| | The Council of Management is the Trust's Board and is concerned more with strategy and fundraising with operational matters devolved to the trading subsidiary, the Swanage Railway Company. These notes provide an overview of some of the matters discussed this month. - A shortened meeting was held this month due to the open forum held beforehand as part of Members’ Weekend. We were pleased to welcome approximately 30 members and presentations by Keith Gooding (on Furzebrook), Mike Whitwam (Corfe Castle footbridge) Andrew Moore (Finance) and Nick Brown (general Railway overview) were given. A constructive questions and answer session then followed.
- The CoM have agreed to look into the possibility of obtaining funding for a dedicated disabled coach – either by repairing the existing SK(H) or by acquiring a new vehicle.
- Draw tickets for the 2006 Grand Draw are now available to buy. Please help in any way you can – either by selling tickets to your friends and family or by assisting with selling to the general public at Swanage station. Hopefully we can beat last year’s profit of £12,000.
- Restoration of Bulleid brake coach no. 4365 continues off-site at Ramparts. The recent appeal has to date raised approx. £6,000. Plans for the restoration of sister coach 4366 are already being discussed.
- A resolution was passed to transfer operational assets – 15 Mk.1 coaches, one loco (D3591), six wagons, two cranes and permanent way materials – from the Swanage Railway Trust to the Swanage Railway Company with effect from 31st March. Heritage coaches\wagons, signalling equipment and all items associated with the library and museum will remain in Trust ownership.
- A further resolution confirming that the Trust is minded to fund track replacement to the value of £30,000 in the Autumn was also passed.
- Geoffrey Charters has kindly agreed to succeed Alan Burrows as volunteer editor of Swanage Railway Magazine later this year.
- The Trust has received an offer to buy the dismantled 0-4-0 Peckett industrial steam locomotive. If sold one proposal would be to use the funds towards the further restoration of heritage rolling stock. Anyone with an interest in this loco is asked to contact CoM member Andy Vincent (andyvincentuk@hotmail.com)
- We have decided to hold off conducting the admission fee Gift Aid pilot scheme and will instead be asking the Heritage Railway Association to pursue the viability of this issue with HM Revenue and Customs (formerly the Inland Revenue) on behalf of all its members.
- One or more volunteer is still needed to look after the sale of advertising space at Swanage station and in Swanage Railway Magazine. Please contact the Chairman or Treasurer if you are interested or you know someone who might be.
- The Hampshire Narrow Gauge Society is looking into the possibility of merging with the PMMMG at Norden.
The next CoM meeting will take place on Saturday 22nd April 2006 at 2:00 pm in the Methodist Church Hall, High Street, Swanage. |
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