L&B and the ENPA

So, what you are saying is most heritage railways rely upon members' handouts and grants from other bodies to balance their operations? As opposed to using members' contributions to acquire some tasty 'bolt-ons' or fund a mileage extension?

I can understand using members as an emergency fall back, or additional capital for stock or trackage that will pay for its own upkeep out of income, but as a matter of course to balance the books? Surely not?!!

 

There are railways which have relied on members having a whip round to balance the books, but it's most unusual.

Regards

 

So here we go again.

"I have alienated a few they have alienated masses."

Engineer, you really do seem hell bent on finding a way to ruin the L&B. If you hate it so much, why on Earth do you continue to bother with it? As a member of the Trust and also a shareholder of Exmoor Associates, I am sick and tired of those who just try to tear apart the efforts of others. You are one of the worst offenders.

You pontificate on this forum as though you run the show and that you are the only person who knows how to run a railway when in reality all you do is attack it.

When I first saw the new L&B, the track was appalling and the coaches ran badly. Now I see some first rate trackage, amazing signalling and trains running well....all without your 'help'.

Perhaps it is time to either sing from the same hymn book and work with the Trust or frankly, just go and bother some other railway.

JdF

 

Welcome to the real world...

 

Remind us which railway you're in charge of?

 

Your profound lack of understanding on who did what and does what in the L&B is amazing. The track is good now, because the continued work on it has improved its alignment, level and twist , whilst they have used all pretty much secondhand new rail in 30' lengths, I wonder where that came from and who procured them , not down to current management or expenditure ??

AXE works well and performs its duty, but it looks hideous its size is suitable to perform efficiently on the L&B current operation. SID is a box of not very good bits, that work occasionally and continually needs money throwing at it not really suitable for the job.

The coaches ride much better I agree with you on that , so I wonder who redesigned the bogies and rebuilt them, they are sustantially different now to what we started with.??

Ask about the contract for K2 and you might find out more about why the coaches ride better.

As for me attacking the L&B, what is there is as infrastructure is sustainable and of good quality. I personally think most parts of the infrastructure are very good I think its support system is wayward, and the plan built on sand.

Its the plan which fails the infrastructure and business current operation.

That is what I am criticising, how to move on into the future.

You see I am not a railway modeler in my head or my spare room,I don't make models of things I make sometimes a mock up to build the real full size ones scale 1:1.

I don't buy bits from suppliers out of model catalogues I draw and design them and make them or get them made to spec, a fair amount of that was done to open the L&B.

The L&B has stagnated it is not performing, when it comes to new build, design, cost, fund and build.

Making models or pretty magazines however good they might be or look, will not progress the rebuilding or extending of the L&B.

If you want it to happen as opposed to critisizing my input, you will have to get down there with your boots on or pay someone else to do it for you like building LYN.

762 is not an L&B project its a raise some money boy's and pay someone to do it for us. That is not railway preservation , its just a bigger version of playing toy trains.

I will be at Snapper working on the 15th june along with a few others, its a pleasure to make their company, jolly nice Gent's they are.

I thought the new name NDRC "North Devon Railway Club" was most appropriate.

 

I am sick to death of dropping in here and seeing personal insults and condescencion. What is it with narrow gauge projects?

 

What it is . A clash of views, sometimes a lack of knowledge or understanding .

A few enthusiasts turn up and do a job, a lot don't turn up but they like to contribute their bit their view from their comfortable seats at home and the telephone conversations they have with other enthusiasts who sometime enthuse more than reality.

What you see here generally is the view of a greater majority of people in comfortable seats that view the project from what they learn in the magazines, and on the web a lot of what is put out appears to be progressive, but media advertising and propoganda is all about an illusion.

Many people come here purely to read, they are offended by the conflicting views, unfortunately that is a byproduct of debate, I am sorry about that.

 

I rather think that the differences concerning the L&B are because a few people were removed from their posts for reasons which are not appropriate to explain here and ever since have been prophets of doom and gloom and who also consider that only they know best.

 

So, 'lynton & barnstaple', who are these people "...removed from their posts... and ever since have been prophets of doom and gloom and who also consider that only they know best..." ?
Don't be coy, you've just made an allegation, so be man about it and explain. You have our undivided attention....

 

A typical example of egos destroying what could be a decent enough little railway.
You people need to understand that the vast majority could not give a damn who you are and what you have or have not done with your lives, it’s about the L&B the railway which is much more important than any of you.
Less time talking and more time actually getting on with it would probably yield better results and greater respect.

 

Thank you Peter, nicely put!

I often find that the words of Vince Lombardi (an American Football coach - the NFL Super Bowl trophy is named after him, so he must have got something right) are particularly apposite:

"Praise in Public; Criticize in Private"

Following this credo always seem to garner the best outcomes, and get the most buy-in from those involved, to my mind.

Something we could all perhaps bear in mind?

 

I was not ejected from the L&B they might have liked to have ejected me, but I have a Honnary Membership, makes it rather difficult.

I and a few others decided to call time on the workshops creating outstanding things for the L&B project so we said NO to the new management and did not support the "plan".

We pulled the plug at Easter 2009 once it was made obvious previous to that date they were going to starve us out !!

The laws of famine are some will die, from lack of food and water. But maybe we were more resourcefull than expected.

I come on her to let the world know the facts, about some activity that was not very L&B orientated its been sufficient to spread an even covering of truth to some very unliked facts. The NDRC is a real possibility, you should all consider it.

The truth will prevail eventually, irrelivant of how much you go to church or sing from the hymn sheet.It is only in the actions equality can be measured .

So far its been a long and protracted trail of destruction, that can only be resolved by the perpetrators who know who they are and why they are continuing in their blinkered quest.

They go and normallity will be restored, and the L&B revival will get a new start.

Untill then I will continue to post up facts, to further illuminate the sky over the L&B.

You don't like the facts sorry, I say then your not contributing towards a sustainable project and a proper bigger L&B

Sorry Folks that is the deal. Bye for now.TheEngineer.

I suspect the ENPA look at what the L&B is really creating in the way of usefull income to people on Exmoor, not building equipment or having workshops in or near the ENP or the railway does not exactly help the case.

 

Can I remind contributors what this topic is about:

The Exmoor National Park Authority are currently running a survey with regards to their priorities.

To help make the ENPA aware of the importance of the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway on the area's economy, both as a more sustainable transport method and as a means of improving the national profile of Exmoor, please could you complete the survey below?

Now please stick to the topic. All this sniping does you no credit. There is no need to rise to the bait; a dignified silence shows a greater strength of character.

 

I think you need to read back a few posts, Breva. You will then find that I have laid out my opinion of how a rebuilt L&B can benefit the Exmoor National Park. Unfortunately, an individual, who clearly does not like my conclusions, has then launched into personal criticisms of myself and The Engineer. If you are criticised, by all means keep quiet, but when someone impugns my integrity in public, and snidily attempts to throw mud, I will then ask that person to put up, or shut up.

 

Urgh, is the bitching still going?

 

In which case it is a shame that your integrity is possibly worth more than the project you clearly believe in and hope to succeed (if a viable business plan can be achieved). As others have said in this thread and I have suggested elsewhere, all this disharmony does not to the outsider/possible supporter do any of the projects associated with trying to resurrect the L&B any favours. Is it possible to please try and stick to updates of any progress in whatever shape and form?

 

I've just come from the All aboard the Lynton & Barnstaple thread. 10/10 for consistency, lads!

 

Thanks, Jamie. I am a strong believer in consistency! BTW, is Guard Jamie, an instruction, a warning, or a description?!?