Southwold Railway

Only 6 comments so far, of which 3 objections.
If you would like the Southwold Railway to succeed, I would encourage people to register their support

 

a local railway for local people...there's nothing for you here...

 

"The League of Gentlemen was a hard-hitting documentary series..."(Wiki)

 

Caught between objections from the yokels and the second home owners

 

Planning officers are usually more than capable of recognising an idiot when they see one.

 

Agreed! Forum readers may be wondering what's happening at Blythburgh station: we still await the decision of the local authority on our planning application for the extension and the station enhancements (submitted in December 2024). The Parish Council are still attempting to register the trackbed as a footpath, which would create many problems. Proximity of the proposed railway to the Priory ruins is a factor, too. (It's not that close!). It moves on very slowly.

We are ready to hit the ground running, if all goes well, with the rails and sleepers ready (not quite enough of either, but enough to make a very good start), the signal also ready, and the Odams' Goods Shed planned out. Two more replica wagons (MOY Cleminson and covered van) will soon be done, too - these will add to the station ambience. The coach is close to completion (not a replica of a full SR one, but acceptable to be getting on with). Regular meetings now take place between the Chairmen of the Southwold Railway Trust and the Halesworth to Southwold Narrow Gauge Railway CIO.
James

 

Pleased to report that the recent Spring Open Day at the station went very well indeed. Takings and visitor numbers were considerably up on the same event in 2024. (When I say takings, most of that is donations, as we don't charge for entry, or for refreshments).
The shunting demonstrations using the relaid tramway-style sidings were particularly popular, with gaggles of photographers recording every move.
Even the passenger coach (which we cannot yet use as a travelling asset for the public) seemed to be an attraction - families just wanted to sit in it for the view, and to experience how it would feel to be running along the line.
Our visitors were - mostly - quite indignant about the continuing efforts of the Parish Council to prevent the restoration of the railway.
The next such event is on Sunday July 20th, and it will again be totally free. Who knows - perhaps we will have some good news by then....and even if not, we fight on, of course..... "To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."
James

 

We heard today that East Suffolk Council have finally (9 months after our application, in what should have been an 8-week process) rejected our request to be allowed to extend the railway westwards from Blythburgh Station. This is because the Parish Council have applied for a Public Right of Way (PROW) along the trackbed - despite the fact that we have provided - and would have continued to provide - a public footpath alongside the track. Although the County Council (whose decision it is on the footpath) have not actually made such a decision (and are unlikely to do that for many more months) - they say that because the application has been made by the PC, then said path has to be treated as if it was a PROW. And we cannot object to it until it is made! Even then, and even if we could get a diversion, it could take the County Council 8 years to make a decision on that..... The whole thing seems to be in la la land.
All this because of a tiny anti-railway group in the village.
We have to think now about where to go. We have options.
Meanwhile, if anyone on this forum would like to show their support, please attend our Sunday September 14th Open Day and Model Railway Show at the station (off A12 in the village, opposite the White Hart) - it is free to enter: light refreshments are also free. 10.30 'til 15.45. Freight trains and shunting demos by our 90-year-old solar-charged loco. Parking near the church - or there's a community bus laid on from Halesworth Middle Car Park at 11.00 and 13.00. If you can't come, and can afford £10.00 to make a point, please join us on www.halesworthtosouthwoldrailway.co.uk - the more members, the more influence we will have.
James

 

Well, I shall be joining - at £10/year, it's a no-brainer. Unfortunately I'm committed to an event on the 14th so can't come.

That's really depressing news

 

what a shame, sorry for you all, being anti railway but pro footpath seems a bit dissonant, especially that it’s clear you lot would’ve built the path as you extended, but they’d rather the taxpayer footed the bill, unjust.

 

"But a passing train might have scared the dog"...

 

What a set back! However I'm sure you will carry on working within the local community and gradually win round the doubters. You have achieved so much already and are an asset in many different aspects.

 

Oh, that’s rotten-sorry to read this. I hope that things improve and that the extension can (eventually) happen. Already a member (even though in the Midlands).

 

The council need to look at what the South Tynedale Railway & the South Tyne Trail do in terms of "sharing" but separated, along the old standard gauge alignment / trackbed.

In Other Words : the decision is absolute *****hit [IMHO]

And the local dogs / little children / old fogies manage quite well to walk along the path without being scared by the trains ...

 

And similarly between Caernarfon and Dinas.

 

Thanks to everyone who has expressed support for us on this forum. Much appreciated.

With regard to the examples of the BVR and the WHR - both of these were originally substantial standard-gauge trackbeds, and thus relatively easily adaptable - the SR was narrow gauge, and the entire trackbed between cutting sides (where some very substantial trees have grown up, and are not allowed to be removed) is now, in places, only just over 4m wide. We need 3.5m for the line, and a footpath would need to be 2m (both can be shaved a bit, but not a lot). We have already provided a "bypass" for the footpath, but the local authorities are unwilling to accept it. We also suggested that it could be a tramway with access fenced off temporarily while we were actually running (only 12 days a year are allowed currently) and the track just metalled-in so it could be walked over. Also not accepted. We were willing to insert temporary fencing each operating day, and then take it away again (a biggish job). Not accepted.

The basic problem is that perennial of heritage railways - the small but very vocal group of NIMBYs, who will stop at nothing to prevent the railway from being restored. This footpath application is part of a long line of objections (noise, disturbance, vibration, traffic, destroying landscape, destroying archaeology, damaging scheduled monuments, and so on and so on) - each of which we have dealt with (often at considerable expense) only to be immediately faced with another objection. In other words, it's a means to an end for them....

We will not give up, though! James

 

Just a brief reminder - our autumn Open Day at Blythburgh Station is on Sunday September 14th, between 1030 and 15.45. Model Railway show in the (adjacent) Village Hall. Demo trains (solar charged) - sorry no passenger rides yet - guided tours, shunting demo, displays, films, light refreshments, large landscaped live steam model railway.... We are just off A12 at the north edge of the village - parking by the church, or take the community bus from Halesworth at 1100 and 13.00 (middle car park, Saxon's Way). Join our charity - at the event - for less than 3p per day - and show your support for the restoration of the railway. Entire event is free - refreshments also free! James

 

James, as you are aware, North Devon has the same problem, and I was wondering if you have a trusted person in your community who can act as a go-between to broker a long-term deal, something else to try would be to hire a bus and take these NImbys to a fully functional railway that has had similar problems in the past so everyone can see how they got over the issue, in the past I have found these people are talking from a point of view which is unsustainable and with a lack of either a business and or technical background, once you have got them past the old boys playing trains at weekend vision, Some will start to take you seriously.

 

Just think about what you are suggesting for a moment; it's pure fantasy. If people don't want a railway near their house, no amount of treating them to a day out on a railway is going to change that.

To put this another way; 100 years ago there was a cinema across the road from my house. I'm unsure when it closed, but the building was demolished and replaced with a block of flats long before I moved here. Suppose that some film enthusiasts turned up and proposed to rebuild the old cinema? I would oppose it; I would much rather the old historic building was still there than the modern flats, but I don't want the parking issues and crowds of people which would come with a cinema, and the old building has long gone, so what's the point? Now if these cinema enthusiasts said "would you like a free trip to another cinema" then of course I would say yes, and I'd enjoy it. But I still wouldn't want them building a cinema across the road from my house.

Planning, though, is based on what is best for the majority and one person's opposing view shouldn't be able to block anything that is for the greater good. But for any project it's not always that easy to see where the greater good lies. A heritage railway is a nice leisure activity but so is walking a dog or riding a bike... if your railway means the loss of those options then someone needs to weigh these things up. The consensus can change over time and what wasn't possible may be possible in future, but trying to force people to change against their will and in a shorter timescale isn't going to work; if anything it will harden their resolve.

At least the L&B has the local plan on its side; if the trustees of that railway would only work within the parameters they'd been set they would find things a lot easier. I don't know the situation in Southwold, but it sounds like winning over the local councillors is the key to getting anywhere, rather than worrying about the odd, inevitable, NIMBY.

 

@pmh_74 - I think part of the Southwold problem is that these NIMBYs are both very vocal and have rather more influence than their number would suggest in the usual run of things.

E2A - a similar NIMBY problem happens even around well-established railways and examples can be dated back 200 years ...