Teifi Valley Railway

This hits the nail on the head. I'm not particularly interested in any tit-for-tat on who did what, when, but as someone with an interest in steam railways, time to volunteer, a particular passion for the narrow gauge AND within commutable distance, I am interested in the professionalism of the organisation I might give my time to. Time and time again big questions are being asked of the TVR and some fluffy post on Facebook about someone passing out as a guarding doesn't assuage the underlying feeling that something is very, very wrong there

 

IMHO, sell the steam locos and use the money to (1) hire a competent chartered accountant and (2) hire contractors to finish as much of the repairs/relaying of track as it will cover. Then, take 'steam' out of all publicity and run services with diesel locos (or battery if you want to be green...).

 

I've only ever visited the line once, back in 1988, and when I just looked at my photos I was surprised to see that they had 2 locos in steam on the day we visited - and the weather was awful!

As an occasional viewer of this thread, the place certainly needs to get its act in order on the financial/accounts side otherwise, as others have pointed out, it draws into question the operation as a whole....

 

Had you not visited Wales before?

Very nice piccies ..... thanks for posting.

 

There is no reason for a volunteer to know about the limited Company, the LRO, the obligations of the directors etc etc in order to work at the railway. But it is essential for anyone who takes over the management to know ALL about the paperwork and respect its importance. It's great fun running a tourist attraction and rebuilding something broken, but all the work is for nothing if you neglect this.

 

The July issue (245) of Today's Railways reports that loco Alan George departed the TVR on 19th February 2022 for restoration at an unknown location. Due for completion and return to the TVR in 2024.

 

No news on the website on tracklaying, steam loco rebuilds or any developments. Companies House documentation overdue again, for both the cafe and the Company.

 

and its deja vu all over again.

Colin

 

Next week is the last week of operation, so maybe they will have time to complete the documentation.

 

Has anyone ever been able to fathom out just what the 'Busy Bee Café Ltd' has to do with the railway - apart from the fact that the two people involved in that company are a director (or accountant or both or whatever) and the general manager of the railway?
As I understand it the railway's café has always been staffed by volunteers with profits being fed directly back to the railway. Is this still the case? The BBCafe Ltd company appeared with no warning one day without any mention on the railway. Is it now receiving the profits from the café while the railway still provides the staff, facilities, equipment, stock, etc etc? There have been no mentions of payments to the railway for any transfer of assets or rent or lease.
And, of course, with only the minimum accounts published in one case and (it looks like) not at all in the other no one knows exactly where the money is going. It is worth pointing out that the BBCafe Ltd is able to pay dividends out of any profits earned to the two shareholders - who just happen to be the two railway employees (?) who set the company up...

 

I don't have any info to add this discussion, but I was recently sent some photos of locos at Teifi, taken 31/5/2022, which might be of interest. They can be found by going to http://www.heritage-railways.com/locosdb/locos.php and searching for Location 'teifi'

 

Interesting to see these locos and equally interesting to note that they still won't say where Alan George is. "A private location" could be anywhere. Has the Alan George Society expressed an opinion? On the paperwork front, the annual report was late and the Company was threatened with closure again, but managed to send it a day later. The annual Accounts are 2 months late so no doubt another warning will come soon. Meanwhile, the cafe remains a mystery.

 

Well unless you're a member of that society, why would you think you have any right to know its location???
If you are a member of the AGS, then surely you should be taking up the issue with the chairman or secretary of the society rather than bringing it up on NP, which has absolutely nothing to do with the loco or the society.

 

I was one of the original four people who contributed when Dr Penn bought Alan George and helped to set up the AG Society to sell shares in the loco to finance routine maintenance and eventual refund of our loans. The usual mutual benefit agreement with the railway Company was set up and 1,000 shares were issued. The usual disputes between members over what colour livery etc. followed. To secure certainty that the loco would remain at Henllan rather than go elsewhere at the whim of some members, it was decided that the Railway Society should secure a majority shareholding, and this was achieved in 2014. So it is the present railway management who are dealing with this in their usual way.

 

It depends on how much work is necessary.
For minor adjustments to building a clone from metal = Statfold Barn or The Flour Mill (and others which don't come to mind immediately).
There are a number of boiler shops who could sort out the boiler if that is the problem.

 

Talking of clones, you can a couple of boiler shops who could readily build one. T'ain't all that big!

 

Quite right. I was just struck at the time (February) that when the pix of AG being loaded appeared, several people asked where the loco was going, One of them was the local boilermaker who had dealt with all the boiler work ever since 1985. There was no reply.