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Following the optimism expressed in this column in the January issue of The Journal, the inevitable pattern re-asserted itself.

Gordon Rushton and myself had evolved a formulae which we both thought would be acceptable to our respective Companies, this being the Memorandum of Understanding published the last time. Both the Board and the Heads of Departments accepted it as a basis for resolving the differences between us, and this acceptance was signalled to the F.R

Then four things happened:-

• Gordon Rushton and the FR parted company.
• The FR declined to respond to the memorandum of understanding.
• The FR, who had sought our co-operation in establishing our land holding as part of the consultation process for the Transport and Works Act application, were offended to discover that we had established title to that strip of the old WHR trackbed adjacent to Gelert's Farm.
• They were equally offended to discover that we had registered the name "Welsh Highland Railway" under which we have traded for over 30 years.

The series of events led to them calling off all further talks and issuing a Press Release to air their grievances to the World at large. This is extraordinary considering that so many people, including the County Council, want an agreement to be made, plus a string of promises from the FR that they would find an appropriate role for us in the enterprises so long as we complied with laid down conditions (which we did.)

We responded with a series of expressions of strong support for their proposals, which I reiterate here, plus an offer to build the line to Pont Croesor and hand it over to them free of charge, plus our acceptance of the Memorandum of Understanding. It is incredible that discussions should falter on such a minor point.

It is sad that not only has there been no response to the Memorandum, drawn up by the FR's own representative, but we have not even had the courtesy of a reply to our no strings offer to build to Pont Croesor.

In order to try and clarify the position we have offered to convey to them free of charge that part of the WHR trackbed to which we have title as part of the agreement envisaged in the memorandum, but not even this elicited a positive response.

So where do we go from here?

It must be appreciated that the ordinary FR member does not want to see the dispute prolonged, the WHR society similarly wants a solution, we want a solution and the railway world at large must by now be heartily fed up with the whole affair.

The onus is now with the FR Board, it really is about time they showed both some understanding and some magnanimity.

I therefore call on them

1. To keep their promises to ensure that we have a major part in the enterprise (we kept our side of the bargain),
2. To respond to our no strings offer to build to Pont Croesor,
3. To accept the Memorandum of Understanding as we have done,
4. To show some appreciation of the huge effort which we have put in and which has made possible their plan to rebuild the Welsh Highland Railway today.

So, come on Mike Hart, Mike Schumann and the rest of the FR Board, show both us and the World your humanity.

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