Cymdeithas Rheilffordd Llyn Tegid
Bala Lake Railway Society
Summary Report from the Committee Meeting held at 7.30 on 5th February 2022.
Present: Ben Barnes, Dave Fildes, Thomas Haynes, Cathy and Martin Houghton, Peter Miller, Mat Peacock, Russell Prince (guest, representing the Company and General Manager), Francis Stapleton, Nick Talbot, Tim Williams. Apologies received from: Brian Bennett, Rob Houghton, Bob Newton, Dave Scotson.
Dave Rutt has resigned as Chairman and from the committee. The committee accepted this with regret and will send him a formal letter of thanks. Tim Williams, currently Vice-Chairman, was appointed as Acting Chairman (email address: tim.williams@bala-lake-railway.co.uk).
Russell Prince provided updates on the commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of RhLlT Cyf. / the BLR Company and the opening of the Railway. The May Bank Holiday Weekend will feature an intensive timetable, a visiting locomotive, a new book, road engines, a 16mm scale live steam layout, commemorative glasses and, thanks to funding from Society members’ donations, an Anniversary beer. Special trains will run on the anniversary of the first public train (13th August). The Autumn Steam Gala (27th to 29th August) will feature visiting engines, goods trains and a connecting bus into Bala.
The upstairs bathrooms at Llanuwchllyn were renovated by contractor over the winter, paid for by fees from users of the volunteer accommodation, plus a Society contribution (total cost approx. £8,000). Ben Barnes carried out electrical work in addition. The committee thanked Rob Houghton for overseeing the refurbishment.
The committee agreed to co-fund, with the Company, a new public Disabled Toilet at Llanuwchllyn, as it will be of use to members as well as a benefit to the Railway in general. The Society will contribute up to £10,000 or half the cost, whichever is lower (donations from committee members mean that the maximum sum will actually be £9,000).
As proposed by the Membership Secretaries, to help the Extension project, we will reduce the rebate requested from the Trust to compensate for members who have joined the Red Dragon Appeal (getting free membership in return). This is because many of these people had been paying the senior, reduced rate.
The 2021 Mince Pie Trains made the Society a profit of nearly £2000 and generated much favourable feedback from passengers. The event was designed by the committee, working with the Company, to be a Covid-safe replacement for the normal Santa Trains. The members, volunteers and staff involved all received a vote of thanks – in particular Dave Rutt, the chief organiser of the event.
Dave Fildes has arranged a printer cartridge recycling bin for Llanuwchllyn station. Anyone can drop off an empty cartridge and the Society will get a donation in return. He also reported on the restoration of Llanuwchllyn Signal Box, which he believed would be ready for the 2022 main season. Dave was thanked for all of this and also for his work on the 2021 Model Railway Show, which had to be cancelled due to Covid-19. Mat Peacock will be taking over the organisation of the Show for 2022 (show dates 24th-25th September).
A Constitutional Sub-Group was set up to discuss procedural improvements. The President also paid tribute to the longevity and good design of Rev. Alan Cliff’s original constitution, created in the 1970’s and largely still used today.
The Meeting closed at 20.58 PM. Minutes recorded by Mat Peacock.
