Poole Park Railway

Bit of a no news story in the local rag. No trains this year seems to be the only information in it.
http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/16384523.council-under-fire-for-park-rail-calamity/

 

not good........


one source if income that no one mentions is the Community Infrastructure Levy which stands I think at £700K in Poole.

 

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/16596430.railway-to-be-back-under-council-control/

 

£350k To get the railway back running safely? Seems an awful lot to me.

 

Sounds about right. Remember it's now a council run operation, and I've noticed over the years that anything run by a council usually costs many thousands of pounds. Councilors just don't seem to think in terms of small change.

 

If contracting out to say Cromar White then that's probably about right, especially if starting from scratch. I believe the NRM's miniature railway cost about £600k. Gauge aside, Not sure how the length varies between the two?


Will

 

If the works are as significant as suggested and a new loco and rolling stock are required, also stated, then 350k is probably an under estimate.

 

The council seems to think there is a lot of money to be made from the railway. Re paying the £350k, and then generating a surplus to pay for other projects in the park.

Is it really that profitable?

 

I must say, that when i walked the line (it was closed) earlier this year, the track was in appalling condition.

 

Will they actually replace the track this time? Or just re open it again quietly forgetting about the need to replace the track, like they did last year.

 

Probably just needs relaying with new sleepers in the main. Though some rail has definitely seen better days.

 

The Alan Keef report which was linked to earlier in this thread outlines the state of the track & the likley cost of reinstatement

 

Poole Council will not allow the railway to reopen unless the track is replaced. This was made clear at the meeting held last month by the remains of FOPP. A similar amount was mentioned at the meeting for replacing the track.

 

What is the length of the present/former trackbed? Plus taking into account improving infrastructure and providing new motive power and rolling stock, it probably isn't unreasonable. A far better outcome than some of their other options - such as complete abandonment of the attraction!

 

currently 700 yards apparently - http://www.miniaturerailwayworld.co.uk/PoolePark.html

Will

 

The same was said last year. The track was to be removed, and would need to be replaced by the new operator.

Then without explanation that requirement was quietly dropped, and FOPP began operating on the old track - with disasterous consequences.

Presumably lessons have been learnt now.

 

No reason has been given for dropping the requirement to replace the track, in fairness it is none of the public's business. I vaguely recall being told that assurances were made that it would be progressively replaced by FOPP. However they were not given the lease immediately so one can see they didn't have much incentive to do so. I was surprised that there was no effort made to level and ensure the gauge of the track in the twelve months they operated.

This time the track will have to be replaced, presumably Poole Council will do this one way or another.

 

I’d suggest it is the public's business to know why FOPP were allowed to run the railway with track known to be in that condition.

Anyway let’s wait and see if the council approve the funding. Hopefully the railway can be back in action (and safe) next year.

 

I think there is £700k in the Community Levy Fund.
All kinds of kit was hoped for when the CIC took over. Certain individuals derailed all kinds of improvements. The person who under took track upgrades had experience in smaller gauge railways. I will post some photographs I took a few months ago of the bottom section of rail at Poole Park.....you can see that it is disintegrating. Looking back and reflecting on what went on, I would have to say that all the volunteers....management and running staff (myself included) treated it the running of this railway with rose tinted glasses and as a big boys toy. There were many unreported incidents that could have proved serious to the public.

 

That is an extraordinarily candid and honest statement. Fair play