Steam Dreams 2016

I so hate that "Schhhh there is a secret" type of post. Cough it up or swallow it.

 

Heard Southall - WCRC closed on H&S grounds. I have not seen anything official which confirms this but if you have seen the place you would not be surprised.

 

I'm not surprised, The report was scathing enough, but its all fixable, and its the only London base they have.

 

I guess it will depend on the cost of remedial works which would be very substantial.

 

That doesn't surprise me at all. A couple of MHR volunteer friends who were/are also Stewards for Steam Dreams told me regularly that the place was a death trap as they used to get called in to clean the former Green Train carriages for SD trips. A lot of the pits were not covered properly or were covered with thin bits of wood apparently.
It wasn't just the safety issues that pissed them off though. After putting in so much effort to clean the carriages the loco's (quite often 34067) would then be lit up right next to the carriages and make the carriages filthy again The volunteers never did quite get the logic of this as there was plenty of room to prepare the loco's away from the Railtour stock.

You can get a rough idea of the state of the place from the beginning of this video (1.20 onwards) as the depot was featured in ITV Series Above Suspicion. Look out for the cab of 35027 and also 30777 sitting with a support coach in the shed:

 

Alternate depot in and around London West/North will be required.

 

Thats where the money is. If they kiss that good bye then volume of work is well down, and its volume of tours that has made WCRC profitable.

 

Ok Ok, fair enough, WCRC are pulling out of all tours that operate from London Termini.


Whatever.

 

That footage of Southall in 'Above suspicion' doesn't look much different to when I went round in the early 1960's!

 

One would normally call that "operational complexity" I would interpret "business complexity" as lines of reporting, no lines of responsibility and the complex web of companies that WCRC uses to run its business.

Yep I'm sure you are right, its going to stop running everything south of York.

 

It looks much the same as when I sneaked in middle of last last year. Sorry let me rephrase that, Drive in through the breakers yard, brazenly park the car, slam the doors and wander around unchallenged! Yes I had to clean my boots afterwards.

 

I have to say this again.
Why is it that 99% of your posts are sarcastic/snipe remarks aimed at innocent comments other people make on here.
Because you disagree with something said (which you always do), it doesn't mean you have to jump down people's throats every time.
Seems like you are acting "God" for TOC's & tour operators.
Is that what being a steward does to you? It's like anyone "outside the industry" isn't allowed to say anything.
Getting a bit tiresome now.
Totally puts the "Mods hat" topic into context.

 

Excuse me, but why is your goat so easy to get?..............

I read nothing offensive, sarcastic or otherwise in Ralph's reply to a statement made that the poster could not substantiate.

Oh, and before you jump down my throat, I'm not taking sides, just reading the bigger picture.

 

Again the evil WCRC are cited over Southall. Isn't the place owned by NR and JOINTLY run by WCRC AND Locomotive Services Ltd?

So who is responsible for the upkeep. The Landlord or the tenants?

 

Firstly I'm not jumping down your throat.
If you read many of Ralph's replies on here they are sarcastic in nature as if nobody else is allowed to comment or give an opinion without being questioned why.
Or being made out to be in the wrong.
I should know, I have received a few myself.
A recent one, although not railway related, concerned a certain female prime minister of around 30 odd years ago.

 

RE Southall, this is an improvement notice from January regarding Southall. It carries a date of 26 February to be completed/put right. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxwiHVUgdJBhNDJldzl6VGdGUkE/view