S&D Railway Trust

Likewise. We have never found the gate locked either in the last 40 years or more. But we were never quite sure. Previous posts here just reminded me of the nervous moments as we made our way along the platform. I'm grateful for two other people who have contacted me offline reassuring me of the situation. We will travel with more confidence in future.

Steve

 

To be honest, I think that it’s only a matter of time until the WSRA event is cancelled. I think it’s been inevitable, even before the announcement from Blandford Forum.

 

The Torbay one, usually at the same time as the Somerset one will most likely fall victim. It appears that social distancing is impossible to maintain in open areas. Buildings, it seems, can be more easily regulated.
Sadly this distancing is with us for some while I fear.

 

Nevertheless, a valuable reminder of the sort of "passenger comfort/safety" issue which might easily be overlooked by those who have responsibility for station security etc.

I have a vague recollection that there was once a publicly-accessible telephone at the top of the WD steps (IIRC primarily for the volunteers to contact the alarm monitoring company), but I think that has long gone now. It would be a 'nice idea' perhaps if the WSR had 'help' phones for passenger use at their stations during unstaffed periods, but sadly I suspect such things would be subject to the usual sort of mindless vandalism.

 

Yet apparently airborne virus spreading is much less in the open air than in confined spaces.

 

But we dont know what restrictions might be in place buy August and of course if people will be willing to go, I suggest the answer to the latter is probably not

 

Not to mention, thinking of an October event I’m involved in, that decisions need to be made well in advance by organising groups that can ill afford a flop.


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Indeed, I suspect for many organisations, cancelling an event early before you have spent any significant money will be far preferable to taking a risk that conditions will ease in the future, even if in doing so, you definitively forego any chance of making the significant income many special events bring.

Tom

 

This is the dilemma facing all heritage railways for their day to day services, not just special events.

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And that's another reason why to proceed to evict, makes no sense, see, the trust have no option, but to fight it, to take the PLC to Court, and, what if the PLC loses, and has to pay costs where is that money coming from ? And what's the fall out going to be if the PLC wins, there will be open warfare between the various groups, there will be no " railway Family" then, you ask, who's next? If as reported, that several members of the board are looking at buying out the PLC, then, again, whereas the money coming from to buy those shares, the fable of Greeks bearing gifts comes to mind, either there is someone in the wings with pockets stuffed with money, and they want to lose some of it, or they are looking at potentially lucrative development sites that will off set the purchase, Minehead station site for example, perhaps they think a new station on Seaward Rd, next to Butlins might draw in holiday makers with luxury flats on the old station site, they wouldn't be the first to have such thoughts,

 

Just relating to the bit in black: why do you think there would be open warfare between the various groups Martin?

The WSSRT and WSRA have been completely quiet about the eviction of the SDRT, so either they support the eviction or they just don't care what happens, at this stage there is no other way of looking at their silence. Now if either of those possibilities are true then I can't see how that would lead to any warfare-they'll be too busy trying to please their masters in the plc.

Keith

 

Although you omit it, I wonder if a third option might be the case; that no-one in either group dares to risk their future at the WSR by rocking the boat.

In my view, it should not be the case as it would seem to me that taking this course is highly likely to lead to there being no WSR to be a part of.

But how can any outsider known the true position?

Edited to add: My reason for looking for a third option is my belief that no right minded person could condone the actions currently being pursued.

 

Because Keith, whilst the trustees may be very quiet about it, i suspect, that those same trustees, will lose the support of their members, who possibly will see it for what it is, cowardice in not standing up to a bullying culture, against a fellow part of the railway. but i suspect that it would be a parodic victory because there will be no WSR to speak of, such are the state of the finances , its not if but when the railway will be getting the begging bowl out again, and if you don't pay up, your next to be thrown out.

 

Today's new edition of Steam Railway mag reports 4160 is subject of a 13-year deal with 5542 Ltd. To be based at the SDR and available for hire to other lines, so it could in theory visit the Whizzer, perhaps for a gala event. So now we have a small PFP and a large PFP perhaps?

We could do with a relevant thread to discuss such matters on NP, don't yer think. Sorry to continue drifting in the meantime.

P.S. More news concerning 4160 from the WSRA website here:
https://www.wsra.org.uk/2020/04/28/wsra-chairmans-statement-to-members-about-4160-ltd/

 

Would not the Council have an Overage Clause written into to any agreement into the sale of the freehold. The current Minehead station site must be of huge development potential if station was re-sited. The Overage would cover any other spare land that may be sold.
https://www.gabyhardwicke.co.uk/briefing-notes/overage-payments-in-land-transactions/

 

Absolutely!

 

If there's that sort of pressure for local development, surely Minehead'll become precisely the sort of place that makes the 'case for reopening' lists., perhaps as the western extremity of the Bristol Metro area.

Now let's sit back and wait for all the reasons why mainline reopening won't happen .... before the regular to-ing and fro-ing continues unabated.

Round and round and round she goes ..... where she stops, nobody knows!

 

You could well be right Martin, but I'm afraid I still don't see how it would lead to any kind of warfare - there'll be no railway to fight over and the charities will be penniless, discredited and shunned by the preservation world having given all their money to the plc!

Keith

 

No doubt very soon you will all be reading the latest pronouncements from the PLc, the WSRA and the WSSRT about the S&DRT situation.

Noting the separate 'position statement' from the Plc, two things seem very clear to me. Firstly, they make lots of claims about having put suggestions to the Trust, but having had no responses, whereas in contrast, the Trust has spoken in its Press Releases of the reverse situation. This suggest to me that there is still a wide disparity in the views of the two opposing sides. Secondly, the Plc makes many statements about having submitted requests for financial support etc, commenting that these have been refused or at least not forthcoming - in none of such cases do they explain why the Trust has declined.

I note also that the Plc documents mentions that the Trust ".....have developed a museum, which features a signalling display based around the small signal box from Burnham-on-Sea....". They can't even get right the basic facts about what is on the site!

At least now we know that the WSR 'triumvirate' have been discussing the situation together, which I suppose is a small bit of progress.

 

Steve, I have got a good cordless angle grinder to get you out if needed !....