North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion

I don't think that vision has been at the NYMR since the days of Philip Benham. The problem is that is now being run with "commercial vision" and all that vision can see is the route to the bottom via the lowest common denominator. I don't believe for a second that the NER carriages are coming back because they are desirable, rather the management is on a hook over them, and are trying tov find a way off it.

 

Selling of family silver it most certainly what losing 76079 is and "Laura Strangeway CEO says...." isn't going to disguise that fact. Due to legacies from benefactors the Strathspey has the funds to buy and restore it and therefore for 76079 itself it's good news. For the NYMR it is a step on the slippery slope which will soon see further descent towards a serious disposal of more assets and degrading the whole ethos of the NYMRHT.

Rumours are circulating around the staff, both paid and volunteer, that further disposals are imminent. Mulberries, Pickering Station Hotel and the white elephant of Stape have all been mentioned as surplus to requirements and, in my opinion, the latter two are certainly liabilities. The Station Hotel could have become an income generating enterprise but there isn't even enough money to develop that possibility.

The PLC itself has become the liability which is hanging round the neck of the line, choking, strangling and bleeding the life out of the railway. It is run by leeching pariahs who have no sense of heritage, no sense of responsibility, no sense of any description. It isn't just the CEO who needs to depart - we need to get rid of her sycophantic and sickening coterie of hangers-on who maintain themselves in office because they either seek a sense of spurious kudos or some sort local of celebrity status. What we need is professional railwaymen and women, not pontificating PR stooges pronouncing from the top of a pyramid of nitrogenous matter. They have turned the PC into a personal dung heap on which only a fool would stand.

The money from 76079 will of course temporaily fill a hole in the Bridge 42 masonry, or perhaps just prop it up for a few months but it will fail to fill the now gaping black hole in the PLC 's failure of both management and structure.

So sell the Station Hotel, sell Stape, if you must sell Mulberries. However don't throw the proceeds away on more staff salaries for nonentities posing as managers but are nothing but a disgrace to those who love the line.

A way MUST be found to eradicate this verminous infestation. Let's start by selling Park Street complete with occupants. Lock, stock and unwanted baggage.

 

I thought I'd catch up on this thread following the announcement of the partial return of the Teak set on internal services, something that's been often campaigned for in the ongoing and robust dissection of the railway on here.

It's mildly disappointing that the vast majority of the posts hold no hint of optimism or celebration...

Whilst I've personally always encouraged discussion both good and bad, surely this small reversal of fortune for heritage on the NYMR can and should be chalked up as a win?!?

Sent from my moto g85 5G using Tapatalk

 

I see your point here Chris and yes, the use of the teak set should be seen as a positive but the overall view is still a very dismal prospect. Temporary and limited use of a shortened Teak set is better than nothing, but it is the fault of the current management that regular use of a full Teak rake ceased in the first place.

The fact there will be some running at the Steam Gala is obviously welcome, but I wonder if the number of visiting locos usual for such an event will be around as part of proceedings. Affordability is clearly reaching a crisis level, revenue at a very low ebb and the ability to borrow more money seemingly exhausted.

The Teak set has always been one of my favourite aspects of the line, but credit for that goes to the volunteers and benefactors of the LNERCA. The lack of regular use on the NYMR is another atrocious failing of the Park Street mafia.

Perhaps what is needed is lateral thinking. I wonder if we could persuade 81 Labour MPs to nominate Ms Strangeway to be the new leader of the Labour Party. They certainly need a PR professional and I'm sure her "skills" would be more appreciated somewhere, indeed any where else.

 

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The return of the teak carriages to service should be celebrated, but I'd hesitate to9 chalk it up as a "win". In truth it represents acceptance that the NYMR entered into a legally binding contract with the LNERCA, and having done so they have had to honour it - so might as well get try to get some benefit from it. Let's not forget that in the meantime they have declined the offer of the GN saloon an NER open, both of which could have enhanced the train. Let's also not forget that the Chairman of the North Yorkshire Moors Historical Railway Trust (or so it was called until they expunged the word "Historical" from its title) stood up at the AGM and said "we don't need the teak carriages". To me, at least, that's a far greater battle to be won than getting the railway to fulfil its contractual obligations, and if we are to be realistic there's a huge mountain to be climbed. I'm not quite to averse to the current management as some other commentators and I'd like to see CEO given a chance to reset the underlying philosophy, because I truly believe that survival lies in wholehearted embracement of a heritage centred outlook - but she has so far given little in the way of indicating that it is her preferred route and if that is really the case then I think she needs to accept that she's not suited to the job, and make way for someone who is.

 

Tell that to the Churnet Valley Rly.

Sorry, couldn't resist.