North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion

Given that the Coastliner only runs with subsidy, does that count?

Sawdust.

 

Not only that, the Coastliner service provides little or no access to the remoter parts of the moors - Newtondale, for example - that the railway does and a Coastliner bus service has very limited capacity compared to a train. I do not believe the competition argument could be made very convincing!

 

As a grant sceptic, I'm not sure that this would necessarily provide the help desired. My hunch is that it would lead to more intervention by the relevant authorities, with an increased focus on social gain. I'd expect demands for lower fares to be high on that list - and subsidy used to enforce. A look at the finances of the National museums since the Blair era policy of free admission would give a sense of where that may lead.

In practice, I think subsidies have been made available - just in different form, and in response to appeals.

 

I think you can be a sceptical as you want, but that really shouldn't deter the NYMR from talking to the appropriate people to see if they can do anything to help - and present a sound case! It has to be recognised that in some cases - eg the bridge 42 repair - the results should last a lot longer than any road bridge or drainage works, for example.

 

I absolutely agree - but that takes us to what is asked, and how it is asked for

 

..... which really be shouldn't be part of the discussion here. We are talking on here about things that could be tried - and I think any avenue that could help should be explored, but the detailed approach should be up to those making the case. I do hope that the present CEO will not be involved. I had it suggested to me that can be mercurial and not necessarily measured and calm. I also wonder how experienced she is with that sort of meeting. In my own experience in business, before any important meeting we would have several meetings and rehearsals to hone and polish our presentations beforehand, anticipating and preparing answers to awkward questions so we were ready for them. of course, to do that it is necessary to have someone with background in the area who has an idea of what might be asked!

 

I used the bus/coach example as an indicator but probably a bad one as whatever rules apply to grant making public bodies it seems they do not apply to Government. The effect of a subsidy could be to help keep a tourist attraction going. In that event the competition is other regional attractions like Flamingoland and Castle Howard and even tourist businesses in York, Scarborough, Bridlington etc.

 

Regarding the Subsidy Control Act. I have been informed that there is no £350,000 3 year cumulative limit on subsidy – there is in fact no top ceiling.

What there is is a ‘minimal paperwork’ route to provide rapid, low risk assistance which has a 3 year rolling cap of £315,000. Beyond this, more paperwork is needed in respect of the grant.

Sawdust.

 

Indeed and you are right to correct the figure.Beyond that amount, unless a grant can come within the Arts and Culture special regime the burden of establishing that a grant is not an unfair subsidy lies on the public authority involved.

 

I think it’s also worth noting that the NYMR has an admirable track record of securing grant support. From the NHLF Pickering Station Roof award to Bridge and Wheels, Yorkshire’s Magnificent Journey, Goathland station bridge and most recently Bridge 52 there’s a proud record of success. Recently the railway has appointed fundraising specialists with a commendable record in securing funds for another large heritage railway. They have already had notable success in securing grants from private trusts/ charities.

 

Typo . Should be bridge 42.

 

If you look under your posts on NP, there is an 'Edit' button.

 

You missed the first Pickering HLF project, which saw the station buildings on platform one refurbished and the floors raised, thus getting rid of the hated porches . What links all three HLF projects is major volunteer input in putting all three applications together.

Sawdust.

 

I didn’t intend to include a definitive list as recent examples but the record speaks for itself as does the amazing work of the volunteers that made it possible. Long may that continue supplemented by the fundraising specialists who have already demonstrated their ability to tap into trusts and charities that would not otherwise have been on the NYMR’s radar.

 

The NYMR has indeed had a good track record of attracti8ng big grants - like YMJ - but it should be noted that the majority of the work in applying for those came fro9m volunteers. The don't think the professional managers have had a similar degree of success; the Arts Council grant of a couple of years ago was about the same monetary value as the one I wrote for the HLF on behalf of the LNERCA around 25 years ago! It has been suggested that a special gala, extending over 2-4 weekends with theme varying each time could be staged, if a good idea comes up, and HLF might help pay for it - it has been done, in the form of the Gresley 100 gala, conceived and the application written and mostly arranged by John Curtis and myself for and on behalf of the LNERCA! Of course, it needed a good idea to make it work but I don't see anything like that emerging from the air-headed lightweights in Park Street. A couple of recent attempts for Bridge 42 have been unsuccessful, and those are just the ones I have heard of.

I haven't seen much evidence that the management team can make sizeable applications without help.