Wensleydale Railway Matters

I have also seen this proposal and am in 2 minds about it. It does seem an opportunity for the railway to reduce its debts and gain a fund which will enable some c£200k of investment. It does seem that the buyer is fully supportive of the aims of the railway and intends to operate Aysgarth Station as a 'hobby' railway with some public access, I wonder if this would permit full access for through trains when WR extends through the site? A Memorandum of Understanding would be signed outlining both the parties intentions to cooperate in the delivery of mutually beneficial outcomes.
If this buyer is genuine then it will indeed be a great help for the WR, however, there is always a chance that Aysgarth will remain with restricted access and the jewels will have been pawned and the ticket lost. This a question for the plc, not the Trust. meeting on 9th Sept at Leyburn.
Obviously I am not party to any deeper info than other Trust members so my opinions are purely my own, which explains why they are confused, I am not urging any action in any vote.

 

I can but agree, having just received the AGM notice today. 'Gentlemen's agreements' can and do so easily go awry with the passage of time. I can see a Memorandum of Understanding having no value whatsoever without legally-binding running rights.
However the railway has always struggled financially, and is clearly between the proverbial 'rock and a hard place'.

Andy

 

From their website and under the title Aysgarth Ambitions, sub title Infrastructure:

'The railway is currently 22 miles long and when it reaches Aysgarth it will be 27 miles long – the longest standard gauge railway in the United Kingdom'.

Slightly ambiguous, I would suggest.

 

Not sure if 'ambiguous' is the right word, daddsie, that sentence has been on the website for several months and is actually still true, I think?, if the extension to Aysgarth is achieved and if running is approved between Northallerton West and Aysgarth. I do hope that the proposal is carefully discussed and decided about Aysgarth. As the circular note states, if any restrictions were to be placed on the sale then it probably would not take place. Hmmm, hands tied behind back comes to mind!

 

Once the site is sold there will be no going back on the decision, and history might prove it to a Big Mistake. Peal Rail selling most of their Buxton site, and the GWRS selling the Broadway Goods Shed spring to mind.

 

Although in our case the goods shed is being much better looked after in current hands, and we get on well with the owners and have done for many years.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

And the Goods Shed wasn't essential to extending the railway past it so very different.

David R

 

Think there is already over 20,000 miles of standard gauge railway track in the United Kingdom!

 

What's the reason that Peak Rail selling most of their Buxton site was a mistake? As far as I can see, pretty much the absolute limit of their ambitions is likely to be Matlock to Bakewell. I'm not sure why they would keep *any* of the Buxton site - maybe someone can explain? Is there really still a faint dream that one day they might get back to Buxton?

 

They could have a railwayana/Bric a brac shop as a little revenue earner, or charge on the Ground rent for whatever is built there, many things. Buxton's rich railway history needs to be told with some sort of heritage centre, regardless of whether the railway reaches buxton. And it can be paired with a cycle hire centre/cafe. It's a shame it was sold in the first place, and to nestle at that, a rather terrible company who loathe the idea of giving anything back to the town they take so much out of.

 

Because the origin vision was to reinstate the whole route.

I for one was suckered into buying shares, making decent donations to the fund-raising to rebuild the bridge in Buxton and to build a turntable there. I remained a member and supporter for many years hoping that progress would be made long after the bulk of the Buxton site was sold and they decamped to the southern end. What have they achieved in the last forty years? Very little compared to many other organisations. I ceased any form of support a few years ago when I realised that they had stopped making any reference to reinstating the whole route on both their website and in their members' magazine. Sadly they now seem content to remain in the 'also rans' of preserved lines, operating little more than a long siding.
So in that context I will agree that it is now of no consequence what remains in Buxton.

The best future for the Buxton to Matlock 'missing link' now would be for it to be rebuilt as part of the national network, it should never have closed IMHO, just try getting from where I live in Preston, to Derby. Either via Sheffield or meander cross-country via Crewe. Manchester to Derby likewise. But whether it ever will reopen I wouldn't like to predict.

 

I'm just not clear why they would be keeping any Buxton presence now. If that ambition is truly dead, you'd think that they'd sell the remaining land at Buxton to help finance progress towards Bakewell.

Anyhow, I guess this is getting well off-topic in relation to the Wensleydale.

On that front, I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed my ride from Northallerton West through to Redmire and back during the short period NW was in operation. I can't say I agree that the first part of the line was particularly boring as others have said, but then I think I was captivated by the wildlife (suicidal rabbits and various raptors etc.) so maybe I wasn't paying as much attention to the scenery as usual. Also very few lines look boring when you've got a prime track view seat at the front of a vintage DMU with the blinds up!
I'm glad I got to do the NW to Leeming Bar section as there's no sign of it being back in passenger operation any time soon.

 

Because it's a busy tourist town, because the station site is clear of development and PR can benefit from that and help us fight any detrimental development i.e another supermarket like they wanted or low quality sardine can housing. Like I said, just because the chances of the railway getting back to buxton are slim doesn't mean PR doesn't get anything out of having a prescience in buxton in the form of a heritage centre, we only have 1 museum here in buxton and it does tell the railway story of buxton well at all. The 'big railway' station in buxton is looking better than it has in years thanks to some funding for repairs and a proactive 'friends of' volunteer group, a heritage centre or suchlike will complement this very well, as well as all the other positive developments going on.

 

The discussion can also be read in the newspaper...
Is the rich railway enthusiast the problem solver?
http://www.richmondshiretoday.co.uk...et-sell-off-aysgarth-station-ensure-survival/

 

Support for alternative bids sought here:

http://aysgarthstation.co.uk/blog/

I have no known connection to any of the people concerned.

Sawdust.

 

From an outsider's perspective, the individual appears to be someone who can not only stabilise the Wensleydale Railway, but can help them work towards their historic goal of extending to Hawes.

There may be good reasons for Wensleydale members to oppose this change, but I can't imagine what they are, unless it's to do with power and politics.

 

Does the enthusiast just want to buy the land to give the railway some money but keep the land within the fold of the railway so to speak? Or do they want to turn the station building into a home or something. If so why aren't they just gifting some money to the railway instead? If their intentions are pure that is.

 

Remember this railway and its knight in shining armour https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/teifi-valley-railway.299228/ I have sent this link to the blog for Aysgarth Station.

 

The objectives or aspirations of the proposed buyer are detailed in the Richmond newspaper - see link above. Homes are not mentioned. However, owing almost half the value of the property on a mortgage does not seem a good start for consolidation or expansion of the railway. However many heritage railways have had their development hampered by infighting. We shall see if this follows that well trodden route.

 

£400,000 seems below the mark for aysgarth too, and it won't get the railway very far, unless they are more desperate for money than it seems.