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West Somerset Railway General Discussion

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

  1. DragonHandler

    DragonHandler Well-Known Member

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    In addition to Jamessquared's comment I would also add that from recent experience people are more likely to give to support a specific project rather than just donating to "the railway". Past fund raising appeals such as the tarpaulins for the military train, completion of the brake van, castings for station signs, 9351 & repairing the vandalised coach seem to have had no problem in meeting their targets. Everyone won't support every appeal, but people seem to prefer donating to specific projects.

    I see that the latest appeal, for track renewal, is already open and under way.
    https://www.justgiving.com/campaign...gAY2m5gGGDHoYjF8p-e2xzJoOwNqypCYmtppJXxbl10Tg
     
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  2. granmaree

    granmaree Member

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    Last edited: May 18, 2019
  3. oldmrheath

    oldmrheath Well-Known Member

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  4. Maunsell907

    Maunsell907 Member

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    Steven, are you deliberately being obtuse ?

    I said " There is a big challenge, ie whilst keeping the show on the road, increase fund raising activities
    and plan for 2020".

    I have no idea what the current PLC plan is. ( I am currently under 'doctors orders' although I did
    manage a MD BL return trip behind 57xx 0-6-0 pannier, 7752. With an excellent footplate crew
    it handled a six coach train, 235 tons gross well, 22.5mph maintained on the 1/74 from WT to WD.
    An EDHP approaching 600, excellent.)


    However since 2018 the PLC has reduced its salary bill significantly, ( I think >£200K )
    also I suspect that loco costs are under far better control ( I note that the NYMR has
    shown in its annual reports a significant reduction in loco costs over the last two years
    and a good growth in 'diner' margins, albeit shop net margin has fallen ): there is the
    sense that 2019 might generate sufficient funds to weather the 2019/20 winter shut.
    It is IMHO imperative that this is the short term priority.

    Meanwhile, fund raising, fund raising and more fund raising. Simultaneously monitor
    this year's operation to see where 2020s operation can be improved.

    Steven, I am aware of case studies where an organisation has been rescued at the
    brink, then sets out to create a new wonder plan and whilst concentrating on this
    neglects the existing poor business which folds. I am sure we do not wish to see
    a wonderful fund raising scheme for the WSR infrastructure which begins to bear
    fruit as the trains cease to run.

    As I have said before, there needs to be a survival plan, ie to ensure trains run
    at the start of the 2020 season. A longer term plan set to inter alia generate
    £500K pa for the infrastructure. ( this I think we all agree can only be achieved
    by fund raising, whether, share sales, donations or funding organisations. )

    Michael Rowe
     
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  5. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    A few posts have been removed from public view due to their content or the posts they quoted while the moderators have a chat.

    In the meantime can everyone stop the mud slinging please.
     
  6. 2995valliant

    2995valliant New Member

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    Re 9351's tender I'm curious. Does anyone know what this tender needs doing to it please? Presumably it was overhauled along with 7828 last time around and therefore only ran for about 5 years?

    Was the overhauled chassis recently sold intended for 9351?
     
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  7. Aberdare

    Aberdare New Member

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    A tale of 3 tenders.

    Tender number 2206.
    A Churchward 3500 gallon vehicle which arrived on the WSR along with 7828 Odney Manor in the 1990’s. The locomotive’s previous owner Ken Ryder had undertaken some overhaul work including replacement of the tank and a new welded front drag box. The tender ran with 7828 until its withdrawal for overhaul in the early 2000’s, it was then used for a few years with 9351 until 9351’s own new tender 2629 was ready for service. With the completion of 7828’s overhaul around 2010 it again returned to it’s original locomotive for service. At the end of 2016 7828 was taken out of service due to problems with firebox stay material. The tender has not been used since then and only survived that long due to continuous attention to problems with broken welds in the tank. The frames are original and due for replacement along with tyres and the tank. This is the tender that is presently in Williton shed and apparently due to be temporarily used with 9531. Any long term use will require an almost total rebuild including all new frames and all new tank, those parts replaced in the 1990's were not of the highest quality.


    Tender number 2629.
    A Collett 4000 gallon vehicle originally owned by Ken Ryder which arrived on the WSR in the late 1990’s for storage. It had been extensively stripped of all parts by then for use on other tenders and was little more than a set of frames with an almost non existent tank on 3 wheelsets with scrap tyres. Extensive rebuilding of the chassis to a very high standard and a new all riveted tank to the Collett 3000 gallon design made it suitable for running with 9351. This tender is presently in service behind 7828, but this is not an historically appropriate combination.


    Tender number 2061.
    A Churchward 3500 gallon vehicle which arrived on the WSR in 2008 along with 2874 in scrap condition. 2874 was soon sold on without the tender and work started to thoroughly overhaul the tender for eventual use with 7828. Work undertaken to date has resulted in a complete overhaul of the chassis and manufacture of a nearly complete set of all components, including replacement of the front section of frames and a replacement front drag box to the original design of riveted construction. The tender has remained in store since 2014 in this condition whilst awaiting the manufacture of the tank, the Minehead workshops concentrated on other work at that time including the manufacture of the steel girder rail bridge over the stream at Williton.


    I have no information on the future plans for 2061 but I would expect that it will be completed at the earliest opportunity given the rather tired condition of 2206 and the need for a tender to run behind 7828 in the long term, 2629 returning to 9351 as originally intended. I would expect that reports of it's sale are untrue as that would preclude the WSR from running both of it's own locomotives at the same time for many years without hiring in another tender.

    Andy.
     
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  8. jma1009

    jma1009 Well-Known Member

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    So 9351 currently has no usable tender; in effect no tender?

    And this seems to have been omitted from the costings for 9351's overhaul and the blog?

    Not great planning is it, or fundraising initiative, or forward thinking PR? Or just basic common sense.

    Oops, we forgot about the tender!

    Cheers,

    Julian
     
  9. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    My interpretation of Aberdare's post is different to yours. Short term will see 2206 behind the loco. Medium term, 2061 will see the manufacture of a tank for the overhauled chassis and this tender put to use on 7828, allowing 2629 to be released for 9351. In my book, that is a workable plan.
     
  10. aldfort

    aldfort Well-Known Member

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    There are working parties at Williton every week that you are very welcome to join. This will help to keep the cost down and push the job along.
    9351 has proved to be far more costly to put back into traffic than was first thought. Anybody looking at the blog will probably understand why. The tender now needs a modest amount of work to put it into serviceable condition.
    It is true that this £14,000 project to put 9351 into traffic will top £30,000 before it's finished (hence the renewed appeal) and we all know we must do better at project management and cost estimating.
    The choice is yours, hurl brickbats from the side-lines or pitch in and help. It really is that simple.
     
  11. Yorkshireman

    Yorkshireman Part of the furniture

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    |
    Whilst shouting will not help did the `WSRA not agree to underwrite the project cost even though contributions are welcome ?
     
  12. AnthonyTrains2017

    AnthonyTrains2017 Well-Known Member

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  13. 1472

    1472 Well-Known Member

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    Absolutely right. From my experience it is always difficult (read near impossible) to accurately forecast the exact out turn cost for the overhaul of an ex service steam locomotive (or tender) until near the end of the exercise. These are not large sums in the context of the total cost of these overhauls. Armchair comment really is unhelpful.
     
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  14. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    I am deeply sympathetic with any project. Even careful costing can run away especially if third party contractors are involved. And that is not always down to bad management either.
     
  15. aldfort

    aldfort Well-Known Member

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    Yes we did and we have and we will. However we are a fundraising charity. If we don't get money in we can't give money out. You don't really think there is a lot left out of a basic sub of £25 (or less) once we've produced 3 or 4 Journals a years and posted them out do you?
    By the way who is shouting? (THIS IS USUALLY TAKEN TO BE SHOUTING on a forum and I try not to do it ever.)
     
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  16. granmaree

    granmaree Member

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    Why is there no 'donate by text' option on any just giving page that is set up by the wsra? Is it the fact that the donor has to pay a 10% fee on top of the donation that has caused the reluctance to offer this option? Or that it takes a month for the money to be forwarded?
     
  17. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Have I understood correctly, that in future the WSRA will have the main responsibility for fundraising for the WSR? If I have misunderstood, who will have that responsibility? Anyway, what ideas are being explored for raising the half million per year?
     
  18. The WSRA can answer the "donate by text" question (I've no idea). Or maybe a NatPres member could explain more about "donate by text" and its pros/cons?

    However, for those using the webpage to donate, my understanding is that there is no 10% fee now. A donor can choose to add contribution towards JustGiving. That contribution can be as small (or large) as the donor wishes.

    Given the volume of posts on this thread, it would be very encouraging to see the same enthusiasm applied by Nat Pres posters to donating to 'Rail Renewal 2019' ;)

    Steve
     
  19. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    The main platform for doing that (JustTextGiving by Vodafone) stopped on 31 March 2019. Shame, since it was free (no commission), so every penny went to the charity, plus you could GiftAid it.

    Tom
     
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  20. aldfort

    aldfort Well-Known Member

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    Those that do not want to donate using the Just Giving Pages are more than welcome to send a cheque made payable to West Somerset Railway Association. Post this to:
    West Somerset Railway Association
    The Railway Station
    Bishops Lydeard, Taunton, Somerset TA4 3BX

    Please send a covering letter indicating which appeal you are donating to and if the donation is eligible for gift aid you'll need to include your name and address.
    Alternatively you can find out all you need to know about joining and donating here:
    https://www.wsra.org.uk/support_us/

    Thanks also to Tom for the clarification on text giving. I suspect because there is a Just Giving App that text giving is not that popular any more.
     
    Last edited: May 19, 2019

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