Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

I suspect the issue is less paid/unpaid, and more the pattern of relationships. In the current structure and relationships, I would be impressed at any neutral who could deliver that sort of necessary challenge.

 

A tea break doodle..

 

Just quickly, the above sketch gives a more organic look to the end with the curved waist band following on from the sides and makes use of our logo. The screen is a single sheet of glass to give an unobstructed view for the driver with a windscreen wiper for those rare wet days

Based on the pre-approved underframe with L&B couplings either end it would enable it to be put into a heritage rake and not look out of place. If the remote controls are lockable inside a cover on those days it could carry passengers and so be an observation end and indeed as a 2 car set the trailing end always an observation end, swapping the end at each end of the line.

The roof lamps become vents to try and keep the carriage aired in the winter and also aid cooling in the summer.

Detachable cow catcher on both ends for when used as a 2 car set but not needed when in a rake hauled by other means.

The power plant I have ideas for which I will reveal later. Vac brakes to match the rest of the fleet.

 

I agree. If we can find volunteer Engineers, surely we can find a Chartered Secretary or Chartered Accountant who will do this on a voluntary basis. It's not as though it is a massive amount of work - taking and recording minutes of Board Meetings and General Meetings, organising the paperwork for those meetings, dealing with the collection and counting of Proxies, keeping Companies House and the Charity Commission up to date, dealing with correspondence. And that's about it. But if we employed someone with those qualifications the fees would be an un-necessary drain on funds. We already spend money - needlessly in my opinion (I have done what Accountancy Edge Ltd are doing here for a Railway Museum and a Heritage Group) paying them £2,400 pa for 'Accountancy and bookkeeping' (page 26 of the 2022 accounts) to prepare the accounts from the books when we ought to be able to find a Treasurer with the know-how to prepare the accounts to avoid this expense.

 

As a chair of finance dealing with a treasurer interregnum, I will not criticise a charity for hiring professional help - the cost of doing things badly will far exceed the cost of hiring the help. The important thing for all of these roles is attitude, and the willingness to work collaboratively within a leadership team and more widely to do things efficiently and well.

My concern, again applicable to any of these "professional" roles, is that the paid help is only going to be as good as they are allowed to be - if given bad instructions, bad results will follow.

 

"Glenthorne Railcar" 4mm scale modelled by the late John de Fraysinet for his layout "County Gate"

 

Not far off what I had in mind with the centre power car. Here Greater Anglia are doing similar but with power cars which have diesel generators for non overhead sections and also battery banks for reclaimed energy through braking. Swiss if I recall correctly.


The power car I had in mind wouldn't be as long or have a luggage area, just a power plant and the necessary equipment to drive the set. Maybe 15' long at most. So 32' - 15' - 32' giving a total of about 90-95' with the couplings and front catchers.

I wouldn't close couple the power car but would have L&B coupling which means the carriages can be put into ordinary rakes if need be.

A flatter drivers end as I think the one on that Glenthorne one could restrict the drivers view.

Bringing in the curves gives a more modern look but preserving the L&B style with the waist band.

It does show though that the idea has been thought of before, even if a more tram style end.

 

Lol, looking at the doodle now the driver is a bit small....

OK, he's only 4' 10"...and standing on a box OK?

 

Ah - I thought it was a double-decker like the Mumbles trains and he was driving it from upstairs Probably not ideal for Churchtown bridge....

 

An HO driver in an OO world!?

 

This 6'6" reader is more concerned about whether he could stand upright in that cab!

 

For the true 'active travel' experience, maybe your feet could go thru' a hole in the cab floor and you could push it along !

 

Flintstone fashion!

 

Did Charles pose for you! even without facial features it looks a lot like him

 

Lol, no, no Charles at the workshop yesterday, just me and one always welcome visitor yesterday afternoon

 

There's a week to go until the EGM which will decide the Trust's future direction: we will either remain a democratic member led organisation or we will deicde to surrender our influence over our railway to six current Trustees in perpetuity.

Please consider voting against the proposed M&As (Motion 3), so that we can retain our democratic rights and have an open and inclusive M&A revision process.

If you can't make it, please consider the offers from Rob Prosser and Mike Buse amongst others to be your proxy; because of work, I may not be able to make it, and Mike has kindly taken my proxy.

 

Yes it would be great to find a small army of suitably qualified and experienced volunteer professionals. The reality is that most charities struggle to find enough willing volunteers, qualified or not. I’m a committee member for a canal restoration society and I showed our Secretary the comment about it ‘not being a massive amount of work’ and he burst out laughing…

 

More Ant Hill mob than Flintstone.

 

Emett ?