Flying Pig

How Did They Do It?

2009-10-15T02:58:00.000-07:00

Recently reports have reached us at FP that Bluebell management are wondering how it was that the membership responded so quickly to the Woodpax Appeal compared with the Northern extension. I seem to recall the Woodpax appeal was primarily achieved by "pressing the flesh". The SP booking clerks, our erstwhile webmaster, and the general secretary at the time worked their guts out to obtain pledges from members which when taken up a year later resulted in over subscription. Such things can only be done by personal contact. Employing a fund raiser ( however good he may be) and sitting back and hoping is not enough.

An opportunity to press flesh among a wide variety of community leaders will offer itself on Sunday October 18th when our neighbours at Saint Hill Manor stage another gala concert from which the Bluebell will be a beneficiary. Memebrs of the Bluebell management who attend are strongly advised to spread themselves among the guest rather than stand in a group on their own.

Steamed Up 2

2009-01-27T11:34:00.000-08:00

Our first blog Steamed Up (see older blogs below) and Russell Pearce response here and in Bluebell News has now been followed up by a memorandum dated 18 January entitled Bluebell Governance. I have asked our chairman to place it on the agenda for the next trustee's meeting (30 Jan). Owning to the long agenda at 30 Jan meeting this matter has been deferred to the meeting on 20th March. Read the paper for yourself here.

The paper was presented to the Trustees who"considered Mr Coward’s proposals but felt that we had too much to do at the moment to start changing the structure of the railway. When the two major capital expenditure projects were out of the way, then we could revisit these proposals." They missed my point that we need to consider future governance now not after completing the extension and Woodpax projects as such consideration will of necessity take time to complete and debate. Still its no more that one could expect.

Tenner for the Tip and More

2009-01-27T11:31:00.000-08:00

The “Tenner for the Tip” scheme seems to be going well but how about extending it to “Sponsor a ….” This could be a (digger) bucket load, a ton, a lorry load, a foot/yard/metre of tip depending on your means. It could even go down to a pound or a kilo to attract the children.

I get the feeling from Bluebell people and colleagues on Network Rail that there is a real “buzz” now that people can see digging and track laying (At East Grinstead) happening. Let’s hope that this “Bluebell-with-it’s-tail-up”, as Mike Sharland used to say, will carry us through.

Dave Middleton

Electric Traction for Bluebell

2009-01-18T08:31:00.000-08:00

In bright winter sun and with a large crowd to watch at East Grinstead station VEP unit 3417 arrived on Bluebell track shunted into place by 73109. This was not the first ED to run on Bluebell track for 73136 is on a 10 week contract to run the spoil trains.

I am sure this is not the last time electric traction will run on our metals.

Hopefully this will generate excellent publicity for the extension .

Share Issue RIP

2009-01-14T07:40:00.000-08:00

The much trumpeted Bluebell share issue, which we waited for for seven years finally closed on 31 December having raised over £600,000. Basically it was late and mishandled by management and as a result other fund raising opportunities were missed and the consequence is Bluebell still needs £4.4m to reach East Grinstead.

We now need to get on with serious fund raising. My experience is that little and often is the best method. However we do have time constraints so we need to exploit every possible way of prising money out of folk.

Tim Baker's buy a sleeper idea which if I recall he suggested some three years ago, but was told it would interfere with then the imminent share issue, needs to be launched. We have lots of grand parents visit the railway who will impulse buy a certificate stating their grandchild bought a sleeper on the Bluebell Railway.

We need to exploit to the hilt 50 years of BRPS this year and 50 years of Bluebell operations next year .

Crusty old life members like me might give up our membership cars for a medallion as used to be issued to officers of railway companies for a consideration say £200. I know when I worked at the Transport my bosses used to love to show their medallion at ticket barriers.

In the good old Bash days we organised strollathons (a fun walk with modest prizes) that would raise significant funds. We would milk the vent with free refreshments and a raffle.

All members should be encouraged to raise funds by any legal means.

I'd be delighted to post fund raising suggestions here.

Be Nice To Your Shareholders

2008-12-01T13:24:00.000-08:00

A recent applicant for the share issue received in exchange for his donation a letter dated October 2008 addressed Dear Shareholder which listed the benefits he would receive in exchange for his donation and informed him that some £400,000 had been raised so far and that he was encouraged to buy shares. Oh and by the way it was hoped the share certificate would be with him by Christmas. If this reads like it is a little amateurish , it is. The applicant also purchase shares in the Spanish bank Santander. They replied with a personalised letter correctly dated and full information and of course the share certificate.

Sorry Bluebell, you have to improve your act. The letter that goes out to those investing in our future does not even say thank you.

UPDATE
UP to 31 December this same letter was going out dated October and stating that certificates would be with the purchaser by Christmas ( ie 2009).

Members Sould Be Ashamed - Only 7% have Given to the Share Issue

2008-11-17T02:33:00.000-08:00

I note with grave concern the recent notice about the share issue. Current uptake has been less than half a million pounds which does not augur well. Just as worrying is the statistic that only 7% of the membership has bought shares. This is, quite frankly, appalling. The only reasons for not buying shares are lack of funds or that you do not want to see our railway extended to East Grinstead. Whilst there are a few who fall into the first category and a small number who genuinely don’t want the railway extended and have said so, the vast majority must be looking forward to seeing the Bluebell at East Grinstead as our greatest breakthrough ever.

Unless suffering genuine financial hardship all working members should contribute at least £250 and all officers and trustees should be putting in at least £1,000. This is YOUR hobby, it’s what YOU do for enjoyment. I know all the arguments about giving time but how many of us can honestly say that we altruistically give our time to the Bluebell Railway because we want it to succeed, despite the fact that we don’t like the job? I doubt if you would find any. Most hobbies cost money and many of us do other things as well, we all pay to work here and pay for travel, we often have to buy our own uniforms, protective clothing and even tools. Many of us collect railwayana, have model railways or perhaps have a totally divorced interest, these things all cost money so don’t say you don’t have any, redirect it into the Bluebell. The trustees, directors and officers also set themselves up to lead the company and society, they should be leading by example and putting a minimum of £1000 in each.

If the money does not come in we will never see East Grinstead! It will not be the fault of the “They Department” it will be your fault because you did not contribute enough. I have heard arguments about not liking the way the railway is managed but remember that this is our only chance. If we don’t extend now it will probably never happen, it could be that we will lose the planning permission and will have to curtail our operations to “New Coombe Bridge” or even Horsted Keynes. Is that what you want?

Your railway needs you now GIVE US YOUR MONEY!

David Middleton

Americans not welcome at Bluebell

2008-11-13T05:13:00.000-08:00

Thursday, November 13, 2008
Americans Not Wanted Here
For some strange reason, not explained on the Bluebell website I am debarred from buying shares in the railway by virtue of being a US Citizen. It says on the Share Issue page of the Bluebell Website:

"Please do not use this form if you are either a resident of the USA, or a US citizen."

Now I seem to recall be had a significant donation to the Woodpax appeal some years ago from a member in Chicago. Bernard spent much of his annual holidays in the early days of Bluebell touring the USA raising support for us. Now Americans are faced with this curt statement and no explanation as to why Americans are no longer welcome to contribute to Bluebell.

By the way Bluebell could learn a lesson or two about fund raising from president elect Obama's campaign. According to Howard Dean chair of the Democrats the average donation was $87. Millions of ordinary folk gave small sums via the internet. Come on Bluebell we have enough members with the know how to use the internet, YouTube , social networking sites and the like to raise money, but please don't exclude Americans.

UPDATE 31 DECEMBER

Bluebell's discrimination against those donating from across the pond has, we are given to believe, resulted in two significant donations from America being rejected!

Posted by Film Crusty at 1:02 PM 0 comments

Big Digger Day

2008-11-13T04:57:00.000-08:00

November 25th the big digger which will empty Imberhorne tip wason site for the benefit of VIPs and press. Television news reader and Bluebell member Nick Owen will dig out the first sod.

The sunshine helped the excellent coverage the event had.
Bluebell Tip Dig Live On BBC News

Weighing The Balance

2008-09-15T03:35:00.000-07:00

Recently there has been some concern voiced about the fate of the locomotive weighing tables acquired from Ashford in 1996. They currently reside in Dingly Dell at HK. At the Trustees meeting on Friday September 12 it was agreed that Chris Saunders would approach the National Railway Museum with a view to that august body taking ownership of these important artifacts.

Our trustees were informed at their meeting on October 24th that the Bluebell did not own the weight tables although it is not clear who does. Further research suggest they were loaned by the British Railways Board to Bluebell. Since the tables were non-operational assets at the time of privatization ownership should have passed to the British Rail Residuary Board who have an obligation to offer them to the NRM. The plot thickens.

Bluebell's other extension

2008-09-11T12:24:00.001-07:00

Rail Magazine for September 10th carries a small item that reads:

Haywards Heath; A major development company has asked the Bluebell Railway if it would like support to re-establish its link at Copyhold Junction, which if achieved would turn it into a through route to Brighton again.

No doubt someone will brief Rail Magazine on Bluebell's response to the offer, thought to have come from Thornfield Prpoerties. Of course members wait to read all about this offer in the edition of Blue News being complied as I write these words.

Thornfield state on their web site:

A particularly fruitful partnership, and one that's set to last for 20 years, is that with Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC) covering the three town centres of East Grinstead, Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill. In this case, we’ve been able to take an even broader view, examining the role each town has in the local area.

More media Coverage of the Share Issue

2008-09-10T02:56:00.000-07:00

Since Sunday the following have covered the Bluebell share issue, which should be good news for bringing in the donations and will keep Plastic Duck Enterprises (PDE) busy.

Sunday Times
Financial Times (see below)
BBC Radio 5 Breakfast show
Southern Counties Radio

By the way we are informed it was our esteemed chairman Roy Watts who is quoted as "Bluebell" in the FT (see below). Meridian TV wanted to interview Roy about the FSA but he declined the offer.

FT Exposes Bluebell's Complaint About the FSA

2008-09-09T03:14:00.000-07:00

The Financial Times for September 9th claims the FSA held up the Bluebell's share issue.

It quotes "Bluebell" as stating the FSA created "obstacles at every turn". The FT does not say who "Bluebell" is but the complaints read to me as though it came from a board member, at least one who has been there since 2005.

Of course it is excellent publicity for the railway even if it is not entirely honest to lay all the blame for the delay with the FSA. I am given to believe that Bluebell engaged lawyers with no previous experience of this type of share issue.

The FT article can be read at http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d0f870f6-7e08-11dd-bdbd-000077b07658.html?nclick_check=1

Steamed Up

2008-09-04T01:07:00.000-07:00

Concern over recent managerial failings at the Bluebell Railway resulted in the following correspondence (transferred from Film Crusty's Blog):

Thursday, August 21, 2008
A Steamy Affair
Ever since 1960 the Bluebell Railway in sunny Sussex has been running steam trains on a section of railway which traverses the High Weald Area of Outstanding natural beauty. Twenty two years ago Paul Channon MP, at the time Minister of Transport in the British Government laid the first panel of track for the extension of the line to the historic market town of East Grinstead where the Bluebell railway can connect with the national rail network. Slowly the Bluebell has been working towards this objective. In July Bluebell launched a share issue to raise funds for the final section which includes the removal of household waste from a former railway cutting. That's an expensive business estimated at £4m. The excavators will move in during September if the Bluebell Railway PLC give the expected go ahead at their meeting on 22 August.

However fund raising needs to be stepped up if work is to continue. So far less than 10% of the 8000 adult members of the Bluebell have purchased shares. In fact the whole share issue story is catalogue of failures by management. The primary reason for this is the Bluebell's peculiar structure. The Bluebell Railway Preservation Society, an unincorporated body owns Bluebell Railway PLC who operate the railway. There is also a Bluebell Railway charitable trust, but as it is a private trust it is restricted in how it can help the railway and the Charity Commissioners ruled last year that the trust cannot raise funds for the extension owned by the PLC. Twelve months on and Bluebell management (in fact the PLC chairman, company secretary and administrative trustee of the charity is the same person) have failed to do anything to rectify this anomaly.

The share issue runs until 31 December. So if you would like to own a small piece of the UK's most respected and successful steam railway visit the Bluebell Railway web site now. Visit http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/

Hopefully in the New Year Bluebell will restructure itself and appoint a General Manager (Bluebell is unique among preserved railways in not having one person in charge reporting to the directors). In my opinion the trustees of the preservation society elected by the AGM) could become the trustees of a sole custodian charity which could own the track bed and fixed assets. This would enable the charity to raise funds for the extension as it would own the land. The PLC cold be replaced with a CIC (Community Interest Company) limited by guarantee in which all members of the the preservation society would hold £1 share each along with existing shareholders of the PLC. In addition community groups in East Grinstead (which for a town in South East England has a high level of community awareness) could own a share. These could include the Town Council who have been great supporters of the Bluebell's efforts to reach their town. Making Bluebell a true community project would, I feel certain, be positive for attracting funds. CIC's are eligible to apply for grants to public sector bodies.
Posted by 21C123

Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Steamy Affair - A response from a Bluebell Director
"I am grateful to Film Crusty for the chance to make some points in reply to 21c123. However I would make one initial note; it is unhelpful for the wider world not to know whether 21c123 is a stakeholder in Bluebell in terms of being a member. If he or she is not a member then of course they cannot be in possession of all the facts that some of the closer membership is likely to be. If they are a member then we can all look forward to a lively debate at the the next Annual General Meeting of the Society when these interesting constitutional proposals are submitted for discussion on the Agenda, but I would venture to suggest that in order to succeed they would need a champion on the top table of the same calibre and tenacity as the late, and much missed, Peter Thomas. This person would have the understanding of the issues and the long term staying power to persuade all that proposed changes would be in the best interests of the railway, and then see them through to implementation. If 21c123 is that person I commend him or her, now, to the membership in the 2009 elections. There are too few coming forward of whatever opinion or skill than is healthy in the long run.

"On the point of a General Manager the directors have, in recent years, considered restructuring the railway to make space for one, and they would on the whole welcome relief from the burden of the day to day grind of keeping the show on the road. However there are very good reasons why, in the wake of the events in 1971 the Society, as the major stakeholder, has shied away up to now from depositing that power in one individual. And, although we do have our ups and downs, most observers consider our current operation to be a success, and you make changes to a winning formula only after very careful consideration of the effects that the, albeit temporary, instability will have.

"In addition, it is not simply a matter of appointing a new layer of management to the current structure, at the expense of volunteer time from the board and Society (however constituted). The individual would want remunerating at a level consistent with his or her responsibilities, and this would require funding out of an already very tight budget. That would throw into question the whole paid staffing structure of the railway, a step for which there are no plans at present. It would also be quite wrong to embark upon such a root and branch re-build while we are trying to complete Capital projects worth £8 million. That said changes to the wider regulatory regime in which we all live may not be the least powerful argument for going down that road in the future, and such an outcome might be worth striving for at some time in the medium to longer term, who knows ?

"But right now, among other long term challenges, dealing with an ageing membership and workforce is the most daunting and insidious, one which our younger members are considering . And in the short term, the success of the railway will be judged by the membership's commitment to Operation Undercover and to the Extension, and the exhortation to buy shares in the present appeal is one we should all endorse and support.

I hope that this helps put some context on an interesting blog contribution."

Russell Pearce (a name not a handle!)
Volunteer Driver, Guard, Shunter,
Director Bluebell Railway PLC, and Trustee BRPS.

The result of this is that the BRPS Trustees will have before them at their November meeting a memorandum setting out the options available from do nothing which results in the Bluebell motto that "if a job is worth doing, it is worth doing twice" to various combinations of alternative structures which will encourage a more effective use of resources bith volunteers and fiancial.