Poole Park Railway

Spent the day a a guard. Flags and whistle supplied by the railway. 190 passengers today, 36 trains. Double heading this afternoon/ evening.
So far the CIC has since July had 16000 plus passengers.....things are looking up.
Anyone in the Area is welcome to volunteer, driver,guard,station staff, work shop staff all welcome!

Nick

 

Well, after the WSR my sons & I enjoyed a ride round in the gathering gloom this afternoon.

We were made most welcome and its good to see that the line is now in the hands of 'railwaymen' rather than 'showmen' who understand what needs doing and have access to the skills to ensure the lines future

 

Friends of Poole Park Railway are running Santa trains everyday from the 16th Dec except Christmas Day!......until first week of January....see web site for details. Trains subject to the weather!

 

If details are on the website, it would be useful to include a link...

 

https://pooleparkrailway.org/news-events/
Err.....no mention of Santa trains...
Still 16 Dec till the Beginning of January 2017......

 

Apparently it has closed again, it certainly was not running bank holiday weekend. I heard they had had another derailment a few weeks ago on track that should have been replaced, but have also been told of another (less convincing) reason. Website says closed for maintenance but with no dates. Anyone know more?

 

I left the PPRy some time ago. Directed by mostly shop keepers who care more about marketing than running a railway.
One section of rail was rotten beyond belief and replaced with an equally rotten section of rail. Ok'd by a chap who is big in model railways.

 

That was the impression I got when I went to see about volunteering so never bothered to get involved. I hope it gets sorted out positively but I can't help thinking it won't given sorting the track was given as the main reason for it changing hands.

 

Closed for seasonal maintenance, according to their website.

Not very convincing. Seasonal maintenance is normally done during the quiet winter months, not over one of the busiest bank holiday weekends of the year.

 

All rather bizarre. Last year the council was insisting that the track would all be ripped up and replaced by new by the new operator. Then these people were allowed in to just continue using the dodgy old track.

No steam trains any more, the old operator took his steam loco away.

I’m struggling to see what benefit there was in forcing the old operator out.

 

No steam trains? Not worth visiting then, and Poole is a long way from where I live.

Council politics comes to mind.

 

There is no council politics involved. The railway is run as a CIC, where the profit goes to FoPP.

 

Latest (not good) news: http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/16225677.Poole_Park_railway_shut_down_after_derailment/

 

You beat me to it. Some of the comments make interesting reading, well the less barmy ones/ more believable. Plus lets face it the local rag do have delusions of fleet street!

 

I wondered that too.
Still, the mantra of 'the fourth estate' was said to be "Never let the facts get in the way of a good story".
Perhaps that still applies

 

In the Echo's case I am certain it does!

 

I have just had a look at part of the loop and there are several sections marked with paint and arrows suggesting that the track between them needs work (or replacing?). One of these includes a path crossing were there were recent scores in the tarmac which look to have been caused by flanges not on the rail. I know they had an inspection Friday. I did hear a rumour the whole track had been condemned. Looks like this is not the case fortunately.

I have now had three unrelated people tell me that there were issues with were the takings were going. The more believable/less slanderous implies that the council take the money and only give back a small amount. This strikes me as odd but I don't really know how these things work.

 

Not good news in today’s Times:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article...9?shareToken=1558ff66d4b0b25e18068181828d4aba


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/ne...niature_railway_closed_as_staff_go_on_strike/


Not at all surprised. Run by shop keepers who are also trustees of Friends of Poole Park. Glad I walked away form it before all this happened.

 

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