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West Somerset Railway General Discussion

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

  1. Windsor branch line

    Windsor branch line New Member

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  2. Windsor branch line

    Windsor branch line New Member

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    Thank you very much for the reply
     
  3. Wriggley

    Wriggley New Member

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    Thank you for the steer on the figures and suffice to say, couldn't agree more with your analysis.
     
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  4. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    From previous talk of 53808 on here, it's clear that it's more than just another loco. It is totemic to the WSR. I understand it was the first "proper" loco restored to steam on the line and made the WSR feel like a "proper railway" when before all it really had was industrials. It seems it will remain totemic, for as the WSR falls behind and struggles to maintain in any meaningful way a sense of being a premier line, so goes the engine that cemented that status in the first place. I really feel for the volunteers, especially the long term ones like @Robin Moira White , I feel so gutted on your behalf at what's happening to your railway, I can't imagine how I'd feel if it were mine.
    What feels most desperately sad about it all is that, unlike last time, there is no clear way forward. The only way I can see the current board either resigning or reversing these terrible decisions is when it is too late, and the damage done is not just apparent, but irreversible. Suddenly they'll find that so-called "keyboard warriors" are actually a lot more than that, they were the lifeblood of the railway, now walking away.
    Feeling a bit morose about the future of the WSR tonight, but good luck nonetheless, I hope it will be around for many years to come, and I wish there was something I could do to help.
     
  5. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    I would say the dice are now cast, and its now a time to await the outcome. I for one can not see the PLC reversing any decisions, and only time will tell. I'm gutted for the volunteers like Robin, who have given their time, labour, and money to what was once their line. It's clearly been taken from them by this board of yes men, with a chair, whose motives are to most of us, unclear. If it's about removing a non GWR presence, that is just childish, and very damaging. It shouldn't matter what region a loco worked on, they all should be valued,

    But what now of the future? Railways rely on good will, from everyone, No person, should be above any railway's membership. You are put there as a matter of trust, not to pursue personal agendas. Those making these decisions need to realise that it's not their own personal plaything; it's other peoples' lifetime goals. It's other peoples' dreams they are destroying. Some people will say " its only a LOCOMOTIVE" but it's more about what has led to this. OK, the WSR's loss will be the MHR's gain, and I know my former friends will be very welcoming.

    We had our own struggles, but unlike what's happening now with the WSR board, we came out the other side. Our problem was with a loco owner having too much power, over the motive power of the line, but we came through it, Everyone's now moved on, and whilst relationships have not healed completely, they did enough for the MHR to buy the Std 5 off him, and we have a very good reputation with our care of loaned engines.
     
  6. SebWelsh

    SebWelsh New Member

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    I think you will find that the overhaul of 3850 is coming along well.
     
  7. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    All of that may be true. However, as this saga unfolds further you see a cash strapped railway that has somehow managed to get into a situation where it cannot operate. On the line is a locomotive that is not owned by the railway and cannot operate, because the railway is closed. Having removed the opportunity for the loco to earn money the PLC has now allowed it to do so elsewhere.

    At one level that strikes me as fair on the owners. Obviously that's only part of the story but it does allow the S&DRT a little bit of space, not that it helps the WSR very much. Mind you, with no trains for a while, they don't have an immediate need for locomotives.
     
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  8. Forestpines

    Forestpines Well-Known Member

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    Although it would make a "living museum day" a bit less attractive with no locos to show
     
  9. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Indeed but there is always 9351......
     
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  10. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    So why isn't the Railway hiring out the mogul, or Manor if its just about no work for the engines?
    its much deeper than that,
    It's years of wrong decisions made by many people, all of whom will say " we were trying to do whats best for the railway"
    The structure is wrong, the relationships is wrong, and to be frank, people who are maybe not best suited to positions of responsibility being given responsibility, not just in the plc, but in the other organisations also.
     
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  11. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    The 7F isn't owned by the WSR, is it? So if you are responsible in some way for not allowing a locomotive to earn its keep and it's not your locomotive then it could be argued that the right thing to do is to allow it to go where it can.

    That seems to be what is happening. Taken in isolation, that seems fair and was all I was saying.
     
  12. summerof67

    summerof67 New Member

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    I do agree with sentiments posted here. The effect on volunteers at the WSR with all this is just awful and they don't deserve all this. The SDRT are very good guys and have had too many shocks delivered on them in recent months by the WSR management. They own the 7F and have to take decisions to protect their asset when the WSR cannot guarantee its overhaul from the many years they have used it, indeed 145 days just last year!
     
  13. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    the point I was making , was that, if it's just about no work for the engines, then yes, its right to allow it to go on loan, but why then, in that case are the PLC not hiring out one of theres to raise much needed revenue at a time when it's needed , I suspect that its not just in isolation, but part of the plan to purify the WSR into a pure GWR branch line .
     
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  14. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    Well the WSR have said that they may not have the money for the overhaul, apparently it was made clear at the S&DJRT AGM yesterday that the deal has been paused and the WSR still legally remain liable for the full cost of overhaul. This may of been a an influencing factor as an attempt to reduce the liability, something that railway doesn’t have with its own Locos.

    While it would be sensible to put some money aside for the PLC owned loco overhauls but there’s no legal obligation whereas in the case of the 7f its really a ticking time bomb.
     
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  15. Paulthehitch

    Paulthehitch Well-Known Member

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    I don't think "branch line" is quite what they have in mind:mad:
     
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  16. MattA

    MattA Member

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    Double track main line? Now there's ambition...!
     
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  17. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Martin,
    Can you name one railway that is in need of a hire loco at the moment? Most railways are operating on a reduced timetable and several are not operating at all. 53808 may have gone to the MHR but I doubt that it was because of a need by the MHR, probably more of an offer by the locos owner and an acceptance by the railway (although that is a pure guess by me). It may get some use there but I doubt that it will be in preference to its own locos. Why pay for a hire loco when you can use your own at no immediate cost?
     
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  18. 242A1

    242A1 Well-Known Member

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    I am seeing a lot of "trackless trains" advertising at the moment and I cannot help but question why.
     
  19. MattA

    MattA Member

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    I'd have to dig way too deep into NatPres to find it, but someone on this forum said yesterday that, when 92212 was withdrawn, it left a hole in the MHR's locomotive strategy - with 53808 now fills.
     
  20. Paulthehitch

    Paulthehitch Well-Known Member

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    :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
     

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