“WHAT SHOULD have been the best year ever for the Strathspey Railway family has turned into one of the worst,” the railway’s company board has said, with the Scottish line facing a six-figure loss following Flying Scotsman’s low-speed shunting incident and subsequent refunds to passengers.
The statement comes after 42 of the railway’s paid staff and volunteers signed a petition amounting to a vote of no confidence in the company board, calling for all the directors to resign. The petition also highlighted several areas of concern about the management of the railway, including a lack of communication, leadership, and forward planning; an inability to follow company policies; an inability to deal with staffing issues; and a lack of respect for all staff. A meeting to address these concerns was held between the company and the Strathspey Railway Association – the line’s supporting charity – on September 9, and although it was agreed certain changes were required, the vote of no confidence was not withdrawn and company chairman Doug Scott resigned on September 19 “in the hope that this might act as a catalyst for resolving the various concerns and aid change,” both organisations said in a shared statement.
An open meeting for staff and supporters, chaired by an independent SRA trustee, was subsequently held at the Cairngorm Hotel in Aviemore on October 17 to discuss the petition and the railway’s financial situation. “This showed a worrying deterioration in the cash flow projection. There has been a loss of income as a result of the Flying Scotsman incident and subsequent cancellations, amounting to a six-figure loss in refunds to passengers. This, together with the seasonal Santa Express, currently on hold pending a review of the availability of staff, could further affect the railway’s finances,” the SRC said.
The company added: “A spokesperson for the ‘group’ that wants change at the railway made unsubstantiated claims of harassment and bullying at the railway wh
