I believe that Swanage Railway hired Rail Business Solutions as consultants to assist in applying for the licence (which of course in the end didnt happen - SRC chose to hire in WCR complete with licence).
-
Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
Swanage Railway recruiting a Chief Executive
- Thread starter Titfield
- Start date
I believe that Swanage Railway hired Rail Business Solutions as consultants to assist in applying for the licence (which of course in the end didnt happen - SRC chose to hire in WCR complete with licence).
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
I agree with quite a few comments here. The time is right to completely withdraw in respect to Wareham and focus on securing the railways future. To ignore the whiffs of trouble (as has been said it’s been tested, the costs are clear, the litmus test is complete) and to suffer the complete impending follow through would be disastrous for the railway. Let’s hope the new CEO structure is the right one to push the railway into a fresh flush of clean waters. Incidentally I wonder how the management structures are proving on railways that have conducted a similar overhaul of their top structures?
Swanage Railway has had a number of General Managers in the past. Anecdotally problems have arisen with the relationship between the GM and the SRC Board of Directors. One wonders just how much autonomy (and time) the new CEO will be given. The new CEO will certainly have a lot on their plate with the Carriage Shed (progress has been painfully slow), the Water Tower (a kit of parts), the two Moguls on long term restore and run hire contracts (awaiting restoration) as well as getting passenger numbers back to the C200,000 per annum level and increasing secondary spend.
Rougueg
Member
Hi Titfield,
Could you elaborate on what you know of previous general manager efforts at Swanage.
Also your concerns on autonomy and time as you mention above.
I am considering applying for the role.
Job research has brought me here.
Thanks
Could you elaborate on what you know of previous general manager efforts at Swanage.
Also your concerns on autonomy and time as you mention above.
I am considering applying for the role.
Job research has brought me here.
Thanks
D Williams
Member
Think of it in the same light as a football manager's job.
I am not sure how much more I can usefully add. Perhaps you could speak to one of the previous General Managers Matt Green or Richard Jones who I think are both on linked in?
The analogy given above by @D Williams is apposite.
Rougueg
Member
Checking linked in I see that this covers the period up to 2018.... that's over 6 years ago and pre pandemic.
has the railway had a general manager or similar since 2018?
If not why not?
How has it functioned without a lead employee for want of a better phrase.
I note they tried to hire in 2023 and 2022 a ceo previously. But by their own efforts, obviously to no avail.
Just trying to build a better picture of the culture and state of play.
thanks
has the railway had a general manager or similar since 2018?
If not why not?
How has it functioned without a lead employee for want of a better phrase.
I note they tried to hire in 2023 and 2022 a ceo previously. But by their own efforts, obviously to no avail.
Just trying to build a better picture of the culture and state of play.
thanks
There has not been a General Manager or equivalent since 2018 when Matt Green left.
Since then there has been a number of redundancies of employees of all grades due to covid and the post covid financial challenges the Swanage Railway has faced.
Directors of the Swanage Railway Company took on more responsibility to lead departments since the GM departed and the redundancy of key employees.
There has been some tension between the desire of the SRC to recruit a CEO or GM and the cost of employing such a person.
The parent Swanage Railway Trust or to be more precise some members of the Council of Management of SRT have expressed their concern as to the overall "salary bill" as a % of overall turnover and have exhorted the SRC to reduce the expenditure on salaries. The finances of SRC have been precarious to say the least as evidenced by the Save Your Railway fundraising campaign. SRC is reliant on funding from the parent SRT to keep going. Presumably you have visited Companies House online to download the accounts for the past few years?
Since then there has been a number of redundancies of employees of all grades due to covid and the post covid financial challenges the Swanage Railway has faced.
Directors of the Swanage Railway Company took on more responsibility to lead departments since the GM departed and the redundancy of key employees.
There has been some tension between the desire of the SRC to recruit a CEO or GM and the cost of employing such a person.
The parent Swanage Railway Trust or to be more precise some members of the Council of Management of SRT have expressed their concern as to the overall "salary bill" as a % of overall turnover and have exhorted the SRC to reduce the expenditure on salaries. The finances of SRC have been precarious to say the least as evidenced by the Save Your Railway fundraising campaign. SRC is reliant on funding from the parent SRT to keep going. Presumably you have visited Companies House online to download the accounts for the past few years?
D Williams
Member
in other words, if you currently have regular employment don't give this up for a move to Swanage!
Rougueg
Member
Companies house yes. Latest accounts out last week. Have looked back through the last 5 years worth.
Valuable insights, thank you.
Your suggestions mirror my considerations, but it is useful to think these things through.
Thanks for your time.
Valuable insights, thank you.
Your suggestions mirror my considerations, but it is useful to think these things through.
Thanks for your time.
Rougueg
Member
Resurrecting this thread as i am curious if anyone was appointed in the end?
Slightly odd in that they now seem to be looking for a Project Manager to conduct their Governance review for them??? My understanding was this was being done by the Trustees / Directors and would be supported / delivered by the new CEO??
Where have they found £40k to pay for this??
Thought they were in dire financial straights?
As per usual it would seem very confused messages coming out of deepest darkest dorsetshire.
Slightly odd in that they now seem to be looking for a Project Manager to conduct their Governance review for them??? My understanding was this was being done by the Trustees / Directors and would be supported / delivered by the new CEO??
Where have they found £40k to pay for this??
Thought they were in dire financial straights?
As per usual it would seem very confused messages coming out of deepest darkest dorsetshire.
As far as I know the outcome is imminent.
There seems to be a theme with Swanage Railway that projects which require in depth knowledge of complex legislation compel the railway to look outside of the "volunteers from all walks of life" internal pool.
They are always short of money but miraculously find the money when the project has the backing of the COM.
D Williams
Member
Another direction in which money can be thrown.
The fundamental purpose of the governance review is to create a new ownership structure that would enable them to claim gift aid on fares and thus boost the railways income by a considerable amount. There would also be other tangible financial benefits such as being able to claim business rate relief on some of the premises they occupy for example Swanage Station.
D Williams
Member
That's interesting. I can't find the job advert so what are the terms of reference for the review? From what you say it looks as if the various organisations are in for a shake up. I though that a charitable trust is already part of the structure?
Swanage Railway Company: SR Staff - for all who work on or for the railway
SR Staff: Swanage Railway Staff site
www.srstaff.co.uk
The senior body is the Swanage Railway Trust SRT (a charity).
A subsidiary company - Swanage Railway Company SRC (limited by guarantee) - operates the trains.
As I understand it the plan is to turn SRC into a charity so that gift aid on fares and charitable rate relief can be granted as well as making it easier to apply for grants only available to charities.
Apparently it has to be done this way (rather than having SRT operate the trains etc) because (a) the station leases and trackbed access are held by SRC (b) the The Swanage Light Railway Order 1987 and the Swanage Light Railway (Extension) Order 1993 are in the name of the SRC. It is easier and cheaper apparently to change the SRC to a charity than have the railway orders and leases transferred to the SRT.
Either way I expect it will take far longer and be far more costly than either the SRT or SRC expect because of the dire performance of the SRT and SRC in getting any projects completed. (Water tower, turntable, Bunch Locos, Project Wareham, Furzebrook sidings access).
Just a gentle reminder that if anyone wants to discuss any spin-off topics, we ask that these are posted in a new thread, please.
Feel free to link to the new thread from the original, and vice-versa.
Thanks
Feel free to link to the new thread from the original, and vice-versa.
Thanks
Invincible
Member
So they have decided to appoint a PM for the Governance project.
Then decide if to get a suitable CEO,or GM, at a future date.
The CEO appointment process is afaik about to be concluded. Then the Project manager is being appointed.
They keep on crying the poor tale but the evidence suggests otherwise: a £100K a year CEO including on costs (pension, employers NI, laptop, smart phone etc) and then a £40K Project Manager. The carriage shed is being built by an external contractor.
CEO bearing ultimate responsibility for the Health & Safety and Public Liability of numerous employees/volunteers and thousands of passengers using obsolete steam high pressure vessels and obsolete rolling stock over several miles of track including bridges, and ancillary activities, all to be maintained to a high standard....... £100k including on costs? - a labour of love to get anyone halfway competent. External contractors need to be managed you know.....
But the SRC have managed without a general manager since 2017 so why do they need one now?
They have a Board of Directors for the SRC (company) and a separate Board of Trustees for the SRT (trust).
In the past there has been conflict between the GM and the Boards. Will it be any different this time?
Perhaps the people shouldering this responsibility and work since 2017 do not wish to do so any longer? I doubt that a £100k appointment would be going ahead if everyone was happy with the current situation.
Quite possibly there will be conflict in the future, especially if someone taking responsibility is not given the authority to deal with the situation.
New CEO appointed to the Swanage Railway.
https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2025/01/chief-exec-appointed-to-future-proof-the-swanage-railway.html
"Abbie King has been appointed as the Swanage Railway’s first Chief Executive with the aim of developing and future-proofing the heritage railway."
https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2025/01/chief-exec-appointed-to-future-proof-the-swanage-railway.html
"Abbie King has been appointed as the Swanage Railway’s first Chief Executive with the aim of developing and future-proofing the heritage railway."
D Williams
Member
Easy, none required. Always take on a chief executive who knows nothing whatsoever about your business. Clean sheet, fresh start etc. It worked very well at the Severn Valley!
Belfastmarty
Member
Correct. You need a CEO who understands strategy, finance, communications, stakeholder engagement and management, not necessarily the specifics of the business. It's the layer below the CEO who need expertise in their particular domains, be it operations, engineering etc. A good CEO uses the experience of those below them for achieving a common purpose.
The most valuable skill will be the ability to manage volunteers with their diverse needs and aspirations.
Rougueg
Member
Reading the link above..
Sounds about as experienced as they could afford.
Almost zero experience with volunteers. Singularly the biggest issue the railway faces right now.
used to have 600, then 500, then 450, then 350.... now lucky to realistically be able to say 300 volunteers.
What experience has she of large capital infrastructure projects?
But it's ok.... grew up in Dorset?.... and.... so what.....
Afraid to say. But the writing is well and truly on the wall for this parochial little outfit now.
What a wasted opportunity.
Filtered to 12 for long list
5 interviewed by trustee panel.
2 taken forward to final interview.
£80k
Sounds about as experienced as they could afford.
Almost zero experience with volunteers. Singularly the biggest issue the railway faces right now.
used to have 600, then 500, then 450, then 350.... now lucky to realistically be able to say 300 volunteers.
What experience has she of large capital infrastructure projects?
But it's ok.... grew up in Dorset?.... and.... so what.....
Afraid to say. But the writing is well and truly on the wall for this parochial little outfit now.
What a wasted opportunity.
About 60 applicants.
Filtered to 12 for long list
5 interviewed by trustee panel.
2 taken forward to final interview.
£80k
What gets me is that they claim to be short of money, says the Wareham link is unviable, made a number of redundancies from 2020 onwards and can now find the money for two new posts, one of which including oncosts is £100K.
I wonder how the number of volunteers is measured?
Perhaps the terminology should be active volunteers who do at least 20 shifts or equivalent per year.
I wonder how the number of volunteers is measured?
Perhaps the terminology should be active volunteers who do at least 20 shifts or equivalent per year.