Crewe Heritage Centre for Sale

Having listened to Mr Waterman's interview with Chris Evans, there was no mention of Crewe Heritage Centre, merely a reference to his "factory" at Crewe, where he builds locomotives. He states the business is called LNWR (note no reference to Heritage) and employs 63 people. He is obviously refering to the company (LNWR) he sold to Arriva Trains which still operates as part of DBS. The company he operates on the Heritage Centre employs substantially less staff and as Peter Jordan has said, he is merely a tenant of Crewe Heritage Trust.

 

Waterman made some pretty outrageous claims - like they repair and restore all the steam loco's in Britain and are building a new one right now, so a few noses out of joint I'd say, but at least it raised the profile of the movement. Evans also suggested a footplate package as part of his auction for Children in Need next year. Something I suggested to the A1 Trust in the past.

 

A1 Trust have done a footplate package in the past for Children in Need. Think it was something like London to York on the footplate of Tornado, went for a good sum if memory serves me correctly.

 

I my memory serves me right they had a child on the footplate most of the way.

 

My memory clearly no longer serves me! (Nor does Chris Evans' either!)

 

Peter,

Just returning to this post of yours, and our more recent exchange about Pete Waterman’s comments on the Chris Evans BBC programme.

Could it be that more remarks made on that programme, by Jack Dee, on the 29th November – that ‘there is nothing to do in Crewe’ – and which elicited such a petulant response from our fairly new Leader of Cheshire East Council, Cllr. Michael Jones, in the local press, present an excellent opportunity to those of you involved in the tussle with Crewe Town Council (your post on the 10th October, 2011 in this thread) to make progress with the lease extension? If Cllr. Jones is so keen to avoid being embarrassed by such remarks from the likes of Jack Dee, maybe he will now give CTC a kick up the proverbial, on your behalf?

I am not an active campaigner for Britain’s steam railway heritage – though I do value it highly- but I am a local resident and ratepayer, and I am inclined to agree with Jack Dee’s comments; it is absolutely nuts that both Cheshire County Council, and now Cheshire East, have failed completely to take positive advantage of Crewe’s huge railway history generally, or give whole-hearted support to committed people and organisations like yours, to protect and develop specific projects like the Heritage Centre, leaving them vulnerable to the whims of external investors. When I see what these people pay themselves in salaries and expenses, I wonder what they do for us that is so exceptional.

Unfortunately, the problems are wider than just the Heritage Centre, which is just one example of the lack of vision. Having lived here for over thirty years, I have watched with dismay the evident disregard that Crewe Council had for anything with a hint of historical value. For example, the few remaining buildings in the town centre, of any note, were demolished in the 70s and 80s, usually to make way for a supermarket, or road-widening scheme, whilst permitting the building of such a monstrosity as Rail House which, unfortunately, can be seen from the surface of the Moon ( and continuing in the last few weeks, now under Cheshire East, with the demolition of the original Royal Mail building, beside the station).

Perhaps it would be a good moment to repeat your 2011 request to the CTC, with a copy to Cllr. Jones?

Kind regards.

 

Is there any news on this at all?

 

Also interested in this. Is the site still available? I never heard If cheshire east council made a decision on the lease. I remember that lnwr didnt get it but crewe hc also didnt get it. Any progress?

 

There is comment on another thread, unsubstantiated as far as I can see, that Jeremy Hosking has bought "LNWR" from Pete Waterman. I assume the comment refers to the LNWR Heritage company.
If this is correct, how will this affect the status of the Heritage centre?

I have checked both the LNWR Heritage website and the Royal Scot L & G trust website but there is no indication of this alleged news.

46118

 

The situation regarding Crewe Heritage Centre is very clear. 'Crewe Heritage Trust' have a lease on the site until 2041 and the legal validity of that lease cannot change unless the Trust wishes it to. So the Centre is safe until at least that date.

I can't comment on the 'sale of LNWRHCo.' story.

Peter Jordan

Exeter West Group

 

As Steve Latham is quoted in Railway Herald as thanking Pete Waterman for his past input, and looking forward to exciting times ahead, the transfer of ownership is probably true.

Dave

 

Hasn't Steve set up his own company, though?

Edit, It seems that the news of the sale has now broken.

 

Yes but still managing Crewe as far as I know.
Dave

 

If LNWR Crewe is leasing Crewe Diesel, maybe the Heritage Centre will get it's museum back, and if they ask nicely, the spare locos from Loco services to display too when not required.

 

it will be very interesting to see how this all pans out!

it could be a "be carefull what you wish for" senario, with all steam locos leaving the site, all engineering leaving, all mainline locos being serviced at the diesel depot and crewe hc becoming empty of interesting items and steam-less!

Or it could have its space back and have space for an engine in the main hall and other exhibits. on that note how many engines could you keep under cover? and with LNWR leaving what would happen to that building where they currently overhaul boilers?

 

Just to let people know the sale doesn't affect us as a museum and we will be carrying on as normal. Please see our thread for events going on this year.

http://www.national-preservation.com/threads/crewe-heritage-centre-2014.204898/