Buyers' plans to dismantle Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway signal end of sale
PLANS to sell off Cleethorpes' iconic miniature railway station have been derailed after would-be buyers said they would tear it down and move it to a "busier" seaside town.
Instead, it is full-steam ahead to create a trust made up of the many volunteers who already give up their time in dedication to Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway which attracts hundreds of people every day during the height of the season.
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FULL STEAM AHEAD: Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway is no longer up for sale! Instead a trust will be created after talks with the volunteers. Co-owner Chris Shaw is pictured aboard the Mountaineer. Picture: Abby Ruston
It was put on the market just two years ago for £700,000, but Mr Chris Shaw, owner of the tourist attraction and leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said deciding to take it off the market was easy as the sale was "never about money".
He said: "We have taken it off the market despite having quite a few people interesting in buying it, but we only said we would sell it if it was for the good of Cleethorpes, and it turned out it wouldn't be.
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"Cleethorpes does not have the reputation nationally but the equipment and the railway does, so everyone who wanted to buy it said they had plans to dismantle everything and move it to another, busier town.
"We weren't selling it for money, we were doing it because we didn't have the time anymore."
Mr Shaw claims a "well-known" businessman – the identity of which Mr Shaw would not disclose – also who offered to buy the attraction just so he could destroy it because he doesn't like the attraction – only to get "short shrift" from Mr Shaw and his wife, Debra.
The railway has been in the resort since 1948 and came into Mr Shaw's hands after he bought a year lease in 1990 for just £5,000.
Since then the attraction on Kings Road – which also has the Signal Box Inn, shop and museum – has grown in popularity and stature, and has won numerous awards.
It was put on the market in August 2010 after Mr Shaw's political career started taking off. Already leader of the local Labour party, he looked set to take over as leader of the council, a demanding role that would not make time for the railway.
Now Mr and Mrs Shaw are looking into creating a trust, either splitting the responsibility 50/50 between them and the railway volunteers or handing over sole responsibility to the volunteers.
He continued: "We are a long way off establishing the trust and how it will work but what we do know is that the railway is not going anywhere.
"If we establish a trust to take it on, the volunteers, who already give up their time, will get a lot out of running a trust but we need to make sure it will work.
"The railway has been in the town 65 years, there is no way it was going anywhere else so it wasn't a hard decision to make."
How the trust will work is likely to be determined in a month.
Comments
by Grimlander
Monday, September 24 2012, 3:32PM
“Let's hope that the 'Light Railway Trust' has better results in taking over the railway than the highly qualified p.s. 'Lincoln Castle' Trust had with both owner AND council when trying [very hard] to purchase and take over the operation of the vessel, IN SITU.
Could the proposed trust learn anything from The Lincolnshire Wolds Railway society and company? Maybe they could? After all, the 'Forties Weekend' originated with that railway and the villages of Ludborough and North Thoresby??
Could there be a similar operation put together to get the historic smack Esther out of the tender hands of NE£incs Council? It might look well at Louth River Head or Tetney Haven??
Just a thought. Try contacting The p.s. 'Lincoln Castle' Archive & Collection via p.s.lincoln.castle[AT]gmail.com, where you'll be sympathetically heard.”
by little_fish
Wednesday, September 19 2012, 9:44PM
“Didn't take long before the same sad individuals who never believe anything, and always know more than everyone else started spouting their usual bile.
How frustrating is it that you know so much, and yet are so small and powerless you can't affect anything.
Try taking something you read at face value for once, you never know it might be true.
Oh sorry I forgot, that would spoil your conspiracy theories, lol.”
by Beagleyes
Wednesday, September 19 2012, 5:16PM
“Shardewee you sum it well
How could anyone argue against your comments ?
Let's face it most of us would do exactly the same
Are you really going to turn a profitable BUisness over to trust status and miss out on a big pay day ?
Come on mr controller pull the other one”
by MatQuinn
Wednesday, September 19 2012, 4:59PM
“£10 says if the bid was significantly higher, it would of been sold in the drop of a hat!
Business is business,”
by shardewee
Wednesday, September 19 2012, 4:58PM
“sorry my mistake.
I meant he put his train set up for sale not The Meridian Arena as it looks like in the statement”
by shardewee
Wednesday, September 19 2012, 4:55PM
“Are people really that naive to think he is not selling his train set for the reasons he as stated.
I for one have seen straight through this dictators excuse.
He is not selling the train set now because all tourism is on his trainsets doorstep and that is the only reason.
Come on people if you believe that it is not about profit then you are really all blind.
The Meridian Arena is finally being used a hell of a lot more than when it was first built meaning more people are using his train and his profit margins have increased ten fold.
The new hotel is directly opposite his train set as well which is going to increase his profit margins as well.
2 years ago The Meridian Aren was never used to its full potential as we all know, so Dictator Shaw puts it up for sale. He then gains control over the council and can finally demand that the Meridian Arena is utilised more, thus improving HIS business.
Come on folks are people really so gullible not to see that that is the reason he has taken it off the market.
Its a shame he hasn`t got the same attitude about selling of our iconic buildings.
The Fat Controller is nothing more than a Dictator. Its his way or no way at alL.
SCARTHO BATHS is another fine example of this dictator in action.”
by des22
Wednesday, September 19 2012, 3:57PM
“I'd hate to see it go but if it ever did have to go somewhere else, quite a few folks might like a condition of sale that Mr Shaw went with it !”
by markus250666
Wednesday, September 19 2012, 3:26PM
“Bill (ex driver of the Flying scotsman) and Sid (ex driver of the Rio Grade) would turn in there grave if this Attraction was sold off and moved out of the area. both ex emplyee's of mr shaw from the late 70's
it would be sad to see this go from our area”
by labourladie
Wednesday, September 19 2012, 1:20PM
“Top hats off to the Big Controller. Looks like the "Yorkie" come good after all! But please Mr.Shaw, whilst I commend your stance on that splendid little railway don't go silly on us with the salt marsh or you may finish up with mud on your face. Maintain the limit of the marsh as it is now and get cracking on getting that very splendid little train across Buck Beck and down to the fitties! Incidentally, that splendid little railway is very well known around the country as I have met quite a number of people in my local pub in Cleethorpes that are visiting the resort solely to see the train set! Once again...splendid! I might even vote for you one day!”
by ImmArthur
Wednesday, September 19 2012, 12:00PM
“At least this is what the GT reports...
After so many instances of unreliable reporting, coupled with draconian censorship by the GT ThoughtPolice, how are we expected to take anything on face value?
Arthur, Immingham”