West Somerset Railway General Discussion

And I was at Hemerdon with my Instamatic.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hemerdon/24214351109/in/album-72157661556092844/

 

Further progress in Minehead shed on tender T2061 for 7828 Odney Manor, all being done by a small band of volunteers a couple of days a week.

Nearly all of the welding work on the well tank is finished, it will need to come out of the frames later on for a few bits of welding underneath to complete. Whilst out it will be shot blasted and epoxy painted prior to returning and being riveted to the mainframes.

Above footplate level all of the plate work is being drilled and bolted, once we have sufficient plates located in the correct place riveting will follow. Although there are a lot of them the rivets are all nice and small, being a mix of 3/8" and 1/2".

All photos were taken by Steve, one of the volunteer team.

1. Getting the first of the preformed plates in place and bolting them to the bottom angle. The corner post will be slotted at the top and bent out to form the corner flared section, the gaps being infilled and welded.

2. Plates in place all down the RH side.


3. LH side following on. The handbrake and water scoop stanchions are to confirm heights and they also serve as temporary secure handrails when climbing the access steps!


4. Rear floor plate being cut to match the corners of the tank. Parts of the flange has yet to be welded on each side. Note the two vertical lines of pilot holes for later riveting on an internal strip to attach the longitudinal baffle. The first of many rivet holes.


5. A happy band of socially distanced volunteers.


6.The central baffle in the well located for welding.

 

I noticed that the WSR was listed in the newspaper today in an article about attractions that one could visit without the need to pre-book. Well, there may perhaps be some 'walk on' tickets available, it's not clear, but I suspect anyone coming from a distance may well be disappointed if they can't get a seat.

 

For information, there is almost always “walk up” (socially distanced) availability from Bishops Lydeard to Watchet or Blue Anchor at the moment on the 1235 and often a small number on the 1015. From 16th July trains will run through to Dunster with vintage bus connection to Minehead, and then from 20th July there will be further developments, to be announced shortly.
Frank Courtney

 

What's the basis for your assumption that it wasn't spent wisely? The CRF "grants" were not money handed over to spend as the WSR board might want. A better description than grant would be "an investment to secure agreed outcomes." They could only be spent on the specified purposes for which they were made and were subject to independent audit to confirm that was the case.

I doubt if there was ever any misapprehension that the Grant would by itself be enough to put the WSR in a good financial place.

 

you can watch the video here...

http://www.wsr.org.uk/news.htm

 

Much as a repaint of the rolling stock fleet was necessary, it wouldn't have been the difference between surviving and not surviving. The thing is though, it's difficult to say exactly hoe the money could have been better spent, because we don't actually know what this £1 million is actually for.
It's not just about how that specific money was spent though, that grant money could be seen to have "freed up" other money to spend on exorbitant legal fees to try and oust hard working volunteers who happened to disagree with the way forward, but had a lost a vote and were now keeping their heads down accepting the outcome. That had cost £10k back in what, February, March? I dread to think how much it is now.

If the WSR truly needs to raise £1 million a year, every year, just to keep afloat, then it is not sustainable. That is why people are reluctant to donate, no one can possibly imagine that's a feasible sum to raise (no one else ever has) so what's the point in raising say £200k (wouldn't they be so lucky!), if the railway will fail anyway, just prolonged by a month or two?

 

Based upon the WSR Plc's appearances on BBC, ITV, and other major news outlets since September 2018, the Plc has gone from being on the brink of collapse, followed by being in a strong financial position although with alot of assets against a loan. Then coronavirus rocks up and there back to being in a bad financial position, they receive a grant and everything is ok. 2021 comes around, they are in a 'strong financial position' once again, now they are back on there knees.

Now this is a business that has made an impressive number of U turns over the last 3 years, or its a business in a complete mess that would perhaps benefit more by being honest for once?

 

It does appear, however much we wish it was different, that the WSR does not have much of a future with the current set up.

 

It was with some feeling of inevitability that I saw the news report. I have supported the WSR for many years, mainly from afar, but I can’t bring myself in all good faith to support a PLC who has treated its partners in such a way and then expects supporters to dig deep. Sorry guys it just does not work that way.

 

Exactly, and compare and contrast with the Ffestiniog which received very little because they are in Wales. The Welsh lines certainly have every right to feel hard done by and to feel sorry for themselves - less money, tougher restrictions, slower lifting of restrictions. And yet the most recent GM video sets out how they responded, how they are doing (85% of 2019 figures considering reduced capacity), the major engineering works done, infrastructure projects under way, the infrastructure works planned. Here is the carriage shed under construction next winter we can keep the carriages indoors and dry so lower costs in the long run. Honest reflection - no galas because resources are limited, catering is slow to recover and may never recover. Lots of praise, appreciation and thanks to staff, volunteers, supporters and donors.

So if I donate to the FR, there is a line that tells me what it has done, it shows me that even during covid it was advancing major projects, that money is being well spent and has plans that are beyond just surviving but explains to me very clearly why my donation is needed. If I am donating to the WSR, I don’t know why or what for, other than that if I don't the railway will close. How do I know that my donation won't be used to pay lawyers to persecute volunteers for disagreeing with the board?

I've asked before and never had an answer, why should I support financially the WSR instead of the FR, GWSR, AVR, MHR S&DRT?

 

it appears that The WSR Chair has closed his FB account.

 

No doubt getting ready with his onion to tell everyone how he is just a poor misunderstood victim and it was everyone else's fault. That sound you can hear is the world's tiniest violin playing for him.

Resignation would be a welcome next step, although that would just mean getting off scot free, taking no responsibility and leaving other people to clear up the mess created by the present board (a board that has created more mess than any other previous board).

 

A very friendly TV station then.
"LISTEN UP PEOPLE WE USE COOKIES"
Not mine they don't!!!!!!!!!

 

I doubt if the grant was intended simply to enable the creditors to get more pence in the pound back when the railway went bust, either.