. The Boards devote much time and energy invoking various clauses and technicalities to keep undesirables out! None of the Directors or Joint MDs are linked to any deliverables so their performance can't be assessed. A significant number of shareholders and members seem content with the cosy arrangements and hence the Directors carry on unchallenged year after year repeating the same tired policies. Sadly a small number of people control PR and currently there's little sign that they recognise themselves as being part of the problem or that they will willingly give up power. IMHO.
     
  16. T'Bogger

    T'Bogger New Member

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    Two things we mentioned further up this thread regarding young people and 'theatre'. I was at the Great Central's 50 years since the end of steam gala on Sunday and these two aspects jumped to my mind:

    There was an elderly chap with his grandson (I'm guessing). The guy was a volunteer at the railway and had brought his grandson (14 years or something) to introduce him to the railway as he was going to become a volunteer. On Loughborough station there was another young lad of similar age being shown the ropes on platform duties. There were also two young people on the footplate of 78018 in their late teens or early 20s: one must have been the fireman and the other a cleaner. Best of all though was a teenager at Quorn who had dressed the part, had an old (1950's newspaper) in his pocket and every time a train arrive he would move the loaded barrows about. There were also two guy dressed up in period police uniforms just walking about and traveling on the train.

    So there you go: young people engaged and theatre for the punters. See below for the proof:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    They've nailed it and there is no reason we can't with the right climate. We already have enthusiastic young people on the railway contributing and doing great work. The cloud that is currently hanging over our railway at the moment really needs resolving as soon as possible so we can move forward before the potential next generation, that is the future of Peak Rail, give up and move on.
     
  17. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    You might have another enthusiastic young one if the bloody bus services weren't such a pain between Sheffield and Rowlsey at a weekend! :mad:
     
  18. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    bottom image is Jack Arthur Shaw who is a regular reenactor and was heavily involved in transforming Quorn into 60's condition
     
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  19. T'Bogger

    T'Bogger New Member

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    Yeah, TM travel really screwed up the bus service from Sheffield. It used the be the 214 service, but now you have to change buses at Bakewell I think

    Yeah, I could tell he was putting on a show, and a very good one too. Quite a number of folks commented. It all added to the atmosphere. Now if only I could see in black and white! Hehehe
     
  20. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    It's not so bad in the week, no good for me of course. But I looked into it and that change at Bakewell costs over £5, total cost coming to around £13 for a day's volunteering, beyond my humble student means! :(
     

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