Goldfields Railway Inc. Phone: 07-863-9020 30 Wrigley Street, Waihi 3610 Email: [email protected] The Goldfields Express March - April 2010 Message from the President We are still here! This is thanks to an incredible team down at the station and within the Management Committee. We have seen our income slightly above the In This Issue: same time last year which is no mean feat considering the downturn of around 8% in visitor number and spending in the Waikato region both from domestic and international markets. The work that has also been achieved to keep the railway 1. Message from President open in the face of previously ignored demands of our regulatory bodies is a real credit to those members who have sweated their hearts out. 2. Meet Your Committee: Unfortunately as within any organisation there are still the minority who see it as their duty to create issues, while no doubt well meaning, time is wasted attending 3. New Members to their needs. The Management Committee has now established a policy for all such matters to be submitted in writing for a committee decision. All parties involved 4. Know Your Society will be given an opportunity to reply to issues in writing and all those involved will be invited to attend a special committee meeting to discuss and possibly resolve any misunderstandings. After considering all the issues, including those of the Society, 5. Mystery Buyer Surveys a final decision will be made by the Management Committee. 6. Passenger Numbers One of the biggest issues which the Society is facing is the change from one person controlling everything the Society does, to that where the Management Committee 7. Anzac Day Trains is the governance while the General Manager manages the day to day running of the railway. In our case Dennis Blake has been appointed by the Management Committee to manage the railway. This means that Dennis is in charge of the 8. Track Maintenance Station Master and all daily operational staff. He also authorises any traffic movement or track repairs. Any item of rolling stock has to have Dennis‟s seal of 9. A Day in the Life of . approval before being allowed on the lines which covers the Rail Safety - a Guard Certification process, the operational procedures, who is allowed to operate it, and - a Track Worker where it must be stored or based etc. 10. Update on Restoration The Management Committee governs the buildings, land, rolling stock, leases and finances. It is in this power that the Management Committee is just about to sign off Projects on a 31 year concession arrangement with the Department of Conservation who actually own the land we have our railway sitting on. And before anyone starts 11. Wanted!! getting all agitated, this issue goes right back to the way the original Society was established which means we have inherited the problem. Our costs will rise as the 12. Winter Timetable basic rental is 4% of our annual income excluding donations, grants and membership fees. The Management Committee have decided that this is the best way forward while giving the Society a secure tenure of the land. 13. Responses from Passengers April and May promise to be very busy with demands on members for their time and 14. Reports on Events Held services being huge due to events and major track reconstruction of the reverse curves. If members don‟t get in and do their bit, we have to pay contractors which 15. Thanks for Sponsors leave less money for other Society demands. Get the message, or do I use a bigger hammer! 14. A Page from Our History Don‟t wait to be asked, members can jump in to help both Dennis and the Society by thinking about what needs to be done and putting it before the Committee for approval. If it is just a matter of common sense with no cost to the Society or interfering with what others are doing, ask and it shall be your job to do. There is an old military saying,” If it stands still, paint it. If it is moving, nail it to the floor and then paint it”. Graeme Martin The Goldfields Express : March – April 2010 Page 2 Meet Your Committee: Chris Hale QUESTIONS Neil Copeman Treasurer Technology/Computer Systems I work for Hauraki District Council as the Economic Occupation and Retired Farmer, married with Development Officer. family two children Edna-Rose and Gavin. Married to Liz with two adult children and 1 grandson at the Married: Pam Copeman moment I have a small lifestyle block and enjoy playing Golf, What are your Building and fixing spending time with family and interests? computers anything sport related. Have always been involved with one or more community organisations. Have been with Goldfields for past 9 years as Chairman of the Operations Board more recently as Treasurer Have been in Waihi since 1969 Why do you live in the Because we like living near and found it a great place to Waihi area? the railway as Neil has a bring up the children. Love the keen interest in trains lifestyle Gisborne to Wellington Railcar going to College – the Mohaka What is your Best Riding on the Tranz Alpine Viaduct. Train Experience? Express from Christchurch to Greymouth The Taieri Gorge Railway on a Mystery trip with Liz to Dunedin That it continues to grow and What is your Vision steam returns to the Waihi An exciting, well run for Goldfields Line. commercial operation that Railway? enables Society members to be Neil would like to thank all involved in maintaining and those who have sent kind restoring the unique rail wishes to him at this time heritage of Goldfields Railway and thanks them for their love and support. Website: www.waihirail.co.nz The Goldfields Express : March – April 2010 Page 3 New Members to the Society: Welcome our new members to the Society: Lisa Worthington - Waihi Tony Holmes – Palmerston North Thank you for your interest and support in Goldfields Railway, and for the contribution you are making (and will be making!) Know Your Society: All members should be aware by now that there is what we call a “Tool Box” meeting run by the General Manager at 8.30am to discuss operational and health and safety aspects of the railway. The date for these meetings is the Saturday before our Management Committee meeting. It is also an opportunity for operational staff to bring up any matter about work place safety for both staff and passengers. Actually this is compulsory for operational staff both by Health & Safety legislation and our rail safety planning. Following this meeting, there is always a working bee under the General Manager to do all those odd jobs that rostered and restoration staff having trouble finding time for. At around 12.30pm we finish up for the day with a food & social time for all the workers. All we are asking for is three and a half hours of your time. The 3rd Tuesday in every month from 4pm to 6pm the “Management Committee” meets to deal with the Society‟s affairs, and also reflect on matters raised at the Tool Box. Any member is entitled to attend any meeting, and in fact I encourage all members to attend to actually see what we are all doing. Both these meetings are held in the Lunch Room at the Station. The dates for the next few Tool Box/Working Bee meetings are: 17th April 15th May 12th June Mystery Buyer Surveys: As a way to improve our image and marketing opportunities, we will all experience the visits from mystery passengers who will be observing how we do things, and suggest how we can do things better. At no stage will any members be identified and the actual information will be kept confidential The Project Manager will be providing a compilation of survey results to the Promotions Sub-Committee which will be included in discussion papers on ways to improve our promotions and customer experience. Website: www.waihirail.co.nz The Goldfields Express : March – April 2010 Page 4 Passengers on the Trains: These numbers include those from both the Waihi and Waikino stations: Return One Way Adults Kids Snrs Family Adults Kids Snrs Family February 481 49 374 26 40 16 125 4 March 396 107 307 31 88 51 71 2 In addition to the above we had the following passenger groups/tours: February „10 March „10 Scenic Tours (one way) 551 392 Other Tour Companies - Return 11 45 - One Way 91 55 Schools - Return 219 - One Way 60 114 Education Passes - 30 Support our Community Day: ANZAC DAY Sunday, 25th April 2010 Anzac Day provides an ideal opportunity to recognise the RSA veterans from the Waihi area and the sacrifices they have made. In support of the RSA veterans Goldfields Railways is putting on a „theme day‟ for the trains running that day, Waihi: 11.45 am and 1.45 pm Waikino: 1.00 pm and 2.30 pm Special concession tickets are available for RSA members and their extended family and can be purchased from the Waihi RSA and the Waihi Information Centre Track Maintenance/Repairs: Subject to suitable weather conditions, it is anticipated that the train will not be operating from 17th to 29th May 2010 to enable ongoing maintenance work can be carried out on the track. The train will of course will run for any group bookings that have been confirmed. Please feel free to contact the Station (07-863-9020) to check if you are wanting to ride the train during this period.