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West Somerset Railway General Discussion

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

  1. Greenway

    Greenway Part of the furniture

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    All of which says that it is not just B&B, ice cream and coffee vendors who should have been benefiting from the line.
     
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  2. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Before people get too excited at the prospect of having e.g. apprentices carrying out the work on the carriages, isn't the point that apprentices are primarily being trained? So if you have an existing workshop with skilled craftsmen able to progress the work, then having apprentices is both a source of more resource and an investment in future skills of use to the business. But if you don't have the workshop to start with, you can't just take on apprentices into a vacuum and somehow imagine that in a few years time there will be a stream of restored carriages rolling off the production line. Who will supervise them and manage the work - and indeed, how is it fair on them apprentice who is there primarily to be trained within a primarily working environment?

    I can think of several lines where apprentices are employed and carrying out a very high standard of work. But it is within the context of already having well-established workshops; not as a means to get a slow project moving. Some of the comments here seem to be making a logical leap from "we need more people working on these carriages" and ending up at "the charities could sponsor an apprentice". You can't really do that if you don't already have a well-established workshop and project structure for those carriages.

    Tom
     
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  3. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Indeed, often apprentices are seen as a "get out of jail free" card to make WIBN projects sound more feasible. However, the way @Andy Norman outlined it made it sound to me more like the way the H&B group I mentioned earlier are going about it, in effect, rather than the WSR taking on apprentices, the WSR would simply provide work for them to do, guided by their own tutor/lecturers, with guidance about how coaches go together (for example) from the railway but not actually requiring any WSR workshop staff to supervise these apprentices.
     
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2020
  4. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    This begs the question: "OK, For some reason it was not a project that found favour any more. These things happen. So what replaced it of at least equivalent value in terms of contributing to the good of the railway?"

    If the answer to that is "Well actually, nothing" then you immediately have an answer as to why the WSR is in such a mess. And add to that someone who from reading this thread, given that I don't know him, seems to be an asset to the Railway rather than a liability yet is only "just very, very sad" and you have a disillusioned supporter.

    Meanwhile only 50 miles away at Cranmore, there is a large Prairie to work on, a museum to work in and 5542 arriving for the winter period. People will go to where they are welcome.
     
  5. RailWest

    RailWest Part of the furniture

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    At least newspaper can be recycled :)
     
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  6. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    It’s somewhat ironic that two of the three listed are ex WSR.
     
  7. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Ross whilst I’d say there’s some truth about there being so many blue collar workers within the SVR’s catchment area, but why are people like say Geoff Hudson (former area fleet manager at Laira), Phil Swallow (IT background), LSL (How many loco’s steam and diesel have gone to run in between Kiddy and Bridgo?) prepared to give up time, money and expertise and support the SVR?
    Would it be that the SVR has a good track record in things like professionalism, fundraising, communication and maybe not airing dirty linen in public?
    I appreciate that I’m biased towards the SVR because I’ve spent so much time there as either a customer or volunteer but why is it that when this railway says it’s going to do something it’s never a question of if, but when?
    Or is it a case of success breeds success and people want to be associated with it?
     
  8. Greenway

    Greenway Part of the furniture

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  9. 32110

    32110 Member

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    Are we certain that trains will be involved in the "Christmas is coming to the West Somerset Railway" http://www.wsr.org.uk/news.htm#2175 ? It doesn't actually say that they will.
     
  10. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    On Facebook a WSR official has said trains will run between Bishop's Lydeard and Williton.
     
  11. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    Well one of the current directors who will become the GM said they would be Bishops Lydeard to Williton so I would guess so.
     
  12. 32110

    32110 Member

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    OK. I don't do the Facebook page.
     
  13. Greenway

    Greenway Part of the furniture

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    I see what you mean. Maybe another event like the recent ones - a kind of open day with Father Christmas.
    Now who has the physique for being Santa I wonder. :DI don't subscribe to F/Book s have not read about the BL to WL bit. Given some snow the trains could be hauled by reindeer?
     
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  14. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    When I was saying in an earlier post yesterday about running trains again I had seen the comment, hence my question of why take the gamble now rather than before when Covid 19 wasn’t on the rise as a service over the same length would of been possible, also meaning the start up costs would of already been met lowering the risk of a Christmas operation.
     
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  15. Alan Kebby

    Alan Kebby Well-Known Member

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    It looks like the ESR will have the pleasure of JJP visiting them for a ride behind 5542, judging by the comment from him on the 5542 group Facebook page.

    I’ve often wondered what the story was behind 5542 not being based at the WSR, despite the 5542 group being set up by WSR supporters. No doubt that is another can of worms though.
     
  16. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    I expect the official line is/was that the WSR need bigger engines. They're not the only WSR loco group no longer at the WSR either though...
     
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  17. Triumph 2500S

    Triumph 2500S Well-Known Member

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    I thought the task of Restoration was manifest on their acquisition.

    Acquiring them is one thing Restoring them is something quite different and precious little thought seems to have been given to the latter

    As I have said many times I hope I live long enough to be able to travel behind 6705 at the very least!
     
  18. jma1009

    jma1009 Well-Known Member

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    The WSSRT ought really to be pleased it has had new members applying and also new trustees up for election rather than 'buggin's turn'.

    We have seen in the last few days how the WSSRT old board has pretty much failed in so many respects and has become a cosy little club, and a poodle of the WSR plc board.

    The fiction of remaining 'independent' has been exposed for what it is.

    Compare with the IOWSR with a fully equipped C&W workshop under cover and with all facilities - same as the Bluebell.

    In contrast the WSSRT hands over a cheque to the WSR plc board for £35,000 in January then gets lottery funding for new covers for it's GWR carriage wrecks and lottery funding to re-vamp it's museum at BL.

    I still find the pics of Chris Austin with Lady Gass somewhat cringeworthy
     
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  19. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

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    I was at Cranmore on Sunday, 4110 was dismantled, frames cleaned and painted, work clearly proceeding with an all volunteer team.
     
  20. ross

    ross Well-Known Member

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    I do not know anything of these people. Are they retired? It doesn't matter. What I was implying was that the Birmingham area has enough capable indians (METAPHORICALLY!!!)to work for a few chiefs. I also do not know if there are so many people at the SVR now who are in engineering. It believe it was the case at the start.
    The comparison with the ESR : Both ESR and WSR are in similar demographic areas. I think WSR has more retired money. North East Somerset is not famed for engineering, these days, so quite how the ESR has gone from being David Shepherd's garden railway in 1979, offering little more than a brake van ride to nowhere, to the industrious railway restoration contact business that it is today, I cannot say. Where did they get their people, vision, leadership?
     
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2020
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