SVR General Discussion

46115 is in use both Saturday and Sunday on the s1 turn (1015 ex KR, 1230 ex BH, 1415 ex KR, 1615 ex BH).
Load 8 both days, on sunday that includes 2 dining vehicles.

 

Evening Steam Special on Saturday 17th October. Fundraising for next part of Bridgnorth yard relay.
£15 for the public.

 

There is a lengthy article from Paul Fathers about the Bridgnorth turntable in the latest SVR News. Selectively quoting, the Bridgnorth Turntable Committee "...have regrettably concluded that unless a miracle happens the project has failed. ... We wholeheartedly apologise for the failure of the project, especially to those who have donated or bought shares in anticipation."

Disappointing, but not entirely surprising.

 

Let's face it, a turntable was a 'nice to have' item, and not essential to the railway's operations.

 

Does the article explain how a project that seemed promising enough to be funded has failed?

 

No holes of a suitable size have been available for transport to Bridgnorth?

 

What about those supporters who donated money specifically for the turntable? Will they get their money back? This has always been my bugbear with these sorts of campaigns. If I donate to a specific project I want to know my money goes on that specific project - if it doesn't I want my money back.

 

If you bought shares, then you bought them and have no rights to a refund.

If you donated to this appeal, I would check the appeal information that you responded to. If it doesn't have an explicit statement about what happens to funds that aren't used for the appeal purposes, then you are entitled to the money back. However, where that statement exists (often in the small print), the organisers are entitled to follow what is written there. For example, when my church ran an appeal for work on the spire a while ago, we stated on all our communications that any surplus, or funds raised if we were unable to do the work, would go to the Fabric Fund.

There is also no harm in a polite but firm letter either seeking a refund or advising of a specific purpose you wish your donation put to if you do not want that change of use to happen - but it needs to recognise that if the appeal was explicit about what would happen, any action would be entirely at the discretion of the appeal organisers.

 

To my knowledge there has not been a specific turntable appeal in recent years. Most recently it was included within a later phase of the overall Bridgnorth improvement plan, the first phase was completed a couple of years ago, the next phase the SVR have indicated will commence winter 2027 and will include the final lot of yard track work renewal and extension of platform 2.
The turntable im afraid is a nice to have, rather than essential measures like ensuring your locos stay on the track and passengers have a platform outside their door. Budget realities dictate priorities and I think most supporters realise this and are happy that their financial support is being well spent.

 

The 2016 share issue raised £2.5m towards four objectives, the refreshment room, the car park / access road, refurbishing the station building and the turntable. The first two were completed, but the overspend on the refreshment room meant no money was available for the last two without further fund raising (per Nick Paul at the 2019 AGM). A bequest was left to the Charitable Trust for either the turntable or GRW locomotives, but that was allocated to 4930's overhaul. Anything specifically donated towards the turntable is still held by the Charitable Trust (the restricted Bridgnorth Turntable Fund in the December 2025 Charitable Trust accounts was £32,788).

Since then, other Bridgnorth projects have had separate appeals (mainly the shed roof and yard relay)