Southwold Railway

Oh, dear: I can see a reason for a day's wages not to reach my bank account here....

 

TBH, personally I'd be looking less at the amount of metal a group has cut, and more at their organisational structure and, above all, their fundraising strategy.

The recent new-builds survey in SR was, I think, a real eye-opener. For those who didn't see it, the main conclusion was that most current new-build projects - at least on the standard gauge - are not raising money at anything like the rate they need to if they are to have a hope of completing their locos within a realisitc timescale. I think there's a real danger that a lot of people are going to end up throwing a lot of money into projects which will never reach the finish line.

It seems pretty clear that the reason the A1 Trust has been so much more successful than any of their competitors is that they have by far the most professional approach to fundraising, marketing and branding. Good engineers are relatively easy to find within the heritage railway movement; really experienced PR/marketing professionals are, I suggest, less common. Personally, I don't usually donate to new-build projects - I'd rather give what little money I can spare to looking after the many wonderful things we already have. But if anybody wants to give their money to a new-build scheme, then personally I'd be checking out the group's organisational structure, the quality of their website/social media/marketing materials, their fundraising strategies etc. Those are the things which, ultimately, will determine whether or not the bits of metal they have cut ultimately evolve into a locomotive.

Having said all that... clearly, when a project is as well-advanced as the Blyth project is, you can only conclude that they must have done something right! They have got the "core" components of the engine in place - frames, boiler, cylinders, wheelsets. So I think it is fair to say that it is now a question of "when", not "if". Admittedly, the costs of NG new builds are much lower than most SG projects, so the task of fundraising is comparatively easier - hence, NG new-builds have tended to have a better success rate than SG ones. As I say, I can't afford to donate but I do wish the project well; it will certainly be a lovely engine and will fill a meaningful gap in NG preservation.

As for taking it to the Isle of Man - well, clearly there's a number of people who want to see it happen; if they can be persauded to put their hands in their pockets to make it happen, then surely anything is possible?

 

No offense, but I absolutely hate this post because it is completely and utterly true. Vision, Passion, hard work, integrity? Nope. What we really need is someone who is whizz on facebook

 

Ross, you may have missed the point Muz was making- passion, hard work and integrity are still core to any project, but without excellent marketing/ fundraising skills as part of the package, those former attributes will be fighting an uphill struggle, just as having a great set of marketing skills on board, but poor engineering teamwork, would also be doomed to fail.
Both sets of qualities must co-exist for success.

 

It is great to see such progress being made on this project, as well as indeed the whole endeavor to see the railway reopened. It's something I've been keeping an eye on.

One thing that I am curious about though, is this new Blyth as capable as the old one? I only ask as I once read somewhere from another group that was also building a new build based off of one of the Southwold Railway engines, and I got the impression they seemed to think the new Blyth being created would not be up to running proper trains on the (hopefully) reopened railway, whereas there's would. No.2 Halesworth, I believe it is their intent to build.

Of course their progress seems to have not gone very far compared to Blyth's, but still I do wonder if this suggestion I heard has any actual merit.

 

That's the group based at the other end of the line...

https://halesworthtosouthwoldrailwa...ocomotive-no-2-halesworth-donations-welcomed/

There is a news item on their website showing the new name and numberplates cast.....

 

I guess we won’t know until Blyth is in operation.

And once it is there is always scope for mechanical improvements if needed.

Not sure what relations are like between the Halesworth and Southwold groups.

 

Also as the work on Blyth is being undertaken by a very reputable engineering business I, personally, wouldn’t pay much heed to the doubters.

 

If there is going to be speculation claiming to be discussion about the relative merits of a hypothetical new build engine and one that is yet to be completed then this thread will quickly emulate the actions of the mythical oozlum bird.

 

Which hypothetical engine will be in which hypothetical colour?

 

I must've been dozing, as I've only now become aware there are two distinct groups. Is this anything akin to the K&ESR/Rother Valley type of setup (which is a sensible functional arrangement) ? I ask as uncomfortable memories abound of previous fractious factions masquerading as entities, which did the exact opposite of achieving objectives, in a couple of places 'well west of Suffolk', where 'disfunctional' tended to be the appropriate adjective.

 

I believe the Halesworth group split away from the main Southwold group a few years ago.

The Halesworth group believe that end of the SR has more potential.

I think there is a lot more local support in Halesworth, whilst in Southwold there has been more progress at this point.

 

Sadly I think you are right and the two groups are the result of a falling out. Which is another reason for ignoring comments about one group's new build engine and how ours will be better. As and when we get it built.

 

I got the impression it was not a "falling out" - more of a "we can make more progress ourselves" split, particularly when there was very little progress to show by the original group at that time.
However, things have since changed quite dramatically with the original group since a site was obtained at the Southwold end, but, equally, the Halesworth end group have achieved a lot which wouldn't have happened if they hadn't formed , such as the Birds Folly developments in Halesworth and the more recent works on the shed at Blythburgh.

 

I sincerely hope enough have a foot in those two camps to facilitate both dialogue and focus on common goals. The falling out on the Welsh border dissipated a ridiculous amount of effort, in terms of time, funding and plain goodwill which, let's just say, could've been better directed. The Southwold has plenty to overcome as it is, without some in their shared tent aiming inwards. Let's hope those lessons from elsewhere have been both noted and learned.

 

I shall follow the wise course for those outside the tent, wish the participants well and stfu.

 

Southwold seems to have a lot of local objectors - does that include the "Notting Hill-on-Sea" brigade?

Either way, anything that brings back some life to this sadly-lost little railway is to be praised; my own personal preference for a return will never happen - to wit, Wisbech - Upwell.

 

Sage, sir and a course I'll also follow. Still, can't wait for the inevitable discussions on the finer points of the Cleminson system!

In my books, The East Suffolk Flat Earth Society.

 

Most of the Southwold objectors are only at their second homes at weekends anyway.