West Somerset Railway General Discussion

But how many people read Heritage Railway/Steam Railway? You can bet that this story will appear in at least one of the mags next month, probably as a headline item.

We've already done this, about this time yesterday I think! It doesn't matter that the average passenger doesn't give a toss, there are lots of people who do who are or who are potential financial supporters of the WSR, at a time when the WSR needs a much money as it can get. If the WSR only needed to worry about keeping their passenger base on board, there wouldn't be an appeal for half a million quid for track replacement.

 

Any news on external engineering work?

I have heard it suggested that that has stopped and owners asked to remove their stuff

 

Would that include 6024?

Keith

 

This posting from the thread
Heritage Railways near death experience, back from the brink

Makes interesting reading, its posting #80, my emphasis.

If we do have an issue with Coronavirus this summer, clearly the WSR is very vulnerable

 

Looks like a full agenda both today and tomorrow https://www.hra.uk.com/2020-seminar-agm-conference - including biographies of directors standing for election.

 

The quoted passage is interesting, though I wonder at the poster's knowledge to be able to make that assertion as of fact, not opinion. However, current events will not help in that situation.

 

It seems to me that the WSR's size and distance from large population centers must clearly be a factor in its issues. As the NYMR has shown however this is far from being an issue in all cases

 

I suggest that you reconsider the wording of this quote. I dont know of anybody being fired for "cooking the books" this is a very serious allegation.

Rodders

 

The trouble is the WSR don’t need locos to replace 88. They need to retain it and supplement with others, to reduce their constant and expensive heavy reliance on hired in locos.

 

As I never used the word “fired”, the irony of your reply was noted.

 

The flip side of the coin is that 4110 should have been kept. The volunteer group who wanted to purchase the loco were not given the chance to match any higher counter offer and the excellent chap who led the group was deemed to be a troublemaker. He too was shown the door.

Provenance and heritage are able to be turned on and off at will.

 

I think it's more a case of changing the objectives to better fit the type of causes the trust already donate to! significant sums donated to repair landslips, and I think also some money towards renovating the children's play area. Would the WSRA feel as comfortable doing that I wonder? Partially different legal advice, partially different relationship (share directors etc.) partly different mindset?

 

Glos? Hants? Bath is Zummerzet, Bomo is Daaarrrzet...

 

Bomo wasn't Daaarrrzet until 1974. 'Ampshire afore then.

 

Bit before my time I'm afraid! I was aware of how some counties got butchered out of all recognition (existence in some cases!) but the finer nuances of boundary changes sometimes escape me. Where's the border now? New Milton IIRC?

 

So from my limited knowledge of the Minehead branch, nothing bigger than a large prairie or mogul regularly graced the branch. So by my reckoning as well as the 7f, that also means the King, Hall, Manor, Frankenstein’s mogul and even 9466 are all unsuitable too if the intention is to represent a “true country branch line of the old Great Western”!

Going by axle loadings alone, the King, Hall and 9466 are certainly all inappropriate!

Add to that there’s a fair amount of diesels that don’t fit the tradition either.

........... doesn’t leave a lot left! Could really do with another large prairie or two! All of a sudden the 7f actually becomes quite a bit more appropriate than some of the seemingly more fitting GWR loco’s! But let’s not let facts get in the way of a good story!

Apologies for the splash of sarcasm, the frustrations of the past few days actions are starting to get to me!

 

Couldn’t agree with you more. I was vocal at the time about how selling 4110 was a mistake but as I suspected at the time, there was more to the story. With this new information (about the leader of the consortium being kicked out) and the awful decision to evict the SDRT, I worry about the future of the WSR; I accept the railway was in dire financial trouble but this is not the way to go about fixing it long term. I am now regretting my financial support in previous years; there certainly won’t be any more.

 

Apologies, I didn't phrase that very well. What I meant to say was that there was potentially more to the current situation on the West Somerset Railway than meets the eye. The re-election of a WSR Director to the HRA Board via the votes of all members (presumably including SDRT) is what interests me.

 

You confuse me. He is standing in an election to be held (as I understand it) today. Why the assumption that the SDRT have supported his candidacy? And, regardless of current matters, is it not possible that he might still be considered suitable for that role notwithstanding events at Washford?