Fairbourne in trouble?

This is bad news this railway deserves to be helped.

 

The BBC article says that the railway had stayed open through regular donations from one person who covered the operating losses (£40k this year - but he died earlier this year They seem to be looking for a more volunteer-run operation from now on.

Richard

 

As a Director of the Fairbourne, I'd like to comment on this - Tony Atkinson, who died earlier this year had indeed provided around 40K a year to cover operating losses, but he was comfortable with that, so it wasn't necessary to make economies to reduce that. Now that he's gone we do have to both reduce the cost of running the railway and also bring in further finance. With the cooperation of the staff we've been able to effectively lose two members of staff and there are further operating economies to be implemented. Our volunteers and supporters have stepped up to help cover the lost man hours and the newly launched "Crisis Appeal" is off to a good start aided by the publicity that opened this thread, and it has become obvious that there is a great depth of support for this railway. Hopefully, the railway will pull through and survive, but it will need more widespread financial support than it has hitherto received, so please help if you are able to do so.

 

61624, Hi. Can i ask you do you get any help from the local authoritys and/or is it worth asking them ? It's obviously in the best interests of the region that a tourist attraction such as this one should survive !

 

Your post makes interesting reading, 61624. I was concerned when reading about this at first that the line was endeavouring to continue just as it always had and try to make up the £40,000 shortfall per annum in donations, which I'm sure you'll agree is not the best way for a business to operate. It is good to see that this is not the case. Whilst most railways rely on appeals and donations to cover a loco's overhaul or a specific piece of expensive civil engineering work required, they do manage to cover their basic day to day costs - at least that's how I read it.

May I ask though, if the railway is making the necessary savings, what is the Crisis Appeal for?

 

I think that if you look at the accounts of most preservation society run lines they are subsidised to a greater or lesser degree by their membership. The GCR would probably not be in existence still were it for for David Clarke, for example.

Whilst Tony Atkinson was alive he wanted the railway to run and be developed in a certain way and was prepared to subsidise that, now he's gone we have to adjust to the new reality. The effective loss of two members of staff is a significant start, and we're changing the way we do some activities, such as catering, to make them more profitable, but it is difficult to implement changes instantly and the Crisis Appeal is needed to buy time. So, yes, we still need your support!

The local community council have been very supportive (and have a representative on the charitable body that now owns and runs the line) because they recognise that the railway both directly and indirectly provides employment in the village, but in common with other local government organisations they have no cash to spare to provide for support.

 

Thanks for the explanation 61624, you're absolutely right all such organisations need support to develop in the way they do and the loss of that support will always force changes both good and bad. Thanks also for the explanation that the crisis fund is to buy time whilst changes are made, as previously its purpose had not been made clear.

 

From what I can tell its tough times in the area - friends that have a business nearby are seeing their income reduced as people have less money to spend - its going to be a time for those who have contacts with organisations in the area that they want to see survive to stand alongside them as much as they are able. Its certainly not an area with much slack for lost business.

 

Because I'd been a regular visitor to the area for several years, I felt it was only charitable to produce an appeal video for the Crisis Fund; made from stock footage taken on my old SD camera between 2007-2009. The appeal is also being advertized in my blog (every little helps, doesn't it?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv9Rg-VRTx0
http://e-gmedia.blogspot.com/2011/10/save-fairbourne-railway.html

Enjoy. But more importantly, give what you can when you can.
Thankyou.

 

Yes, but they don't make it easy to donate do they? No online donation facility, no Paypal, no credit cards!
They expect people to print a form and mail a cheque - few people pay for anything like that any more ...
Following the link, one might well have been tempted to send some squids with an online donation facility - but print and post a form, too much to expect from anyone but dedicated supporters.
They have a website so that's not an expense; and Paypal is easy and costs little - come on Fairbourne: join the internet age!!

 

I've just asked them about this. They're in the process of setting up PayPal AND Just Giving Web Account services. So, it seems they're going for all they've got to survive.

...let's hope it'll be enough!