T.R.P.S. Report of the Council for 1998

Admin login | Printable version

T.R.P.S. Report of the Council for 1998

The Railway and Museum had the pleasure of welcoming Elfyn Llwyd, M.P. for Meirionydd Nant Conwy, the Mayor of Tywyn and other dignitaries on 22nd. May, the 22nd. anniversary of the opening of the Nant Gwernol Extension. Our twin, The Puffing Billy Railway in Australia, opened its extension to Gembrook in October and Talyllyn representatives presented the card signed at our 1998 A.G.M.

The lack of visible progress belies the considerable effort expended during the year on plans for the Ty Mawr site and eventual redevelopment at Wharf, effort which your Council hopes will bear fruit in years to come.

Strong protests fell on deaf ears when a change of policy by a former Home Secretary prevented working parties coming to the Railway from Onley Young Offenders' Institution. These resumed during 1998 and perform a great deal of strenuous work rewarded by fresh air, a break from routine and a welcome change of scene.

Jeremy Wilkinson retired during the year from his post as Solicitor to the Companies and Society. The Council wishes to place on record its thanks, not only for the very considerable saving in legal costs enjoyed over thirty years, but also for his invaluable counsel.

Traffic & Operating

Operating was generally satisfactory, though diesel No 10 was called upon to deputize for failed steam locomotives on two occasions. The first of these was when No 6 Douglas failed while working a photographic special in very poor weather. The special was subsequently rearranged for a day of glorious sunshine and everyone was satisfied. The second occasion was due to failure of an air brake pump.

Training is vitally important in every organization. For many years Mutual Improvement Classes have taken place during the peak season to expand on the everyday, personal, on-the-job training. In 1998, spring weekend seminars allowed guards to attain a deeper knowledge of the air-brake system and blockmen to reinforce their grasp of signalling theory.

The end of the year saw the withdrawal of the Operating Rule Book which had been in force (latterly somewhat amended) since 1974. Its replacement was produced as a result of a great deal of work over two years by a small group of volunteers.

Marketing

Special events largely followed the pattern of recent years. Victorian Week continues to be a great success, in 1998 with the added incongruity of "Queen Victoria" opening the new Dolgoch passenger conveniences. Santa Specials were run in the same format as 1997, although an operational hitch on one trip required Father Christmas to board the train at Hendy.

The passenger survey continues to be updated, the questions and layout being further refined to meet our changing needs. More informative analysis is anticipated in the near future.

Plans are well under way to celebrate the Society's Golden Jubilee in October 2000 and the fiftieth anniversary of volunteer operation ? the world's first successful venture into railway preservation ? the following year.

Shop & Catering

The Railway Letter Service has now obtained a new agreement from the Post Office for the carriage of mails and the Sub-Committee continues to come up with all kinds of innovative ideas, whether to celebrate some anniversary or to offer a new product. Ed Lund and his seasonal staff have continued to offer a valued catering service to visitors and volunteers, a service which compares very favourably with that offered on other preserved lines. Our catering operation just showed a profit after the internal transfer for subsidized refreshments for volunteers and employees.

The extension at Abergynolwyn, which should be open for the peak season in 1999, will ensure better facilities for coach parties and more indoor accommodation for customers in bad weather. The intention is to use only the original cafe area at quiet times.

The Catering Manager and Shop Supervisor wish to thank volunteers who have covered for staff leave and helped at busy times, not forgetting those who man (or woman) Dolgoch refreshments in peak season.

Engineering

Dolgoch toilets were finally opened in July 1998, and work started in the spring of 1999 on extending the refreshment room at Abergynolwyn. Fire detection linked to a monitoring centre has been installed at Pendre, particularly to protect our wooden-bodied rolling stock. A Bridgeport milling machine was installed in the works, replacing the slotter which migrated to the North carriage shed.

Boiler work on Loco No 2 Dolgoch is complete along with overhaul of the valve gear and retyring of the wheels; a new smokebox and door are being fitted. No 3 Sir Haydn suffered a burst steam pipe within the boiler and this was replaced in thicker material. No 4 Peter Sam/Edward Thomas shows evidence of wasting in the firebox tubeplate, but should be able to run throughout 2000. Springs had to be replaced on No 6 Douglas and No 7 Tom Rolt.

No 5 Midlander suffered a damaged gearbox input shaft, and No 9 Alf fractured a casting holding the starter motor. With the cab in place, though unfinished, No 8 Merseysider has already been used for shunting. No 10 Bryn Eglwys has been doing most work, but continues to be plagued by minor faults.

Carriage bogie overhauls continued, along with the fitting of new wheels to replace those with casting defects. No 3 required rotten bodywork timbers replaced. No 7 had sound deadening material placed under the roof to reduce drumming. The canvas roof covering of No 9 was replaced by fibreglass, new droplights were fitted, and some repainting done. A decision having been made to fit air brakes to all coaching stock by the 2000 season, this work is ongoing. Last to be dealt with next winter will be Nos 14 & 15, the Glyns, which will also get new springing, hornguides and wheels.

Health & Safety

The higher mark confirms our position in the VERY GOOD category and was achieved after much hard work by many people. All contributions to this unrewarding task are appreciated, a significant advance in housekeeping at Pendre being particularly noticeable. The Safety Adviser again reminded us that further advances in marking will be increasingly difficult to attain.

Attached to the report were two special sections. One dealt with the Volunteer Hostel Llechfan, and the observations made in this section have been of help in a revision of the arrangements for the hostel's use. The other special section comprised an analysis of all the entries since 1984 in the Accident Book. This has been of considerable value but highlights the need for greater detail of each incident to be recorded in order that lessons can be fully learnt.

Society Activities

The role of the Area Groups in the make up of the Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society is frequently underrated by those who have no involvement with them. For those actively involved they provide a continuing social contact with TRPS members away from Tywyn.

The core activity of the Area Groups is the regular Group Meetings held throughout the year. The Tywyn Area Group has in the past year had talks on subjects as diverse as Engine Cleaning, the coming TRPS Millennium celebrations and slides of the Dolgoch slip. The East Anglia Group managed to raise ?100 just by taking collections at their Group Meetings. Wessex is to be congratulated on holding their 25th Model Railway exhibition in April this year and making a profit of ?1,300. Like all Area Groups, the Midland Area visits model railway exhibitions throughout the year, raising funds and distributing publicity. It is experiencing a common problem of organisers seeking increased fees for stands; the days of the voluntary donation seem to be behind us. The big event of the year for the London Area Group is the annual film show and organ recital, Steampipes, each November; that in 1998 raised profits of ?350 for each of the three railways involved. In a unique project the North West Area is co-operating with the Furness Model Railway Club in restoring Wilbert Awdry's famous Ffarquhar Branch model railway layout.

As well as its working parties the Young Members' Group organized an enjoyable and instructive tour, also attended by some now only young at heart, behind the scenes at the National Railway Museum. An even younger group, the Tracksiders, enjoyed a day on the railway at the Downs School at Colwall, where they were able to undertake activities from which youth debars them on the Talyllyn.

Museum & Heritage

The Committee's remit has been agreed together with a definition of the Talyllyn heritage. A sub-committee investigating "Heritage Interpretation of the Railway as a Whole" has made some preliminary recommendations, care being exercised to avoid any interpretation which would be intrusive or destroy the atmosphere we wish to conserve.

Both the Young Members' Group and Tracksiders have made very valuable contributions to the Committee's activities.

The opportunity was seized to acquire the Baguley locomotive 774 of 1919, an early internal-combustion locomotive with local connections, and its restoration will follow completion of the Talyllyn van recovered from Rhydyronen.

Research indicated a higher visitor count than previously believed and monitoring equipment is to be installed to verify this. The financial status of the Trust is satisfactory with a small increase in the balance. Long-term plans for the Museum are inextricably linked to the plans for Wharf redevelopment.

Report of the Honorary Treasurer

Maintenance of Ways and Works shows a very large increase of 85 per cent or ?21,635. Some ?5,000 of this is in respect of track materials, ?8,242 for the fire alarm system at Pendre, ?5,200 for a newer and better milling machine in the workshops and ?3,595 for litter bins and writing off the Dolgoch portaloos now that we have the permanent toilets. The other elements of Operating Costs are in total much the same as in the previous year, as are the items described as Other Expenses.

The results of the Commercial activities are shown in total in the Revenue Account; Note 3 presents them in more detail and distinguishes between the Railway Shop and Catering. In both sections turnover was lower than in the previous year, at least partly because of the reduced number of visitors. Staff Costs in the Shop show a sizeable increase, due not to increased pay or numbers employed but to increased pension costs, partly as a side effect of pensions legislation. Catering results were a little better than breakeven ? these figures would be much better if only we could find more customers to patronise the cafes between trains.

Engineering profit and turnover have reverted to a more normal level after 1997's higher figures, without the benefit of selling pumps for air brakes.

Miscellaneous Income as usual includes the net commission from the rail ticket agency (?3,175) and also the first rental income in respect of the police aerial at Abergynolwyn Station.

?9,278 has been spent on Fixed Assets during the year, mostly in respect of Dolgoch Toilets, which have cost ?16,995 so far with some minor items still to come, and the flail-mower.

The Society's income from Subscriptions was a little higher but Donations were down by ?8,530 or 47 per cent, due to the absence of special items such as those received in 1997.

The total received for the Dolgoch Toilets appeal was well in excess of the cost of the toilets, due partly to the use of our own labour on much of the work instead of contractors, and the surplus will be used for the extension of Abergynolwyn Station; the fund has been renamed accordingly.

The New Rail Appeal raised a very useful ?4,729 by the date of the balance sheet and funds continued to come in subsequently; the appeal is now closed.

The Society has again made a special grant (of ?48,741) to the Railway Company so that a deficit is not carried forward in the Company's Balance Sheet.