S&D Railway Trust

Whiston is indeed an Austerity, based at Foxfield
Thanks for that, I didn't know that's how Pecketts exhausted the steam brake

 

This is good information from everybody thank you

 

An update on the Trust website says 53808’s boiler has been de-tubed for a condition survey, and design work is proceeding for the new tender tank. It also says they “hope to announce very soon that we have come to an agreement with the West Somerset Railway to fulfil their financial commitment with the overhaul.”

https://www.sdrt.org/progress-with-53808-and-its-overhaul/

 

The mess that the S&DRT found themselves in was entirely of the WSR's making, and general opinion is that the Trust have made the best of a very bad job. What do you think they could have done any better?

 

My view is this, yes, the Trust has tried to make the best they can, of a very bad situation, but they have now, moved on, the payments are the very last tie they have to the organisation that treated them so abysmally, 53808 has a home where it can be overhauled, and a railway that wants them there, unlike some on the WSR, but its all water under the bridge, the future now is what counts, The Trust would be IMHO, not wise to accept the WSR Plc.'s word on anything, but to prepare and act with the half expectation of at some point the structured payments not being forthcoming, this will mean having an appeal to the membership, and beyond to in effect match what those payments were to be, just to ensure that they don't get let down, or the overhaul stalls, As I understand it, the boiler is thought to not require extensive work,, but the motion and chassis is very tired, and will need a lot of attention,

 

I presume @brennan refers to the deficiencies in the lease that allowed arguments to develop about it's validity. They are highly technical, their interpretation is contentious, and were only relevant if the WSR plc had chosen to set aside the spirit of previous partnership.

The Trust have made a good fist of a bad situation; my fervent hope is that the commitments to pay the balance are honoured and all parties can move on without further conflict.