West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Its alive I tell you... Alive!!!!!!

 

All in good time. I am sure there are more pressing problems.

 

Well, following his e-mail address being published on this thread I contacted the new Head of Commercial Mark Hill, and got a very positive reply back from him about my observations on the railway.

So thank you Mr Hill, and I look forward to see what 2018 brings

 

Nowt wrong with a little friendly leg pulling

 

Isnt that what they used to say in the tower before they showed some one the rack

 

Was there any conclusions drawn on what was causing the Spring breakages?

Last I heard a formal investigation has been set in motion. Apologies if this has already been covered here but at the rate this thread moves information is rapidly buried without trace.

 

Hence the smiley! NHF. Just to annoy the anti TLA brigade.

 

This is a complex technical investigation which is still ongoing and unlikely to be complete before February.
Frank

 

No. There is no democratic process associated with the colour of my Car. This is a one-party state. Comrade.

Robin

 

One part of the problem was the exaggeration of the number of breakages by the steam press! - as reported in the latest WSR News.

 

Bishops Lydeard Station Masters House

A piece of good news is the bringing of this into the Railway estate. A key part of any development of Bishops Lydeard in the future.

One part of the WSR plc’s statement does need correcting. The opportunity did not arise ‘earlier this year’ but rather earlier than that. As is known, I led on the negotiations between developers, land owner, Railway and Planning authorities which resulted in the grant of permission and the land grant to the Railway at Station Farm, Bishops Lydeard. Land always becomes more expensive if you talk about it, so comment hasn’t been appropriate until now. The House was in the same ownership as the Farm and part of the agreement was that the Railway would have ‘first refusal’ on the House when the Farm was developed. That occurred some time ago and the Railway has struggled to find a way to finance the purchase. No doubt this Gordian knot being cut is not unrelated to the presence of our new finance manager. Well done.

But this is a loan. I look forward to hearing the plan to pay that off without draining resources from other important investment.

I would also want to understand the advantage of the WSR plc owning the House, rather than one of the two WSR Charities.

Robin

 

Red it is then.

 

I would like to know where Robin got the railway hat she wore at the Antiques Roadshow. Was it perhaps
obtained on a visit to the Strelsau signal box?

Colonel Sapt.

 

A simple search of estate agent websites suggests that it could do with a few improvements however it could easily become an attractive rental property. I am sure that a few willing volunteers would be happy to roll up their sleeves over the winter and we must have a number of tradesmen in the ranks to tackle the more technical stuff. Count me in !

 

You will remember the Stalin quote about it being Soviet policy for every worker to drive a Rolls-Royce eventually.

Two of the ‘White’ motor pool are ‘Oktober’ Red.

I have some film industry connections and when Crowcombe Station Master Tim Stanger expressed the view that he was struggling to find a GWR pill box hat I used my contacts to find a very skilled theatrical milliner who copied an original and I had an extra made for me (in a somewhat different size from Tim!). You will note the Gold pommel which marks a First Class Station Master!

As far as Eastern European signalling goes, my favourite location was always Dresden.

Tavarisch, Comrad.

 

Looks like red - secret LMS fan, possibly?

 

The WSR will probably want to rent it out to get money back on its investment, but I think it would make an excellent base for volunteer accommodation, to bring the southern end facilities up to the standard of the northern end!

 

Red October, You had better watch out for Sean Connery then.

 

No.

Has to be GWR or SR for me (child of the south). But there is something very special about S&DJR 7F’s...

Robin

 

That explains the charge registered in favour of Lloyds Bank a few days ago.