Just as everything seemed to be moving forward very nicely at Ruddington’s transport heritage centre, it’s emerged that the two groups responsible for running the site – and the services from it – are at loggerheads over a section of track.
After the Board at GCRN decided to rebrand its railway as NHR – Nottingham Heritage Railway “with immediate effect” just a week ago, this morning it has issued a terse public statement saying it will not “surrender running rights” to East Midlands Railway Trust (EMRT) from a point just north of Rushcliffe Halt to the mainline connection.
NHR’s statement – which came rather out of the blue – explains EMRT’s proposal was accompanied by an ultimatum demanding that the relevant document should be signed by NHR by 1700 this Friday 30th July 2021. It says: “The Board found both the contents of the Surrender Document, and the deadline, unacceptable. A copy of the document has been mailed to shareholders along with this letter, and is also available to shareholders by email on request…”
NHR’s statement goes on to say: “The Surrender Document in its current form effectively turns the NHR into a non-viable operation, creating a ‘rump state’ that would be unlikely to generate volunteer and customer enthusiasm, and likely close. The general history of ‘rump states’ is that once territory has been surrendered, there are usually more demands made for concessions in the future, until demise is complete. As a minimum, the NHR needs guaranteed operating rights to Rushcliffe Halt.”
It continues: “The Board also notes that, despite friendly relations between the two counties, Nottinghamshire people, and their political representatives nationally and locally, want a Nottingham-based independent railway. The concept of the NHR’s line being handed over to Leicestershire’s GCR plc to a point north of Rushcliffe Halt is markedly inconsistent with this. The Board wishes, for the record, to state it wholeheartedly shares the aim of running through services over the whole of the GCR Mainline, in association with our good friends from the South, while having a different vision of how this would look to the EMRT.”
Later it accuses EMRT of trying to “bully the NHR into its most important decision since its formation” and says: “The EMRT has intimated during negotiations that it will consider pushing the NHR into bankruptcy if the line is not surrendered”. You can read the full NHR Board Statement issued today by Michael Newton, Ronald Whalley, Peter Wilson & John Akinin – Chairman & Directors of the Nottingham Heritage Railway >>HERE<<.
This very public falling out is in sharp contrast to the upbeat launch of ‘The Forward Fund’ in Ruddington by EMRT on July 9th. Rushcliffe MP Ruth Edwards was one of the guest speakers at the event welcoming its bold plans to provide new visitor facilities, including a new station building at the Mere Way site. It would also raise money to upgrade tracks and bridges on the nine mile section of the historic Great Central Railway through the county.
Just two days’ ago – before the rift emerged – the MP had agreed to be the judge of the competition to design a new logo for NHR – Nottingham Heritage Railway. This will be open to all school and college children up to the age of 18 who live or attend schools or colleges in the South and Central Nottinghamshire areas and launched in September. After we sent Ms Edwards a copy of today’s NHR statement, she told RUDDINGTON.info: “I am very sad to hear of this dispute. This morning I’ve been in touch with both NHR and EMRT to arrange a meeting and see if we can work out a way forward.”
Professor David Rae, the Chairman of EMRT, says: “The East Midlands Railway Trust Board will be meeting on Thursday to consider its response to the announcement today by the Nottingham Heritage Railway Board (previously known as GCRN Ltd).*
“EMRT is the Registered Charity which has owned the freehold and the track of the former Great Central Railway in Nottinghamshire since acquiring it between 1994-2001. It also owns the Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre site which will continue to operate under its existing name. This is home to several transport-related groups as tenants in addition to the railway. These can be seen on our new video” (below).
“GCRN has been responsible for the operation of the railway since it was set up in 2001, and for its safety, maintenance and upkeep. A major source of its income was to make the line available for gypsum trains to Rushcliffe Halt. There have been increasing concerns about the condition of the bridges and other engineering works since 2010, especially the bridge over the A60 at Loughborough and over Bunny Lane at East Leake, both of which are now unfit for use and require major repairs which GCRN is unable to undertake. The line has been closed since September 2020 on safety grounds and GCRN does not have the funding or capability to restore it for use. We are very concerned about the neglected condition of the railway.”
Professor Rae concludes: “EMRT is committed to securing the future of the line through reunification with the Great Central Railway at Loughborough and there is a strong partnership to achieve this. On 7th July we launched the Forward Fund to help raise funds to invest in the future of the railway and the Heritage Centre. EMRT has offered to negotiate a future relationship with GCRN as the operator of the Nottingham base of the reunified railway, and we regret the action that they have chosen to take today.”
*UPDATE 30th July 2021:
The East Midlands Railway Trust has now issued this official statement in response to the one from Nottingham Heritage Railway – offering to meet their Board to continue discussions to reach agreement on the future of Ruddington’s railway.
**UPDATE 1st AUG 2021:
It seems the war of words between NHR and EMRT is not over yet!
I response to EMRT‘s last statement above*, NHR responds: “The Board naturally agrees to meet the EMRT as soon as practical, given holiday schedules.
“The Board notes that in order for the talks to be more than a PR exercise, and take place in good faith without hidden agendas, it seeks public clarification from the EMRT ahead of the talks on the following:
1) Is the ‘Forward Fund’ a ‘Trojan Horse’ to facilitate the closure of the Mountsorrel quarry sidings and their sale for development, with stone traffic then re-reouted via the current GCR South onto a confiscated NHR?
2) Does the EMRT have plans to allow a third-party developer to take control of all or part of the Ruddington site and build a complex that will include a hotel or similar facilities and conference centre? Has the EMRT already held such talks or hosted such a visit?
“The Board looks forward to EMRT’s public response to these issues and we can then proceed quickly to talks.”
RUDDINGTON.info will keep you posted on further developments.
