Trawsfynydd branch

[Henbury Loop]

I have heard rumblings that the company/society who held the licence for the track clearance etc has had it revoked.

If that is the case, it is the second time that this has happened.

What a shame.

 

[Harbornite]

Here's their FB page...

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1393531320758564&set=p.1393531320758564&type=1&theater

 

[Chris125]

Hardly surprising.

Daily Post - Fears campaign to revive disused Snowdonia railway line is on brink of failure

A Network Rail spokesman said: “We have revoked the Trawsfynydd Railway Company’s licence agreement after an investigation highlighted serious breaches to health, safety and environmental legislation and the terms and conditions of the licence.

“We have written to the relevant parties to confirm this and outline the key outcomes of our investigation. Community rail projects can make a fantastic contribution in the areas they serve and we continue to support groups and volunteers across Wales and borders.”

When news of the Network Rail investigation emerged in October, Trawsfynydd Railway Company director Colin Dale, who leads the project, described the bridge incident as “slippage”.

The Daily Post understands volunteers used a 10-ton digger on that section despite Network Rail authorising the use of machines no bigger than five tons.

In another incident, a railway trolley used to carry vegetation away crashed into level crossing gates.

 

[gazthomas]

This isn't really the Blaenau Ffestiniog branch, this is the old GWR route to Trawsfynydd. The post's title should be changed

 

[alexl92]

The project was comprised of two bodies - the Company, owned and chaired by a Colin Dale, which held the licence to work on the line from NR, and the Society, which was the charity and is what most supporters were part of. NR revoked the licence because of serious H&S concerns and breaches of the agreement with them. Rather than inform supporters of the revokation, the company simply announced that they had plans to restore another section of the line which was lifted years ago. The truth only came to light when a supporter spotted the Daily Post article, linked above.

The article sums it up but the facebook group has been in uproar for a few days and the charming Mr Dale has been throwing out insults at anyone who dares question his conduct and has blamed NR for the revocation even though it's thanks to him using a digger twice the weight limit imposed by NR and also ignoring H&S issues relating to both vounteers and the general public. The piece of masonry dislodged from the bridge culvert was apparently 6-700kg in weight. I also heard something about the wall of an old goods shed now being missing...

I understand there is also a fraud investigation underway to establish what happened to money donated to two fundraisers - one to try and purchase a Class 08 shunter and one to acquire an EMU from the ERM at Coventry when it closed. A lot of angry punters online want their money back as both appeals fell well short and around £7k is unaccounted for.

The society, which from an outsider p.o.v seems to be made up of much more sensible and realistic people, is now looking to create a new company, cut all ties with Mr Dale and his associates, elect a new committee and gather a team including a professional planner and professional engineer who can guide the process of working with NR and Natural Resources Wales to restore trust in the project and keep the dream alive.

FWIW I am not a direct supporter or in any way associated - I have just been keeping an eye as I am always interested in new heritage railway restoration projects.

 

[Cowley]

Thanks for the summary Alex. Seems pretty spot on going on what I’ve read in various places.

 

[Worf]

Much of the equipment purchased to clear the trackbed (using donated money) also appears to be missing. I understand the police are involved.