Council Report - 2nd June 2007

Council commenced its June meeting by standing for one minute in memory of Janet Cox, a well-known long-standing traffic volunteer who had died the previous week.

The centrepiece of the meeting was a presentation by Steve Martin, a member who is a marketing expert, of a strategic marketing plan for the Railway. The key opportunities/objectives are to further develop a good product - but without spoiling the ambience of the Railway - and to improve the communication/marketing of this product to the potential client base by building on the existing very sound and cost effective promotional programme. If you wish to know more, a shortened version of the presentation will be given to the AGM. After discussion, Council agreed that development of the plan should continue and that the case should be developed for appointing a Marketing Officer (a role currently being filled by recently retired Traffic Manager David Leech on a part time basis).

Perhaps more contentious is the subject of locomotive liveries, which the AGM in September 2005 decided to delegate to Council. Following a series of votes, Council decided that for 2008:

No. 1 Talyllyn will be painted black;
No. 3 Sir Haydn will appear as the Skarloey Railway locomotive Sir Handel retaining its existing Indian Red Corris Railway livery (No. 6 Douglas/Duncan is expected to be out of service next year for its ten-yearly boiler examination and overhaul);
if other priorities permit, No. 2 Dolgoch will be painted maroon for one year only prior to its own ten-yearly boiler examination (with the possibility of it appearing as the Skarloey Railway’s Rheneas for children’s “Skarloey Railway” days only).

Council also agreed - without a vote - that diesel loco No. 9 Alf could be repainted in a variation of the standard TR green livery which was first applied to it many years ago but which did not find favour at the time and was hastily restored to standard.

Whilst on the subject of paintwork, a letter was circulated from a regular volunteer involved with carriage painting about the lack of carriage washing. We plan to de something about this, so, if you are around in the peak, you may be grabbed for an enjoyable evening carriage washing session. And, before the peak service, the Outdoor Foreman would appreciate help with reducing the backlog of routine tamping.

Council agreed that a watering facility be provided for down trains at Dolgoch subject it being as unobtrusive as possible. This will not only save us a little money since water at Dolgoch costs us nothing but will reduce the use of mains water which contains chemicals which may not be good for boilers. The Railway is also looking at other possible ways of being more environmentally friendly - solar water heating on the south facing roofs of the new Wharf building being one possibility.

Other business included:

appointment of Don Newing as Archives Officer;
agreement that discounts should be allowed on alcohol to off-duty volunteers (the Rule Book prohibits the consumption of alcohol on duty) once the Catering Department started selling bottled beer and wine with meals - it was also explained that the objective of the Refreshment Rooms was to maximise revenue from the public to help the Railway, not to be the cheapest places to eat and drink in the Tywyn area;
adoption of a resolution giving the Council’s unqualified support to the Tom Rolt Vintage Rally;
agreement that the collection at the AGM should be for an item of Engineering equipment to be proposed by the Engineering Manager, Dave Scotson and approved by the Finance & General Purposes Committee.

Philip Sayers 8 June 2007