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Bredgar & Wormshill Railway

Discussion in 'Narrow Gauge Railways' started by Spamcan81, Aug 20, 2021.

  1. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Just seen this on Facebook. Railway needs £250,000 to survive.
    https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfun...7zR0LUqU4l2LMQWvILtbk5a2UIHxplALWsntvUsMsnl9E
     
  2. richards

    richards Part of the furniture

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    Unfortunately the crowdfunder page doesn't say much about what the money will be used for. It just says its to get the railway through the winter leaner times.

    Will it have to do this every year?

    Does it have a longer-term business plan to stay open, if its existing open days don't make enough money?
     
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2021
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  3. mdewell

    mdewell Well-Known Member Friend

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    Since there is no mention of this on the BWLR website (at https://bwlr.co.uk/) I am wondering if this is an officially supported appeal by BWLR or just one of their supporters being (overly?) keen to help keep it going.
    It's good to see that "The process of becoming a registered charity has been started" so that should help safeguard the railway for the future, but it is not clear what the just giving money would be used for and exactly why it is necessary now.
     
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  4. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

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    250K seems like a lot just to get through the winter, I would be surprised if the line's income exceeds that in a typical year. I would second the suggestion that an explanation of where the money will be spent would be helpful to the cause.
     
  5. richards

    richards Part of the furniture

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    I'm on the B&WR mailing list, and have just received an email from them which includes a link to the crowdfunder. So it appears to be an official campaign. However, the email doesn't give any more information on what the money is needed for.
     
  6. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    This may sound terrible and it isn't intended to be so and is a thought based on the text in the appeal and elsewhere

    The railways founder sadly passed and I think has a number of potential people to inherit their estate

    presumably there are some who would like their share in something cash related rather than continuing the museum . I presume in part the idea will be to settle the estate without selling assets
     
  7. Herald

    Herald Member

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    One could hope it isn't but might inheritance tax also figure in this?
     
  8. mdewell

    mdewell Well-Known Member Friend

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    Your assumption seems to be after the fact.
    The Just Giving page says "Bill sadly passed away in early 2020 and his son, also Bill Best managed to acquire the site and railway from his four brothers. In order to prevent the whole place being sold and physically dismantled, a number of valuable items from the collection had to be sold, although the bulk of the collection remains intact. "
    So, the railway is now in the ownership of 1 person and has already had some assets sold off to cover costs. Obviously they will be keen to avoid having to sell off any further items from the collection.
     
  9. 60044

    60044 Member

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    I've a feeling that one locomotive has already been sold (to the nearby Richmond Light Railway - Schwartzkopf 0-4-0T "Bronhilde"). Let's hope that the RLR doesn't follow down the same path any time soon.
     
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  10. Fireline

    Fireline Well-Known Member

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    Having been there 10 or so days ago, the Richmond Light Railway appears to be going great guns. As it only has one open day a year, for charity, it's safe to assume that profit is not it's reason for existing.
     
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  11. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

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    I think you could have said the same about the B & W but that still didn't stop it coming under threat when its creator passed away. Their descendants may not have quite the same passion.
     
  12. ykin01

    ykin01 Member

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    I believe a few of the Diesels got sold too - on my last visit there I was told the Large Hudswell Clarke Diesel was going to go to the VOR (not sure if it did/has) and one of the Andrew Barclay Ex-MOD diesels had gone to Leighton Buzzard, I have a feeling one went to Richmond too.
     
  13. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Shades of Cadeby?
     
  14. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

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    On a smaller scale, who remembers the Abbey Light Railway or Ashorne Hall or Higham Hall railways, for example. It's an unfortunate fact that private railways do have a habit of closing after the deaths of their founders/owners.
     
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  15. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Indeed. Given the current Lord Gretton, at Stapleford Park, doesn't share one certain aspect of his late father's obsessions, we're fortunate indeed he's been as sympathetic as he has to the presence of the very fine 101/4" gauge miniature railway on his property.

    Gratuitous url (to a recently revamped SMR website) herewith:
    https://fsmr.co.uk/
     
  16. meeee

    meeee Member

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    Yes the Hudswell Clarke is at the Rheidol now.

    Tim
     
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  17. BiggerBob

    BiggerBob New Member

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  18. meeee

    meeee Member

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    Looks like a bog standard South African waggon bogie to me, but with white wall tyres.

    Tim
     
  19. BiggerBob

    BiggerBob New Member

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    Thank you.
     
  20. The Green Howards

    The Green Howards Nat Pres stalwart

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    I'll ask him, but that don't half look like a mate of mine on that last verandah...
     

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