Poole Park Railway

I have to say that as a driver on a commercial miniature railway, while I usually have fun, and it is amusing to have visitors come up to me and tell me I must have the best job in the world, I am always very aware that from the moment the train moves off in the station to the moment it comes to a halt back in the station, I am solely responsible for up to 80 people sat on my train. Safety has to come first, even if it sometimes means difficult decisions and that you can't play the with "big boys toys".

 

Picked up by BBC now.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-45329122

This made my chuckle, maybe if they had been more professional in the first place they would still be running it:

Friends of Poole Park chairman Michael Collins said the council had taken the "golden goose" of revenue ahead of plans to merge Dorset's nine councils into two unitary authorities.

"They've lumbered council tax payers with debt and can't guarantee that future revenue will go back into the park because of the merger."

He insisted the charity had a plan in place to improve health and safety and run a more "professional" service. He said he had complained to the local government ombudsman about the council's move.

 

A case of Jam tomorrow.

 

From the local newspaper:

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/16617288.letter-to-the-editor-cost-of-taking-on-railway/

 

More from the local newspaper that the council has agreed to spend £350K on the line and run it themselves with most likely with volunteers help and have it running for 2019 !!!!!!!!!!.

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/ne...way-due-to-be-back-in-service-by-summer-2019/

 

I guess lots of folk will be pleased about this. Hopefully so will the volunteers as without them it could be a non starter.

 

350K. I will do my best to how they got to this figure.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-45902186

New track, new coaches.....with wheel chair provision, shed restored, new locomotive....will try and find Council Link.

 

https://www.poole.gov.uk/news/poole-park-miniature-railway-benefits-from-investment/#.W8jO4W6Z24g

 

Thanks for the link.

Elderly parent issues are at present taking center stage.

 

Took some finding Nick, a lot of info on their web site.

 

Good to hear there has finally been a positive outcome from this big mess. This could easily have been the the end of the railway.

 

Just a thought :
The shed and outside storage space is occupied by two locomotives and I think about eight coaches. In the shed are a number of items collected to do running repairs.Also are a number of coach wheel sets, brand new. I guess all this will have to be removed by Friends of Poole Park. That will cost a few ££££'s. Then the is a matter of storing them until sold......current asking price is way of the top for the loco: £15000 and I think £2000 for each coach. Will have a look see this week to see if there is any activity.

 

I expect those asking prices will suddenly become more realistic, once they get evicted and have to start paying for storage elsewhere.

 

If they're not careful they'll end up having to pay someone to take the stuff away.

 

If the council started charging them storage fees now (monies collected to help fund restoration of the railway) that might encourage them to get a move on - or donate the items to the railway in lieu of fees?

 

I thought the FOPP were obliged to sell the rolling stock to another charity or CIC? Wasn't one of the issues the fact that they were put up for sale by the two directors by themselves offered to anyone?

I am pleased that Poole Council have put the money up. I do have my reservations, volunteers and councils do not seem to have a good track record except in libraries.

 

When it comes to running the railway, I hope the council has a good track record.

 

It they do some people will be chuffed to bits

 

Exactly what points are you trying to make here?