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West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by gwr4090, Nov 15, 2007.

Page 1428 of 2198
  1. Dan Taylor

    Dan Taylor New Member Account Suspended

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    Few pages back theres 1427 not going back through them just for that
     
    Dan Taylor, Jul 25, 2020
    #28541
  2. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Well quite! Wasn't suggesting you did. :)
     
    flying scotsman123, Jul 25, 2020
    #28542
  3. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    Closing down sale next? its not if but when this administration will have to call in the receivers most likily later this year. / early next. the railway can not trade its way out of this situation.
     
    martin1656, Jul 25, 2020
    #28543
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  4. 007

    007 Member

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    If they have agreed to let it go in ticket, to another Railway is an admission of the fact that they won’t be able to overhaul it and the chances of it returning are probably minimal.

    Don’t take swipes at Robin saying the organisation she supports have only itself to blame, that is stating the blindingly obvious and is non constructive.
    This is a sad day for the volunteers at the WSR and regardless of what you might feel about the PLC a large slice of WSR history is coming to an end.
    Good luck to the 7F and the SDRT in their move and commiserations to the WSR volunteers.
     
    007, Jul 25, 2020
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    nanstallon, jnc, Fred Kerr and 13 others like this.
  5. Snifter

    Snifter Well-Known Member

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    The sad but inevitable conclusion of 88's departure is to create a demand for someone else's loco, see also 4410, 44555 etc. etc. Now I wonder who that could be ? The acolytes of that loco owner should hang their heads in shame. You know who you are.
     
    Snifter, Jul 25, 2020
    #28545
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  6. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Thomas wasn't a sign of anything other than creative thinking. And as for whether the MHR wanted the 7F it is hard to think of a reason why they wouldn't.

    And one thing is for certain, to coin a phrase, the 7F will be a 'really useful engine'.
     
    Big Al, Jul 25, 2020
    #28546
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  7. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    All part of the master plan, i wonder what the next will be? a buy out at bargain rates, of pence in the pound to buy the company out of administration? then another attempt to purchase the freehold?
     
    martin1656, Jul 25, 2020
    #28547
  8. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    Oh you mean the two locos that are too heavy? To be honest if the railway cannot afford to resume services what chance do they have of funding the upgrades needed for them to run? I said previously that 6960 leaving and the (at the time) hiring of 9466 to the GWSR indicates to me there is no short term plan to do the work so not sure they are that useful.
     
    Pete Thornhill, Jul 25, 2020
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  9. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    and on coaches of the correct colour, none of that brown and cream , start wiping off that pines headboard lads, :)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 25, 2020
    martin1656, Jul 25, 2020
    #28549
    Hampshire Unit, Dunfanaghy Road, green five and 1 other person like this.
  10. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    Just as an observation and please take your emotional hat off for a minute

    The press release reads as amicable and can be seen to resolve a number of problems

    1 - The WSR has openly said it cannot afford to fulfil its obligations for the engine to overhaul it at the end of its ticket in 2022
    2 - The S&D trust has been accused on not supporting the railway enough in its hour of need (charitable obligations aside)
    3 - currently likelyhood of the railway running in the short term to trade its way through the current situation seems less likely

    The move to the MHR helps the S&D Trust hopefully earn a chunk of cash for the overhaul and also by releasing or assisting the PLC with its obligations it reads like a win win. Best case scenario the WSR overhauls the boiler as a contract

    now lets move to the more profound issue
    Had the WSR announced a resolution to Washford too that enabled the S&D trust to remain I think the move would have been more welcomed. Putting the emotional hat back on this feels like the first piece of the Jigsaw moving , the first step potentially in the end game . Many observers also see and feel a fundamental question of trust and the summaries posted on here illustrate that trust is a commodity easily lost

    On a broader point I do think railways needs to take steps to secure long term future and homes of the engines on their lines . If you look back a steam loco is not forever . 3205 leaving the SVR , an engine with a massive emotional tie , which went on to be resident at the WSR and then left . I can also add 46521 and 6960 to that list . 34016 at the Mid Hants being another . 69523 at the GCR
     
    Sidmouth, Jul 25, 2020
    #28550
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  11. Alan Kebby

    Alan Kebby Well-Known Member

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    Yes I can certainly see why they would want it. I was just surprised it was seen as a sensible financial decision in the current climate. Especially with 76017, 41312, 506, 926 and Thomas already at their disposal, and others in the overhaul queue not too far away.

    I guess the MHR must be in a better financial position than some other railways.
     
    Alan Kebby, Jul 25, 2020
    #28551
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  12. Greenway

    Greenway Part of the furniture

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    53808 will be a wonderful gain for the Mid Hants for certain. It will obviously be a useful locomotive for them but it will draw many people to the line; possibly many who have never visited it before.
    Regarding 4110 she has some way to go before completion of her major overhaul and as far as I recall part of the purchase deal of her was to run 4110 on the WSR for a period (the time scale escapes me at present) when back in revenue service. 4555 is at the ESR for some time I believe.
     
    Greenway, Jul 25, 2020
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  13. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    She will run I believe at the ESR first for a number of years
     
    Sidmouth, Jul 25, 2020
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  14. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Well, for a start, it is located in a well populated area with the combined population of the principle stations at each end of the line about twice that of Minehead. And, of course, you step off a network train at Alton straight onto the heritage railway service. Finally, the customer base is almost certainly less seasonal dependent.

    So the potential for the MHR being in a better financial situation is there.
     
    Big Al, Jul 25, 2020
    #28554
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  15. Swan Age

    Swan Age Member

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    53808 will fill the void in the roster on the MHR following the withdrawal and departure of 92212.
    In the recent MHR loco strategic plan it was identified that a gap would exist that would possibly need filling by hiring in a locomotive for perhaps 2 years.
    Currently. I would imagine that Thomas is being used as many of the MHR annual boiler exams fall due in April/May and most staff were furloughed during this period.
    925 has however this week passed its annual exam .
     
    Swan Age, Jul 25, 2020
    #28555
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  16. Barrie the Beer

    Barrie the Beer Guest

    Today the S&DRT AGM is taking place, so there may well be an update on the eviction situation later on.
     
    Barrie the Beer, Jul 25, 2020
    #28556
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  17. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    it is all kicking off on the WSR friends Facebook group. Given the pro regime nature of the group how long the thread remains will be interesting to see . Apologies if that counts as pouring petrol

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/938692759562654/
     
    Sidmouth, Jul 25, 2020
    #28557
  18. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

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    There isnt anything wrong with the MHR, it just never excited me, however I can see a few visits next year.

    It seems to me though the the MHR & Swanage are both fairly obvious homes for the loco

    Any chance of a link?
     
    johnofwessex, Jul 25, 2020
    #28558
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  19. baldbof

    baldbof Well-Known Member Friend

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    As a matter of interest, is the departure of the 7F timed to coincide with the return of 9466 from the GWSR?
     
    baldbof, Jul 25, 2020
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  20. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    No. 9466 is apparently at the Ecclesbourne Valley for the next year.
     
    flying scotsman123, Jul 25, 2020
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