Poole Park Railway

Two directors resigned on the 25 of April. This information came from companies house which also indicates that there is now only one director.
The BBC have asked for information from a volunteer on faceache to tell their side of what is happening.
I happen to know they have been offered some rail but have not responded to the offer yet.

 

Who asked how much 'politicking' could be involved? I just hope we're not looking at miniature '6+1' rerun brewing up behind the scenes.

Any idea how and when said offer was made? The conclusions drawn on seeing (just to offer two possible random replies) "by email two months ago" would be rather different to "last Friday in the pub".

Clearly, sommat ain't quite right down in Poole, but I'd suggest this is a case where a little bit of partial info may be worse than no info at all. There's one thing I hope can be agreed on by all involved and that's we don't want to lose the line.

 

Yes and Yes. I am not going to say any more for now. This is not cloak and dagger, just discretion. There is still time for them to respond with an answer.

 

The only remaining director is a Trustee of Friends of a Poole.
I think chair of FoPP.
Had the railway been set up as a charity with elected trustees rather than the CIC set up, things might have been more transparent to the volunteers.
The remaining director should resign. Rarely seen and heard.

 

I believe that Poole want there to be a railway in the park. I know they have come into a lot of criticism after the way it was perceived the previous operator was removed but a lot of people were happy when FOPP got the contract. I suppose from the councils point of view they knew the takings from the railway (which must be substantial) would be used to support the park rather than making profit for one person and it would reduce some of the pressure on Pooles budget. Lets face it getting 40 volunteers in this day and age is huge so it does show the massive support out there for the railway. We have four. Two of those are light duties only. We cannot recruit more and we have tried.

There were other people interested who put in bids. The council have said that if FOPP can't sort it out they will look for another operator, at least that is how I read the news article.

It is interesting to read that the volunteers are on strike. Does that mean that they are prepared to return and if so what are their demands?
Nick, are you prepared to elaborate on the lack of transparency comment, transparent about what or is it too sensitive for now?

 

I have no problem with transparency :
Volunteer asked for board meeting minutes or a summary...was 'suspended'
The Extension....nothing in writing.
The lean to shed extension.....lots of talk no action
The purchase of two covered coaches. Never heard officially why they were not purchased.
Cover up of the first track wobble. Length of rail beyond use..had no alternative but to dig up an equally poor replacement.
Unsuitable members of staff either driving or acting guard.
No risk assessments to hand
Signing in/ out book being ignored.
Certain directors being over keen on marketing......loyalty cards.
No training to a set standard.
There was no procedure that I was ever shewn should a train derail and what to do.
I cannot remember ever seeing a 1st aid kit. There was never one on the train.
I could go on.






I would return to volunteering at PPRy. Need new directors and a professional approach to running this railway.
No more shop keepers and no more Friends of PP running the railway.

 

I'd place top priority on those things affecting safe operation. Miniature or not, the line is bound by the same legal obligations to it's staff and passengers as any other.

Whilst true that 101/4" gauge kit (probably weighing no more that a ton or two) at 5mph may pose far less risk than a stonking great SG train (weighing anything up to a couple of hundred tons) at 25mph, very recent history teaches us that no-one need be killed, even slightly, for the Law Courts to take a dim view of slack H&S policy (**cough** £40,000 fine).

None of the above is intended to invalidate the rest of @nick813's list, all of which goes well beyond merely 'nice to have'.

 

This also reminds me of the £40,000 fine, you either do it properly or you don't do it at all!

 

It has all one quiet. Anyone got any news? Still awaiting a response from them regarding the rail they have been offered.

 

https://www.poole.gov.uk/news/futur...social&utm_campaign=SocialSignIn#.WyQLYrvTWdP

 

Oh dear that's a shame.

 

Is it? Surely it’s the best thing for the railway. Now hopefully it will pass to an operator that knows what it’s doing, and secure it’s long term future.

Be interesting to see if the council do indeed run it themselves.

 

If you knew Poole Council, you would probably run screaming off the nearest High cliff.
They could not run a ...well lots of drink in a brewery.
There is a lot more to this than what info is in the public domain.
I can not see Poole Council suddenly find £50K to replace and relay the track, especially by their ' volunteers' who they have suddenly found .....probaby by the Unicorn and Pushmepullu stables.

 

This is the same Poole council that closed public toilets in parks (they reopened the ones near the ferry when all the rich folk complained about people in the traffic queue peeing in their gardens!) , put parking charges to 10pm plus overnight charges in some places charging £2 an hour so locals don't visit beaches or the country park anymore thus depriving businesses money (charge for blue badge holders too), reduces speed limits on roads that feed the town centre for no good reason, seems to go out of its way to cause traffic congestion, and wonders why half the shops in the centre are shut and every one goes to Towerpark or Castle point. We go into the centre about once a month now, if we have to do.

What I meant by a shame is the fact that it will now not reopen for ages (if at all?), the damage done to reputations, at the end of the day FOPP was there to support the park for everyone even if they benefited most from living next to it.

Nick: are the volunteer group going to see if they can put in a bid?

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-44503129

 

Presumably a new operator would need to source a new loco? Isn’t the current one on loan from somewhere else?

Not such a smart move forcing Chris Bullen out last year then was it.

 

Was he forced out though or did he just not manage to come up with a successful tender?

 

The steam outline locomotive was purchased by the CIC.
A lot of time & money was spent adding various modifications.
The previous owner....... Mmmmmmmm, ..........had some colourful accounting systems.

I am trying to find out what volunteers are going to run this venture.

 

I still can't understand why the track was not dealt with given that was a big reason given for removing the previous operator? The CIC made out the loco was on loan. Couldn't the money have been better spent on rail?

 

I thought they had agreed to purchase a loco that needed overhaul before they could use it. The company selling and overhauling this locomotive lent them Sweet Pea until it was ready.

That’s how I remember it anyway.