Bollington: a new era!

[steam for ever]

Good idea!
First however it will be on the website only as I do not have a youtube account and I do not want anyone stealing the vid.

[steam for ever]

You may now be thinking that it still doesn't make much sense.
Well sorry about this.

Heres the new revised plan of what to do with the ponds and wild life sections.
We wish to create a diversionry route for nature lovers and we will most likely call it the line side nature trail.
At the stations there will be toilets. At first they might be portaloos but we hope to install proper buildings with time.

I have been looking up coach types for the railway.
We rather like the coaches that are used on the bala lake railway.
As I said Alan keef limeted can supply all of our needs if you care to view their website you will see their range of services.
We hope to use buildings bespoke for their buildings supplies.
If you have a look on their website you can see that they have a wide range of railway products, including coach bodies and stations.

Things do take time however.
At first facilities could be quite basic with a few portacabins around the place as shops and toilets, but we hope to get station canopies and brick buildings.
I have been looking further intothe state of Bollington viaduct and I discovered that it is good and pretty much up to standard.
We will have to inspect the drainage fully however.

Hope this helps!

[Axe]

Originally Posted by steam for ever

You may now be thinking that it still doesn't make much sense.

As you raise the subject, assuming you can persuade the council to either sell or lease you the trackbed, and then grant you planning permission to build your railway after you have successfully defended your Planning Application against the objections from nearby residents, walkers, cyclists and horse riders, how are you going to obtain the finance to...

(a) Obtain a TWO (Transport & Works Order) to establish and operate a railway;
(b) Create a diversionary route for nature lovers;
(c) Purchase the track materials and fencing:
(d) Build the platforms, station buildings, toilets, visitor car parking, etc;
(e) Obtain the locomotive(s) and coaching stock; and
(f) Pay for professional services (surveyor, solicitor, etc)?


Chris

[steam for ever]

After we have been given permission we will apply for a heritage lottery grant.
Remember that we will be (like any other railway) raising a campaign for funds.

On the point of locoal residents, we know they are for it after their gallant effort to save the line which failed and their equal effort to save Bollington viaduct which succeeded.
We will not be taking up much room as a narrow gauge railway on an old standard gauge double track alignment so walkers and cyclists have not got much to worry about.
Take a look at the gallery of the avon valley railway and on this forums gallery for evidence that it can work.

As I have said there will be a meeting for people with concerns and queries in the not too distant future to explain what is going on and what can be done to sove any problems.
We have no intention of moving the path along the line so we are trying to please both sides.
Again with the nature walk we will try to do as much work as possible with volunteer labour from the local community and perhaps try to get schools involved.

We are trying to created a few jobs as well and we hope to unite the community.
Hope this helped a bit.
If I have missed anything out then please ask for info.

As has been said by other members, locos will be brought in from private owners and if neccessary we will fabricate our own stock with the joiners we have readily available.


In the future we hope to get our own loco, but untill then we will invite anyone who has a loco to make a home at our line.
Lawyers are something that is being discussed at the moment so info on this is limeted.

Thanks for the q's
It helps us keep on our toes!

[steam for ever]

Right something else.

Is there anything you would lile to see on the line apart from what is mentioned?

Is there anything you have been longing for on a little railway like activities for example?

One thing that has been thought of is quite radical.
We have thought of a dining train for a 2ft gauge railway.
Any thoughts?
We would bring in catering companies and pay them with some of the proceeds.

It won't be anything elaborate but something like soup and a sandwich and cheese and biscuits.
We amy go as far to suggest cakes and simple hot meals for occasional evening trains.
Your opinions please.
(just for your info this will be quite a way in the future if approved)

[pavorossi]

Originally Posted by steam for ever

We have thought of a dining train for a 2ft gauge railway.
Any thoughts?
We would bring in catering companies and pay them with some of the proceeds.

I personally think that space will be too limited for this. If it was to go ahead your plan of outside caterers may be wise, it's the method we use on the East Lancs, don't know what other lines do though.

[steam for ever]

Yes I have been looking at the ELR website.
To be honest it was your line that gave me the idea.

I thought it might work because the ffestiniog railway and now the welsh highland railways are doing similar things.
We will still have cafes at both ends though.

[pavorossi]

Ah right. Well, if you can fit in to a carriage then go for it, it can be a nice revenue stream.

[steam for ever]

It might work.
If we can get the right coaching stock and perhaps add a touch of pullman livery...
Yes this could get somewhere.

[steam for ever]

Our 100th post.
Ok a lot of them are mine... well half of them, but I have some news.
We originally wanted a heritage trip to woodword aerodrome nearby but could not beacuse it was a BAE systems factory.

Well yesterday the factory closed so mabe now we have a chance with this.
Another thing is we have thought of a brilliant plan of how to provide a backup when times are hard.
I will talk about this when some more things are finished.
Following our maybe, maybe not we are not sure reply from the council we have been given more time to get ready.
When I say maybe maybe not, I mean the havn't said no, but not yes either.
WE need to porve ourselves.

I have been looking at the exmoor steam railway website and I have discovered that they have a large number of operable NGG16's for sale.
Their locomotive services has interested us, so we are going to look into this further.

Also e have been looking at a very very very long term option for extending to macclesfield, and we have discovered quite a reasonable route.
May I advise that if you want to learn a bit more yourself, you could get an OS map of the local area and of the line.
Swisstrains has already done a bit of research of his own, and well done him.

Things are going well, and the council, from what little has been implied, are pretty eager to get more visitors, like any council would.
After the dates for the meetings can be given, and more council contact has been gained, we can move on and really get into our stride.