Peak Rail General Discussion

With that pot of invisible money they're hiding in the back closet, I guess.... To be serious, where would they get that kind of money?

Noel

 

If one were being disingenuous one could tot up how much has been spent in legal fees over the last few years and ponder...

 

If they discover the secret how to get the cash, the WSR might be able to do the same, I say that in jest.

 

As far as I'm concerned it would probably be best if a certain rich railway fanatic were to buy it for himself possibly for use as a holiday let, with potential to - eventually - bequeath it to the railway or at least allow the railway to use it. Given the current situation at Peak Rail I'm not sure it would be good idea for them to have ownership of this valuable asset until the current situation changes.

It's not clear to me how much control/influence a certain rich railway fanatic has at Peak Rail despite him being (as far as I know) Chairman, until that is clear I guess I'd trust him to own Bakewell Station personally more than Peak Rail itself.

 

If said rrf has ever spent his own money on anything, I've yet to hear of it.
Pat

 

Any idea what the current occupiers are doing? And I think they have a modern add-on adjacent. They are a high skill company so hope not lost to the area.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Sorry I’ve only just spotted that my editing went haywire on my previous post, so I’ve re-posted this for clarity.

Yes money and energy wasted over the years on solicitors letters, legal fees, court cases, arguments with supporters who have been driven away...As a long time supporter I’m of the opinion that PR with a currently manageable length of line through pleasant scenery in a tourist hotspot should by now be one of the UK’s leading heritage railways with top notch visitor facilities and an inspirational plan for expansion in to the National Park. Sadly we are not, despite the unstinting heroics of staff and volunteers. Parallels with the West Somerset Railway’s leadership woes are uncanny. We can’t muster any enthusiasm or funds to purchase the rather lovely Darley Dale down station building, never mind Bakewell!

 

Hello folks, it’s been a while since my last update during lockdown and whilst not about we’ve been spending our home time annoying the missus’s by mostly doing up the garden railway displays we have whilst the missus’s really want us to do the house decorating

sorry ladies out there.

luckily I’ve spent the time like most keeping in touch with the older members of the department either in isolation or lockdown to keep everyone in touch and break some of the monotony, most of my own department are busy at home building things, Andrew is making up
A wooden frame for Rowsley box to replace what is basically A picture frame and our colleague Tim is making us up a MR style diagram for that, John has been keeping an eye on things as he’s local and I’ve been prewiring and building up a little colour light signal and relay demonstration for the collection of public display items to go under Rowsley box.

peter has also been busy making up another digital exchange unit for the telephone system to go in the loc at darley telephone exchange, some of us have started up a chat forum internally to keep everyone in touch including what seems to be a popular exercise of quizzes.

I've attached a link to the Renown and Repulse organisation who have also been busy away from site in lockdown.
https://renownrepulse.com/news-reports/entry/2020/04/18/we-haven-t-gone-away.html

I know others have also been doing good work at home And I’ve been keeping in touch with Ben who like me has a full time key worker job (bit more important than mine) and has still managed to make several wooden fittings for one of the carriages under restoration and I’m sure when we come out of lockdown there’l be Far more home work to report on when I can get back down and report upon it.

as an aside being as I get about I had the chance to take a few photos of the Buxton site which was recently cleared
Of the years of foliage and overall it looks much better, there are plans for it but one of the first bits is to get some items such as a running in board and items made up. I’ve attached a pic of a wooden former for the concrete legs on this, again I know very little of the plans but as things progress wel report upon it.

till then folks, stay well and stay safe, lots of love from us up in the High Peak to you all

 

It’s a good job that stalwarts like Kestreleyes post their excellent updates because the silence from the Plc and PRA is deafening. Neither of them really uses social media to communicate with shareholders, members or the outside world, which puts PR at a disadvantage compared with other railways who are far better at persuading people and organisations to part with their cash.

Anyway in terms of what’s occurring, I believe PR has lost yet another Engineering Director as Andy Bunch has resigned. Why do so many experienced, intelligent people keep leaving? Or worse still, end up taking legal action. I wonder, just perhaps, if it has something to do with the dominant personalities who run the PR show...

 

"Anyway in terms of what’s occurring, I believe PR has lost yet another Engineering Director as Andy Bunch has resigned"

Do you mean John Bunch? According to companies house he resigned on 17th April 2020.

 

IIRC Peak Rail hire a loco from Mr Bunch. If he has left, is the loco going as well? Could this leave PR with no operational steam loco?

Keith

 

My mistake, thank you yes indeed it’s John. I actually work with an Andy Bunch!

 

[QUOTE I actually work with an Andy Bunch![/QUOTE]

They're a great lot, they only live next door

 

72 or Eustance Forth?

 

No 72
Eustace Forth belongs to Foxfield

Keith

 

Thanks

 

Let’s wait and see. The regime though does have an exceptional talent for getting rid of owners and their locos.

Given that steam is the lure for most family visitors you would hope by now that we would have a decent resident fleet but sadly not.

The diesel fleet based at PR is impressive and includes a remarkable variety of locos. PR could be a centre of excellence and capitalise on this. A nice Class 142 going cheap would be ideal for PR’s park and ride aspirations and reduce the need for as many costly top and tailing services. If only there was some money in the piggy bank.

 

Good afternoon everyone and hopefully you’re all having a reasonable week (whatever week it is now) in lockdown as I’ve given up counting

Not too much to report on as I’ve finished all the homework jobs bar the button for the colour light signal under Rowsley box , I know Bens still doing woodwork vents for the carriages and half my kitchens missing now too, I did manage to call in and check the box at Rowsley box today as someone local had reported blue tits in the box , upon inspection they’ve flown out again and by the look of it eaten every fly and insect in the box as not even one remains Now which is unusual for signalboxes (bit like greenhouses)

I know my colleagues have been keeping an eye on the various boxes and I’ve seen some nice photos appear on Facebook from various morning walks.

Andrew is still making the frame for the Rowsley box diagram, Ben tells me there’s progress on the box nameboards and I’ve still to frame the interpretation board display, that said lockdown appears to be coming slowly to a release and I’ve managed to get the paint for repainting darley gates now b and q has reopened, oddly enough it was cheap too(not like them). So that weather permitting could be next weekends work as it’s on the Public crossing and I can maintain social distancing there too.

I’m on nights this week but as usual I’m the only passenger on Stockport station except for the now fat(dunno where he’s getting food from) pigeon . And the wild garlic is out in force at Rowsley too.

So apart from the odd bit of homework we’re still doing away from the railway there’s things planned maintenance wise for next few weeks.

Most Heritage railways seem to be going through the stages of reopening the engineering facilities now and some volunteer work on site with provisions of social distancing etcetera and I’m also aware many lines have started planning how to run services using the full fleet of coaching stock they can for distancing,luckily we too have compartment stock that can be used for family groups and to maintain the distancing etc so early days but things are at least being discussed on heritage railways as they are ironically on buses and national network trains too.

Stay safe all, enjoy the weather again, see you all soon

Dom

 

Hi Dom,

Re the cluster flies what has worked for me is one of those zappers you see in the butcher's. They cost £25 and work really well in a dark environment where their blue light is the only light. I put mine in the attic and as I climbed back down the ladder I heard the first 'zap' . Yes!