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Southwold Railway

Discussion in 'Narrow Gauge Railways' started by Bar Side, May 7, 2012.

  1. Johann Marsbar

    Johann Marsbar Well-Known Member

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    Last blog was 23.12.17 if you look at their website.............
    https://www.southwoldrailway.co.uk/happy-christmas-2017/
     
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  2. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    A few small snippets, but they seem to have been a tad 'Santa'd In' for the last several weeks. Haven't clocked anything from the local press to indicate any offensive from the East Suffolk Flat Earth Society either.
    https://www.southwoldrailway.co.uk/sr-blog/
     
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  3. The Green Howards

    The Green Howards Nat Pres stalwart

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    ??
     
  4. Hicks19862

    Hicks19862 Member

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    The local opposition that fears change. Or rather the big city folks that have holiday homes in Southwold that fear an influx of tourists.
     
  5. The Green Howards

    The Green Howards Nat Pres stalwart

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    Ah, thought that might be the case.
     
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  6. FearOfManchester

    FearOfManchester Member

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  7. The Green Howards

    The Green Howards Nat Pres stalwart

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    I still find a certain childish amusement from a steam locomotive bearing the name of SCALDWELL...! :D
     
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  8. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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  9. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Update time: There's been significant recent progress at Blyth Road, with a timber building, sympathetic to the local venacular style, going up to provide an operational base, plus some much needed archive storage. The miniature railway is coming together nicely and there's some very attractive planting taking place:

    https://www.southwoldrailway.co.uk/sr-blog/
     
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  10. Hicks19862

    Hicks19862 Member

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    Good luck to them.
     
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  11. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    With certain of their neighbours .... they'll need it! Hopefully as the project unfolds, there'll be other local voices sympathetic to the notion of stronger ties with the rest of the universe.
     
  12. Hicks19862

    Hicks19862 Member

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    Well, I can’t see any of the opposition stopping the construction of Steamworks now. Extending the line to Walberswick and beyond on the other hand...
     
  13. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    .... will just have to wait until there's enough of an income stream to make it happen! :cool:

    Does anyone please happen to have any idea how the RSPB regard reopening? I know the Flat Earth mob have been ranting about avocets miscarrying (or sommat!), but AFAIK, there's been nowt official from the folks who actually run the reserve. If nesting birds really are all that sensitive to occasional trains passing (at about 15mph, be it remembered) - and to which evidence elsewhere suggests they soon become accustomed anyway - perhaps a spot of welded rail where the SR runs adjacent to the reserve wouldn't go amiss. In any event, the peak of the nesting season is done and dusted well before any possible summer peak operating period.

    If I genuinely thought for a moment that wildlife would be adversely affected by restoration, I'd be asking a lot of questions too. From what I've seen, the SRT are willing participants who are doing all within their power to improve conditions for local wildlife. Given what a significant draw for the birdwatching community the well known reserve is, for the SRT to do otherwise would be totally counterproductive ... and they're not idiots, which is why I don't believe a word of the (usually unattributed) scare stories which periodically do the rounds.
     
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  14. Hicks19862

    Hicks19862 Member

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    I do think they should have just cosmetically restored Scaldwell for now, so that they had a complete steam locomotive on site for when Steamworks opened, rather than take it to pieces whilst trying to complete the Steamworks site with limited funds and resources. But then what do I know. Just an arm chair critic with no knowledge of running a steam centre lol.
     
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  15. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    I believe Scaldwell is currently part stripped for assessment (a few photos somewhere wouldn't go amiss!), but that might just be me losing the plot, so please don't quote me!
     
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  16. James Hewett

    James Hewett New Member

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    RSPB (plus AONB, SPRE et al) always automatically object to every attempt to restore the SR. It's a knee-jerk reaction, based on nothing but prejudice - altho' probably reflecting the views of many of their members, sadly. The RSPB site at Minsmere is nowhere near the railway - in fact several miles away - which didn't stop RSPB claiming on one occasion that the steam locos on the planned Wenhaston site would kill all the birds in Dunwich, thus destroying the RSPB's flagship attraction! (have a look at the map) I have frequently had (verbal) tussles with these organisations (not to speak of Parish and District Councils) on this: in fact, there is absolutely no evidence that any of the UK's 200-plus heritage railways have ever done any harm to wildlife - it's a myth fostered by the NIMBYs.
    However - if the (now very small) resident population of Southwold were to be polled, I am sure that they would say no to any restoration of the railway on its original trackbed, or elsewhere (or, by the way, to the Blyth Navigation restoration, come to that), probably because of years of well-organised scoffing from prominent people, some of whom led a march down Southwold's High Street, with banners and loudhailers, against the railway not many years ago.
    Perhaps slightly peripheral to this thread, but apposite - four ex-Trustees of the Southwold Railway Trust, and other SRT members, have recently set up the Halesworth to Southwold Narrow Gauge Railway Society: not in opposition to SRT, but complementary to it. There is a great deal more support for the restoration at the western end - so it seems logical to capitalise on that: workdays have already re-started at the 1914 Halesworth locomotive shed site.
     
  17. FearOfManchester

    FearOfManchester Member

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    Is there any facebook page for this new society james? Where photo updates will be put?
     
  18. James Hewett

    James Hewett New Member

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    Hi FOM - the reference is: https://www.facebook.com/HalesworthtoSouthwoldNGR/?ref=py_c
    As you can see, the name of the group is "Halesworth to Southwold Narrow Gauge Railway Society" which is set up to do what it says on the tin (the most similar railway in length, style, rolling stock, etc. is the Welshpool and Llanfair, but we are basing our plans on how the Lynton and Barnstaple is succeeding, in somewhat similar circumstances).
    Some photos will be on F/B (and probably Instagram) - we are also working on a website (local provider) where more will be published.
    In other news - we have a display booked in Halesworth Library for 2 weeks from July 17 to gauge local support - we move into a new workshop at Ilketshall on August 1 - we have our first rail (59m of 35lb-per-yard) - we own a 3-foot-gauge Hudson 2.5 tonne skip - we are working with many friendly Halesworth organisations - the imminent bank account will allow us to take donations and membership payments online - we have just found a local graphic artist who will help with logos, etc. - a very small beginning, but it will grow JH
     
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  19. Johann Marsbar

    Johann Marsbar Well-Known Member

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  20. Hicks19862

    Hicks19862 Member

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    Well I hope they have more local support in Halesworth than they do in Southwold
     
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