West Somerset Railway General Discussion

I said upthread that if opponents cannot articulate the opposing side's argument in a way they'd agree with then they've fallen at the first hurdle. You have categorically failed in that. But bafflingly, you've also undermined a key argument from the current WSSRT board; that they need to stay independent to get the coaches done, by opining that they'll never get done on their current trajectory either!

 

Always good to find something we can agree on. Outside contracting was indeed the plan before I stepped down from the project (and other Railway responsibilities) at the time of my gender transition. I often said that the coach project was, essentially a fundraising task. It still is. There are sources of funds available for such projects that would not be available for rail renewal, locomotives, etc. A perfect project for a co-operative Railway environment, especially including the necessary covered accommodation for the vehicles.

Not correct, however.

The sleeping car was carried through to completion largely through the efforts of the late Chris van den Arend and the late Dowrick brothers, especially Chris.

We forget the efforts of, and the debt we owe, to those who have ‘gone before’ at our peril.

Robin

 

Just because somebody doesn't appear in a photograph doesn't mean they’re workshy or not engaging with staff or public etc. I’ve had it myself with my several jobs in my work and volunteer life. ‘pose for a photo Matt with this journo I’ve gotta pick the kids up/take a phone call/head off for a meeting etc’ often those who enjoy seeing themselves in publicity material tend to be the most work shy...

 

The ‘10’ had a bit of a count up a while ago. We have 242 years’ active volunteering between us - an average of 24 years.

How would the same ‘stat’ apply to the ‘approved’ candidates?

Use of the ‘search’ facility on Steve Edge’s excellent site will show that I often take snaps of other folk doing things so that the work doesn’t go unnoticed - especially at times or in places the public wouldn’t see. It’s not usually a random act that I’m there to take the photo.

Robin

 

Dear oh dear, I guess the grounds staff have been furloughed seeing as how the grand croquet lawn has suffered.
Mower and grass social distancing???

 

With Brexit on the way, possibly @Robin Moira White has decided to Dig for Victory?

 

The broadband circuit to the Crowcombe camera has been disconnected by the Internet Service Provider due to non-payment of the circuit rental by the railway. To the best of our knowledge, the camera is still fully functional.

The Williton south facing camera remains fully operational providing an overview of the platforms, offices and signal box for site security and operational purposes. The public access video stream from this camera was shut down following a privacy complaint from a close neighbour.

Railcam continues to broadcast video from the remaining cameras at no cost to the railway.

 

In fact, here's a view from this morning....

 

Part of me is in favour of mower and grass social distancing.

 

"A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken."–James Dent.

 

And neither can you promise that the existing trustees, if re-elected would make the carriages a priority.

Let's face it, they haven't been a priority up to now as is obvious from their condition. I think we would have been told if the WSSRT had been applying for numerous large grants to send them off for contract restoration.
The current trustees if re-elected could decide to concentrate on the museums only and sell/donate/scrap the carriages as being in the 'too difficult' category, but it would appear that you only seem to be able to ascribe that action to the new candidates.

Keith

 

It might surprise you to know that on most other railways such activities are progressed side by side. On the NYMR, the example I am familiar with, the quarterly Trust magazine comes with a fundraising brochure listing the various appeals being run by the NYMHRT (parent trust). One can choose between donating to a specific appeal or simply into the overall funds. In addition there are also the associated but independent groups such as NELPG and the LNERCA doing their own fundraising and grant applications. Funnily enough, all these groups seem to comfortably co-exist and progress their various aims and things do not come to an absolute standstill for most if one has a particular need- why should that not the the case on the WSR? Donors should always have the option to support what they favour, and after that it is up to the Trustees to set a budget that gives all the projects in the group's remit a reasonable and appropriate share of the resources. Is that too difficult a concept for you?

In terms of the realities of restoration, and whilst not knowing the details of the condition of the coaches I suspect they are going to be a long job. I'd suggest that first on the agenda really should be a storage/restoration shed. The discussed building from Peterborough remains an option, I believe. It is better suited to that role than as a storage shed for operating rakes. I would be looking to set it up as a workshop with viewing gallery to allow visitors to safely see work in progress. That then starts to tick the educational boxes to unlock HLF funding and apprentice schemes, which are going to be the key to getting the coaches restored.

 

I agree with all you say here and again this is where the local colleges would also have helped. However the Peterborough Shed opportunity is being dealt with by the WSRA and the land if it were erected would be on WSRA land most likely. So the WSRA & WSSRT would have to work together which is of course easy isn't it,,,,,,,,,,,,, oh no wait !!!!!

The current WSSRT Trustees advocate going it alone but also say only they can save the carriages, nobody else can. The facts don't seem to support that. Even if the WSSRT had the land to put the shed on they would not have the capacity to complete that as a project even with commercial paid for help as they already have their hands full with the museums, etc and there are only few of them to go around. Additionally they will not have a place any on the WSR Boards thus no influence inside the WSR going forward, they potentially may not have a base on the WSR under a new structure unless they can pay and in any case they couldn't rent land for a shed on the WSR because there isn't any. Unless of course they get given Washford by a grateful PLC, but surely the PLC have said they need it for a PWay yard so that must rule that option out.

The WSSRT as it stands wants nothing to do with the WSRA, in fact some of the supporters on here and in private make it clear they fear the WSRA for reasons when you ask deeper questions about it just don't seem to have any substance other than they see them as competition who get in their way.

This only ever comes back to there being a need for One Railway with all pulling together or the WSR is finished, as Aristotle said “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts".

 

Many thanks for the reply I did wonder about the cams at Crowcombe but u have answered that for me. And the South williton camera looks great thanks for sharing. And also the great work that railcam has done and is doing to provide us with. Cheers.

 

I recall there was a situation many years ago soon after the historic carriages were acquired that the Wsr were going to buy a piece of land next to Bishops lydeard station.

A house builder wanted to build houses next to the station and there was some scheme that they would sell a piece of land at favourable rates for a shed for the coaches in exchange for the railway supporting the housing development.

What happened with this as it all went quiet afterwards ?

Last time I went, last year they were working on the GWR coach that is nearly complete outside and appeared to have nowhere undercover allocated to them to work on any.

 

About 5-6 years ago the WSR bought part of the land (the PLC I think from memory) known as Station Farm between the Station and the new houses, developers bought the other part and have built houses on it. The PLC then fronted by Steve Williams (familiar name?) launched a £20 million project to install multi-storey car parks, high level walk ways, shed, etc. etc. on the site. Its been discussed here before and I wrote a paper on it with help of many others on the WSR in the consultation process with all of the reasons why it wouldn't work and was never going to happen without limitless funds and gave an alternative, as usual I never had any reply.

Nothing ever happened and the site remains untouched other than some temporary buildings the WSRA have put up. Later the PLC also bought the old Station House which sits between the Station Farm site and the Station thus putting the whole area into the potential.

The Peterborough shed wouldn't fit on this site for reasons I could go into but would be another long post the simplest is its too wide and too short. The site is a fantastic opportunity for properly thought through goods yard/goods restoration/goods museum, running carriage shed (long and thin), visitor centre, cafe, meeting roooms, show land, overflow car park etc.

Or of course seeing that there are new built houses right next door it could just be sold off for housing !!!!!!!

 

This was either in 2006/2007/2008. The developer went bust on the recession, Robin posted on here in more detail. At one Gala Robin walked through the train and did a presentation to those on board and asked people to write or email to the council in support of the planning application. I remember sending a email.

 

It was clearly started before my time as well from what you say. I've just checked, the PLC bought the land in 2012 (according to the consultation document from the PLC) and the Southern Gateway Project was proposed in early 2017 and at the same time the other half of the site had houses being built on it (now complete) so a new developer must have popped up.

By the sounds of it your letter writing had the right impact and lead to the PLC being able to buy the land in between an old developer and a new developer who was on site most likely from 2015 onward. No-doubt Robin will come along and fill in the gaps shortly.

 

Just for those interested who don't know the site here is a map. The blue square has had the houses built on it (most of it anyway) the Green lined area is the land the PLC bought.

 

In any normal world this thread would be filled with exciting suggestions about what exactly could go on that land.