Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust at Washford

Don't forget that the SDRT also have Pecket 0-4-0 ST 1788 Kilmersdon which is currently undergoing a 10 year overhaul at Washford and will hopefully be in
steam again by the next WSR Spring Gala. Kilmersdon would make a very useful loco for any S&D site especially with her connections to the Somerset coal fields.

 

Isn't there another industrial from the Somerset coal fields in preservation too?

Regards

 

I gather that 53808 goes out of ticket in 2015, so I guess it will then be overhauled and returned to the Trust. I dont expect it will run on the WSR after that unless a new agreement is put in place.

 

I wish the Trust all the very best in finding a new home, hopefully in S&D territory, where it might have a greater chance of prospering. It certainly has some interesting and valuable assets in the Museum and in some of the rolling stock especially the S&D coaches. A few of the wagons, probably the more modern ones with steel underframes, might be of interest to the WSR. But I fear your estimated scrap valuation of track and buildings at Washford is grossly optimistic - more like a few tens of thousands at the very most. I would have thought the sale of these fixed assets in situ would be far more beneficial to the Trust than the huge cost of trying to move them to another site.

I have no idea what the WSR plans for Washford are, but I guess it would make a good base for stabling and overhaul of carriages and wagons for operational use, facilities which are quite severly limited at the moment. I believe there are plans to install an auxiliary token instrument at Washford which will greatly facilitate the more regular passage of trains into and out of the sidings, and will allow the site to be integrated more closely into the rest of the WSR operation.

David

 

"It is only the yard lease that is not being renewed - the Trust could continue being based in the station building."

I do not believe that to be the case, my understanding is that the lease is for the whole site. (Having said that, it should be noted that the Trust does own the freehold of the adjacent former allotment land.) Any 'partial' continuation of occupancy would have to be considered in the light of (a) would it be financially viable for the Trust and (b) could it continue effectively to support its constitutional charitable objectives?

It is not clear yet what, if any, plan the WSR actually has for the site post-2020. Apart from the idea of PW, I have heard of at least 3 other possible scenarios, plus of course the fact that their needs may well change in the intervening 8 years anyway.

There seems to be an assumption in some quarters that the Trust will "automatically" move to share/amalgamate with one (or more) of the other existing S&D-related groups. No one yet seems to be asking those other groups what they think of that idea! Do they want them? Do they have room for them? Would there be competition for resources and income etc?

 

Steam Railway mag has made it a cover headline tabloid style so that will get the WSR management stirred up. Wonder what their reply to that headline will be.

 

Doubt they'll be much bothered - who takes any notice of SR sensationalism?

 

I think you are way out of touch - the same matter is also a headline in the current WSRA mag so it is not a secret or an excercise in SR kite flying - and not also the basis for a scandal of some sort, but a reasoned decision by the WSR for the medium term future properly communicated.

Ask yourself how many other heritage railways are planning for 2020 now - or even just 5 years in the future?

 

Most people seemingly wish to see the S&D trust back at a original S&D location either active today or a yet to be preserved location on the original formation.

As good as a move back to the original S&D sounds, nothing today nor it seems likely in the next three or four years time will be in a position to offer the trust a running line and/or infrastructure that would justify the wholesale relocation the trust's stock and activities.

The reality is that the S&D trust is more likely to look for a existing line (or centre) that offers engineering facilities and preferably a running line to justify the 7F if not in Somerset or Dorset then as close as they can, and naturally a running agreement for their stock and a long term base.

So I guess that puts the Swanage, Avon Valley as prime candidates, wherever they end up I wish them the very best of luck.

 

is there any land elsewhere on the WSR that could be offered to the S&D trust that would still enable them to be based on the railway rather than have to relocate away to another site ? what about around by the triangle at Norton ? is there enough land there to establish a site there? with a small holt to serve the site?

 

News from the West Country:

Drawings of old railway buildings and equipment that were borrowed from Bath City Council almost 30 years ago have been returned.

The 80 sketches, which date from 1869 to 1934, include an engine shed, and stabling for horse-drawn taxi carriages in Green Park Station's goods yard.

The Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust, which borrowed the drawings in 1982, carried out an inventory check.

More at BBC News - Old railway drawings given to Bath Record Office

Patrick

 

ANY move, even to elsewhere on the WSR, will involve the SDRT in a great deal of expense and effort. If there is more land available elsewhere, then far better for the WSR to use it themselves and let the SDRT stay put.

The various media reports on this are incomplete and give a false impression that the SDRT somehow 'forgot' it had these items.
The material was placed on loan to the SDRT by Bath City Council. It was held in the SDRT's Archives at Washford, where it was recorded and available for research. Mindful of the 2020 end-date for their lease, the SDRT decided recently to transfer all its Archives to the new Somerset Heritage Centre, where they will be available in due course for public access. Any material that was only on loan to the SDRT, and whose owners were not willing to convert that loan to a donation, had to be returned to its owners rather than go to the SHC. All a bit of a 'non story' really.....

 

Apologies for restarting a 2011 thread (although it does make for an interesting read) but I was interested by this reference to the Trust owning some freehold land. Is this still the case?

 

well.....

 

A very interesting thread to read for someone who wasn’t on the forum back in 2011.

Thank you @Mike Birch for resurrecting it.

 

As the trust would have no use for the land they own on vacation of the site perhaps WSR could purchase it from them at cost price ?