L A S R U G
MINUTES OF COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON
THURSDAY, 19th MAY, 2016, AT BENTHAM STATION
PRESENT Hugh Turner, (in the chair), David Alder, John Bearpark, Lin Barrington,
Stephen Cross, Richard Rollins, Robert Starling, Gerald Townson, Jack Warbrick,
Peter Yates, Kay Craven.
1. The Chairman welcomed members to the meeting.
2. APOLOGIES Gareth Adams, Margaret Cowling.
3. MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 17th MARCH, 2016 - Proposed
Peter Yates, seconded Richard Rollins, agreed and signed as a true record.
4. MATTERS ARISING - (Item 8) (RR) - Green Ayre Rises Exhibition had been
an excellent event and £4,000 + had been raised for St.John’s Hospice, Lancaster.
Peter thanked everyone who had been involved. Committee agreed that a letter of
thanks should be sent from LASRUG to David Chandler, (the organiser on behalf
of the Friends of Lancaster Library). HT KC
(Item 16) (SC) - Leaflets – Stephen pointed out that he removes leaflets concerning
other organisations which appear in station “Railway” leaflet boxes.
(Item 17 iv) - Spring Lunch - Gerald was thanked for organising this enjoyable event.
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5. NEWSLETTER - (JW) – Jack has enough news for the next issue. Articles are
needed, however, on places visited, matters of interest, and especially from the
Gargrave/Skipton area in order to widen the area for news. A new member, from
Gargrave, Peter Hardyman, a Railway enthusiast, to be approached with regard to
submitting an article. KC
6. EVENTS - (GT) - SUN. 29.5.16 – Morecambe Vintage Bus Day – free vintage bus
service from Carnforth Railway Station to Heysham Village, along Morecambe
Promenade.
SAT. 4..6.16 – Bentham Carnival, and Open Day at Bentham Station.
FRI. 10.6.16 - CRP and LASRUG have been invited by Virgin, as a Community
Celebration of the Queen’s 90th Birthday, to set up a stall on Lancaster Station to
promote Community Rail Groups, and Community business. Items of interest,
i.e. Green Ayre Rises, will be displayed.
(All West Coast stations will be organising similar events).
SUN. 12.6.16 – There will be an official event, as a Community Celebration of the
Queen’s 90th Birthday.
7. CRAVEN DISTRICT PLAN - (RR) Richard attended a recent meeting in Bentham
concerning planning in the district. There are a lot of housing sites in various villages
and Bentham is looking for smaller groups of houses and wishes to avoid large
housing estates. If we are to have growth in the villages people must be able to get to
work and live. Roads will be much busier. Skipton Council is aware that train
service will increase. It is on the master plan for Lancaster that a platform could be
reinstated at Carnforth. This would enhance our line and Gerald commented that we
would be providing an opportunity for people to commute. Richard had noticed that
there was no provision for a station carpark.
On behalf of LASRUG, Richard will write to Skipton Council in support of the
Craven District Plan and commenting on the above. RR
8. CRP REPORT - (RR) A Consultation by the DfT on the WCML Franchise has
commenced. It is open to any passenger and RUG’s are urged to make their contri-
bution. LASRUG must support it like the Northern franchise.
Last CRP meeting was on 7.4.16. It was confirmed that the Morecambe/Lancaster
service is a designated service within the CRP’s gambit.
Station Friends Group - Some progress at Clapham. Arriva are supportive of Friends
Groups. The Treasurer stated that £6,000 was underspent due to the late start of the
CR Officer. Simon Clarke is now employed by the CRP Lancashire. Arriva will send
a representative to the CRP and Pete Myers is a nominee. The CR Officer is
endeavouring to increase effort in involving young people. (18-year olds). (This is a
National plan for Community Rail).
The CRP is applying for grants concerning people with dementia, to enable them to
go on outings etc.
Gateway to AONB – Signs and Posters have been put up. (Launch 24.5.16). There
are 4 Gateway stations.
Gerald reported that there was evidence of an alliance beginning with the Forest of
Bowland and NY National Park Authority.
CRP’s re-organisation – A Director would be appointed for 3 years, and it was hoped
for a wider range of people from outside the railway.
9. CORRESPONDENCE – (RR) – Magazines received for the NW section of Railfuture and Rail Northwest. A subscription reminder from Travel Northwest.
10. FINANCE - Precept grant of £200 received from Bentham Town Council.
Current Account £858. Deposit Account £2,024. Last Newsletter cost £231.
11. MEMBERSHIP – (JW) – New member, Peter Hardyman, from Gargrave.
Funding is needed for re-printing Membership leaflets for racks. Inserts may have
to be re-drafted and funding needed for this.
The main Membership leaflet needs updating in a nicer and colourful format.
Needed very soon. Committee agreed to this revamp. JW GT
Gerald commented that leaflets need to be appealing to the next generation.
(Senior people in the Railway industry say we must look to the next generation.)
Proposed Lin Barrington, seconded Robert Starling, and all in favour of the
proposal of revamping leaflets, inserts and advertisements at the discretion of the
officers as discussed.
12. PRESS AND PUBLICITY - (i) Giggleswick Station Shelter unveiling to take
place soon.
(ii) CCTV has proved very affective in a recent theft from Bentham station.
(iii) (GT) - Think about what we should do to publicise the new service. We must
get it “right into the Community” by 2017. It is important to see how the draft time-
works. This is an ideal opportunity to re-publicise the Rail Groups on the line.
Richard questioned whether we were happy with our entry in the larger timetable.
Gerald felt the RUG’s details should be advertised in the timetable IN BOLD, and
Committee agreed with this. (Gerald’s aspiration is to have a complete page relating
to Community Rail.) Adaption would be done by Devco on behalf of both lines but
one is aware of space constraints. This is a matter for Northern to move forward with.
The Bentham Line must be shown to be a great part of Community Rail.
13. LITERATURE - New leaflets for 2016 – Stephen’s stocks of leaflets will only last
until the end of May. The Walks leaflets are fine although No. 2 is going down.
Pete Myers and Gerald are working on new leaflets which are in the hands of the
designers. Stephen will receive these a.s.a.p.
Gerald has been working on a “Countryside Day Out” leaflet from stations between
Skipton and Wennington, to encourage people from Carnforth, Lancaster,
Morecambe, Bare Lane, and Leeds to Keighley to come out into the countryside.
Also a “Heritage Day Out on the Bentham Line” leaflet - to go Heritage sites like
Saltaire, Skipton Castle, etc.
14. COFFEE MORNING - GARGRAVE VILLAGE HALL - SAT. 18th JUNE, 2016.
10 – 12 noon. Help from 9 a.m. please. Gifts of cakes, plants, books, and Raffle
Prizes would be greatly appreciated. Jack is willing to bring any contributions from
Committee members unable to come.
15. A.O.B. - (i) (GT) David will be producing 2 nomination forms for Directors of the
CRP. Richard is a nominee as a LASRUG representative and Gerald is a nominee
for FOBS. Both gentlemen proposed by Peter Yates, seconded by John Bearpark, and
agreed unanimously.
(ii) (GT) Owing to the Eden Brows Landslide, as from 15.5.16, Northern has offered
free renewal of expiring Dales Rail Cards. Offer ends 31.8.16. Cards must have
expired within the past 6 months. To apply for a new Rail Card apply to :
Specialist Sales Office, Northern Ltd., City Station, Leeds, LS1 4DY, attaching the
expired Dales Rail Card to the Application Form.
A notice will be put in the Bentham News.
(iii) (RS) Enquiring as to when the Pacers are withdrawn, when would the 143’s and
144’s go. Dates not known. Possibly the 144’s will go first, then the 142’s.
(iv) (GT) Attended a meeting on 19.5.16 about Rail franchising. Alex Hynes stated
that some of the improvements on this line would include LED’s at particular stations,
and ticket machines on all stations on the Bentham Line. Some stations will have
staff to help out. There will be CIS. (Customer Information Screens).
16. DATE OF NEXT MEETING - THURSDAY, 21st JULY, 2016,
1930 at BENTHAM STATION
The meeting closed at 2130 with thanks given to Lin and Gerald for their hospitality.
KMC 25.5.16