Last updated at 12:23, Tuesday, 16 December 2008

BOSSES of a South Lakes steam railway are evicting the voluntary society which fought to establish the line 40 years ago.

Directors of the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway, which runs a commercial service between Haverthwaite and Lakeside, have given the Furness Railway Trust and its rolling stock, including the famous Victorian engine Furness Railway No 20, a year to find a new home.

The Furness Railway Trust has provided some of the steam engines and carriages for Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway and played a key role getting it off the ground when it reopened as a private line in 1973.

But Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway chairman Charles Maher has told Furness Railway Trust members to remove all their steam and diesel locomotives, carriages and freight stock from the station. Trust members were informed on November 22 that they must be out by November 30, next year.

The trust’s sister organisation, the Lakeside Railway Society, another voluntary support body to the LHR, was also given its marching orders, although members from both organisations have been told they will continue to be welcome to work as volunteers on an individual basis.

The trust is now considering other railways to house its famous engines – including the Furness No20 locomotive which was built in 1863 and is Britain’s oldest working engine.

Tim Owen, Furness Railway Trust chairman, said no explanation had been given for the eviction.

Mr Owen said: “After 35 years of being there, it’s come as somewhat of a shock to the members. We’re looking at the options for the future. It is very upsetting for everybody.”

Mr Owen said he would not speak about any possible new home for the engines until trust members had made agreements with other railways.

Many of the 300 trust members are shareholders in the railway, which is a public limited company.

Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway had become less dependent on volunteers and privately owned engines during recent years.

It owns its own locomotives and coaches and employs contractors for repairs and maintenance.

It has strong ties with Windermere Lakes Cruises, which owns the line’s final station stop at Lakeside.

South Lakeland District Council councillor for the area, Clive Leal, said: “This is between two groups of private individuals. There have been some plans by the trust to do things in Haverthwaite which did not go down well with the public and which were quashed. Whether that has anything to do with it, I don’t know. The railway is part of the community and is doing a roaring trade at the moment with the Santa trains.”

He said a lot of people came to Haverthwaite year after year to see Furness No 20.

The councillor said he was available if either group wanted to speak to him.

In a letter to Trust members, Mr Owen said: “The FRT’s first responsibility has to be protect its assets and we are therefore now urgently considering how to provide alternative suitable accommodation.”

It also owns the popular tank engine Cumbria at Haverthwaite and several other steam locos and vintage coaches.

The Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway has not publicly explained its decision yet.

Directors were not available to comment today.

First published at 11:48, Tuesday, 16 December 2008
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk