Great Central Railway General Matters

Thanks. The link from the events page doesn't work, not on my devices anyway.

 

I made the same error the other day. It does not work from the list of events, but does if you go to the special events bar on the top and get the drop down. Somewhat strange.
I sort have read a sub text (or maybe it is just me) that this may be a slightly smaller event then normal.
I would also comment that in the 2022 the fares seem remarkably cheap. However I suppose it does depend on how far people have to travel as even a cheap fare added to a night or two hotel cost and petrol can suddenly rack up the final figure. At least being central in the country helps them on the potential for day visitors.

 

Always plenty going on, things to see and a general aura of being enthusiast-oriented. The double track, intense services and the vast and interesting range of freight stock make their enthusiast events consisently reliable.

 

Just in case any other GCR Shareholders haven't found the details of the AGM Live Stream for this coming Saturday, the address is :-
https://www.gcrailway.co.uk/agm-stream/
Not exactly well highlighted on the GCR Website as it appears under the "Support Us" Tab, and right at the bottom of the page as well.......

 

Currently attempting to watch the GCR AGM live broadcast on YouTube and wondering why they can't actually get the diabolical sound quality sorted before they begin. Got both my volume settings on full and can hardly hear what is being said an awful lot of the time.
Why am I reminded of the Stan Freburg version of the Banana Boat Song......?

 

I'm trying to watch this live but the sound quality is poor and the use of microphones is even worse....I suspect that it is much better for those present. If technology is to be used try to get it right for all.
It is very interesting that the post of Managing Director is going and a General Manager role is replacing it......

 

Just to make matters worse, the whole thing has promptly locked up and is buffering just after the Q&A session had started, which was the whole reason for watching the broadcast!
Have given up and changed over to Radio Extra Gold and the Historische Zaterdagmittag Gebeurtenis which is rather more entertaining......(and works, unlike the GCR stream)

 

Well my system was buffering as well but the last 10 mins was a bit better and David Putt made a very good point about it being the 50th Anniversary in Jan next year.

 

I can only echo Johann & Phil's comments; it was completely impossible to follow most of the proceedings and now the whole thing has dropped out before the Friends meeting has even started.

 

I think it was good idea to have the meeting available on video.....But it does need a better understanding of how to integrate a public meeting to a video audience. I'm sure lessons will be learned.....

 

I seem to recall they posted the video(s) for the 2021 GCR & Friends AGMs on the website for a while last year. Hopefully they will look at them beforehand and realse that they are nigh on useless......
If you are limiting the attendance to the event to 40 - which is rather questionable in my book anyway - then a decent qualty broadcast to interested Shareholders is a must if that is seen by the Board as an "alternative".
At least I can hear the July 1982 Top 40 that i'm currently listening to without sitting right in front of my computer with both volume controls at 100%

 

It was good to be told that the railway is still in a reasonable financially good position and that Mr Gregory is still the president and in current contact. I was also impressed with Nicky Morgan - who made relevant comments clearly.
It was prudent to emphasis that the 8 miles of existing railway must be maintained, even if it means that "Bridging the Gap" takes a little longer.

 

I'm trying to watch it now but suspect I will give it up as a bad job. The audio quality is akin, I should say, to listening to something underwater in a distant lake.

 

Honorary President, as his farewell note of December made clear. The distinction is an important and significant one.

Executive power, and strategic control, of the PLC now rest fully and properly with the Board of Directors.

 

Thanks for that addition DCSA - it was poor sound so very difficult to pick out the exact words much of the time.

 

Is anyone able to summarise the relevant points communicated at the meeting?

 

Long awaited news. Hopefully this will hasten the return to a situation where the railway’s strategic and tactical decisions are made in a considered way, and guided by experts, rather than at the whim of uninformed individuals.

https://www.gcrailway.co.uk/2022/07/review-of-gcr-management/

 

Thanks for the assessment and the info. The proposals sound positive in virw of the greater challenges preserved railways face. But, as one who spends most of a weekend on his annual visits and never tires of the visits, I was surprised at your negative assessment of recent management of the line. Certainly, I think keeping and nurturing what we have should generally be the first priority.

 

Whilst we do not know the full story behind these changes, I agree with 3ABescot that the railway is in many ways in a better position now than 5 years ago. That is despite covid. Bridges on the line have been reconstructed, Quorn and Rothley have been improved re facilities and car parking. Steady progress has been made on the "Gap" project. The locomotive and carriage stock is in good condition with 4 running rakes. There is a lot to be proud of I think.
Managing any Heritage Railway is a complex task and certainly not for the faint -hearted!

 

It is certainly fair to say that the railway has generally continued to be well run at an operational level, but the last five years or so have seen a series of surprising decisions, made unilaterally and increasingly without consultation, being made on strategic matters which have caused concern to both the railway and its supporters (the modernist designs for the proposed museum at Leicester North, and the proposal to run the line to the north through the middle of the engine shed, to cite a couple of the better known examples). This has apparently been accompanied with a move towards a more combative, and occasionally antagonistic, senior management style - the recent relationship with the NHR being a good example of this - which has not always sat well with the railway.

At the same time the lack of a general manager has become increasingly problematic, with a widespread breakdown in communication and coordination between the various elements of the railway being the most noticeable, but by no means only, symptom of this. The railway has need of a General Manager far more than it needs a Managing Director.

I am pleased, indeed relieved, to see these issues being directly addressed in this announcement. It can only tend to the good.