Photo:
Quainton News - Our Chairman Andrew Bratton

1989 has undoubtedly been our greatest year to date. The number of visitors has soared to unprecedented levels, and three significant events occurred:

• King Edward I returned to steam after sixteen years restoration and was given an excellent send off by His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester.
• Metropolitan Number One made history by returning to Chesham to celebrate the branch line centenary (and with our own crews).
• And the Centre's future was secured by the purchase of the up yard and car park field - see article on page 30.

Despite many problems and minor setbacks our members support and dedication has ensured that we have won through in the end and demonstrated to all that we are now true professionals. Official bodies are no longer viewing us as a bunch of well meaning amateurs and are now taking us seriously. I am confident that this will lead to new opportunities towards achieving our aims.

What aims? I can hear certain members asking, "The trouble with this Society is that it does not know where it is going". I assure you that we (the Executive) do know. We know that detailed plans are useless without money. We have learned that the only certain way of getting money is to earn it and to grasp the opportunities which come our way. Since opportunities rarely come in the right order our progress may seem illogical to those who are not close to the action.

The aims remain the same, namely to make the Centre an attraction in its own right and to operate a steam service to Aylesbury. The Centre is well placed and has the potential to become THE mecca for steam in the UK, with vintage and goods trains operating in the yards, a shuttle service to Aylesbury, visiting locomotives working in from Marylebone and Birmingham, plus lots of variety and memorabilia from the steam age within an attractive country station, diesel locos, rolling stock, semaphore signals, small relics, etc, etc.

Back to the short term plans which are to boost our income by further upgrading the Centre and making it more attractive whilst continuing to prepare for working outside the confines of the Centre. I hope you will support these aims even if it is only clearing up your own rubbish (we are often our own worst enemies) and by parking cars well clear of the exhibits and public areas.

One major problem currently facing the Centre is a lack of members able and willing to act as project leaders. Many volunteers complain to me that they come to work and can find nothing to do. There is obviously plenty to do, just not enough organisation. Don't blame the Executive, we are all fully occupied. The alternative is to engage more paid labour, which is something we cannot afford at present.

1989 will be a hard act to follow and we, the Executive, are currently exploring many avenues to try and make 1990 an even greater year. As we enter our 21st year I sense the pace is quickening, and an exciting future lies ahead. The only sure way of sharing in that achievement is by getting involved. Go on, put your name on the roster for 1990 and/or join the crew training scheme. Where is the roster? That reminds me, we desperately need a roster clerk, too!

Notes:
The text in this Quainton Railway Society publication was written in 1989 and so does not reflect events in the 25+ years since publication. The text and photographs are repeated verbatim from the original publication, with only a few minor grammar changes but some clarifying notes are added if deemed necessary. The photos from the original publication are provided as scans in this internet version of this long out of print publication.

Reference:
From the Boardroom - Chairman's Jottings by Andrew Bratton - Quainton News No. 66 - Winter 1989 / 90