West Somerset Railway General Discussion

I'm sure you are right. Indeed, in my days past as a volunteer at Washford, it was not uncommon for visitors not to notice/realise that we were 'different' from the rest of the railway anyway until it was pointed out to them

 

Except for the obvious and most significant fact that the PM holds the keys because he went to the polls whereas the Plc most certainly has not

 

All true. But the fact should not be ignored that many core volunteers have a very soft spot for the 7F which has been part of the Railway for over 40 years.

And to think I always say I’m blind to what is on the front of the train. (It isn’t true, BTW.)

Robin

 

The Severn Valley has #blingedbybewdley

In West Somerset it’s #ratherhavea7f

 

I am sufficiently encouraged by what is now being said (by at least some of the parties) that I have just paid my subs to join both the WSRA and the S&DR Trust.

 

I can't provide a 'spoiler' on the redacted sections of the Bailey Report on here, though I would love to do so, as I have it all to hand as a full report. Except be prepared for the SDRT being the 'sacrificial lamb' with a bit of a stay of execution; none of which I agree with at all.

The Bailey Report ignores the option of the SDRT to start court proceedings over the 'Notice to Quit', and potentially the 'anticipatory breach' of the contract with S&D loco '88'. And with significant consequences for the WSR PLC. This is where John Bailey fails, as in so much, to appreciate legal agreements, and their consequences, and without considering the detail.

And for the record, if the SDRT repainted Washford in GWR colours for the station, it is covered in the new lease of 2018 for 50 years from April this year!

Cheers,

Julian

 

But I understood that Bailey identified the lease as invalid?

In any event it seems to me that given the state of the PLC, it could not survive Court Proceedings so it would be well advised, using the report as cover to withdraw the notice to quit.

 

Thinking about it logically if the desire is to have a full 'GWR Branch Line' experience, why havnt the DEPG, DMU & assorted diesel shunters given their marching orders?

 

But...if it were true that the 'new' lease were proven to be invalid, then surely all that is left is the 'old' lease - which expired last month if my memory serves me right, in which case the S&DRT would be occupying the site with no lease at all. Not a good situation in which to be, surely????

All the more urgency surely then to get the PDG back in operation asap and at least see what they think should be done.

 

That does not sound very good. And for all the optimism about the future and the possibility of reform, I cannot see how evicting the S&DRT can be ignored. I would hope that in the redacted responses to Bailey, the other groups spoke out against the eviction. This matters not just for the S&DRT but also for the prospect of reform actually resulting in not just an organisational change but a culture change at the WSR.

It is all well and good talking about culture change, but the proof is in the pudding, and the first and most obvious step in demonstrating culture change would be a move away from the confrontational approach and to withdraw the notice to quit.

 

RE: All the locos & rolling stock on the DSR; all examples could be found in Devon either in GWR or BR days.

7Fs ran on the BR(W) S&DJR.

 

Not the DMU though. Its a 115

 

Definitely a member of the NewSoc, or an affiliated group, eg. if WSSRT continues to exist then they may wish to affiliate.

 

Were not the Diesel Hydraulic locos Swindon's metaphorical last 'two fingers' to Marylebone ?

When did GWR style finish ? 1985 perhaps ?

Also one of the best ( the best IMHO ) locos to operate for many years over the WSR was
built post Nationalisation ie 4160 in 1948. Are the later built Halls and Castles not GWR,
let alone most of the 84xx.

I am not a fully paid up member of the GWR genuflecting society but is it not the GWR ambience
that the WSR seeks to create. That ambience presumably included foreign locos and stock
working over its 'metals' e.g. Southern locos from Southcote Jct to Oxford, LNER B17s
to Swindon on Sundays pre WW2 and LMS locos over various sections of GWR routes in
Wales.

And then of course GWR locos working to Crewe and Manchester, and to Portsmouth and
Bournemouth ( passing through Eastleigh en route, indeed inside cylinder 4-4-0s,
and even a De Glenn Compound were observed at Eastleigh pre WW1.)

So what is a full Branch Line experience, nothing bigger than a 43xx, four coach sets,
with eight coaches on peak Summer Saturdays? Ambience desirable yes, strict GWR
branch line probably not.

Michael Rowe

 

Did they work in the South West? Yes they did.

 

On a point of detail, David Clough (“Hydraulic vs Electric) challenges the usual narrative about the hydraulics being Swindon’s two fingers to BR, suggesting instead that it was much more of a considered experiment.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Towards the end of their days, some of the 115s ran out of Paddington in Class 117 diagrams.

 

But it doesn't work financially.

With no funds from WSRA/WSSRT/etc, no gift aid extra, no grants, no volunteers, could the plc really operate the railway?
Paid staff doing everything, including the museum, carriage maintenance, loco maintenance, etc etc.

You'd be looking at at least £5000 per day in staffing costs without volunteers.
You also need to own, or hire, all the carriages, & fund their maintenance & renovations, with no external funding sources.
Events organised & operated by staff.
P-way work done by contractors.


You need the volunteers.
You need their money.
You need the fundraising that can be done by a membership body/charity.

Ultimately the core is the people. Without them there is nothing.