Trouble at GWSR?

Reports this morning that the Chairman of the plc, Malcolm Temple has resigned. This comes after some public comment recently by the railway (via both its Blog and Volunteers news emails) that there was some discontent with him, but no other information.

As a shareholder, member of the Trust and very modest supporter financially I feel completely in the dark as to what is going on. This would appear to the worst thing that could happen just as the share issue has got so much momentum.

 

I don't know too much detail myself, but from what I gleaned from emails whizzing past in the last few weeks on both "sides" it sounds like Malcolm managed to upset some people, I think something to do with Broadway fundraising, but there have been other things, such as the removal of many unrestored items from the railway in the last year. It did feel like most of the disagreements had been sorted a couple of weeks ago though.

Alan bielby is now currently chairman (temporarily I think) and Christopher Bristow as financial director (again, no idea if this placement is permanent)
Alex

 

In some quarters rumour has it that some space is being created to allow other already restored items to arrive. But what? And where from?

 

Well perhaps Owsden Hall went to make way for Dinmore Manor?

 

2874 is coming to be restored too...
I think that we want to be looking into buying some more coaches in a better state to restore as we need a whole new rake when we get to Broadway, currently we don't really have enough feasable coaches to restore to fufil that target.
Alex

 

It'll be interesting to see where they come from if that is the case. The only stuff left in any quantity is the main line sets, and some of those aren't too ho. Otherwise it would be a case of picking up odds and ends, here and there - unless one of the big lines goes bust.

 

With the rumoured scaling back of West Somerset Railway Trust's planned 2 x GWR rakes to one; does that make enough available? Albeit most, if not all, in need of restoration, so where's the benefit?

 

A few months ago we bought two coaches from riviera at Eastleigh, I think they were mainline, and had been sat in a siding for 5 years or so, but I agree, mk 1s and coaches in general are a bit thin on the ground to purchase, and I can't see any lines near us going bust anytime soon, thinking SVR and WSR
Alex

edit - your post appeared just before mine louis.pole! perhaps we might be able to get hold of one or two of them, restoration in itself might not be a problem, it's how bad they are I think.

 

Who are you nominating as candidates for a visit from the receiver?

 

I think you need a reality check on both:
a. the state of the stored WSR coaches (not the ones currently being restored)
b. the huge amount of work now generally required to bring pre nationalisation hulks back into traffic - check the GWSVRA website for some idea just how much work goes into basically sound vehicles of this type.

Patching up a few Mk1's is one thing rebuilding the older stuff needs serious input of £££s, facilities, time and manpower.

Finding more decent Mk 1s though is already hard and will get a lot harder/expensive as the realities of market prices for scarce items take hold.

 

Did I say I envisaged anyone going bust? I just said that would be the only scenario that might see a large number of coaches released. The odd Mk 1 comes up for sale on a fairly regular basis, but if the GWSR are looking for another rake it is going to take a while to accumulate one in this piecemeal fashion.

 

I thought there was going to be a point in the future when Mk1's, even with a Mk 2 "barrier" coach would be ushered off the mainline, and that might be a buying opportunity. Otherwise, Vintage Trains manage quite well with a chocolate & Cream Mk2 set dont they? Are Mk2's available in the secondhand market? I know they are difficult to repair by traditional means, but if in good condition......

Back on topic, what a pity the GWSR appears to have some "management" issues. Just getting over the embankment issues as well. There was a hint that something was amiss by a brief comment a week or two ago on the excellent "Steaming to Broadway" blog which details the superb labours of the dedicated volunteers rebuilding Broadway station.

Lets hope it can all be sorted amicably and quickly.

46118

 

reading your post, I misunderstood the post regarding the WSR's possible "spare" rake, I naturally assumed that they were mk 1s, being what we deal with at GWSR, but they are not, so probably not interested until we a get our carriage shed (in the melting pot, but a very long time away...) mk 1s being taken off the mainline is a hope, and I have no idea about mk 2s, wouldn't all the people who hark on about mk 1s being bad enough explode if we made our main running staple choc 'n' cream mk 2s? I don't know much about them, what about steam heating etc?

hopefully our management will settle down now, we have some experienced directors fulfilling the positions, plus steps being taken to ensure volunteers are happier with their directors...
Alex

 

But 7820 will be a useable item shortly, the Hall is unlikely to be so within 5 years.

As for more serviceable coaches, I reckon you'd be better off spending £££ on the various demics around Winchcombe than looking elsewhere, most available are unlikely to be in a much better state than why you already have, but come with purchase and transport costs unlike those on site.

 

Personally, I always thought that the WSR plan looked overambitious and underbudgeted so its interesting to hear rumours that it may be scaled back. There's no reason why these coaches can't be restored, but they would need a lot o money throwing at them if the WSR is to have even one train of them in , say, a 15 year timescale.

 

"Overambitious and under-budgeted" sums up that point I was driving at nicely. A project almost as madcap as SVR's original project Xanadu. Note: That, fortunately, has also been scaled back to something far more realistic.

The clear-out GWSR had will create space for what? There isn't a great deal of fully restored or nearing completion stock available. The potential source from SVR has dried up because, as stated previously, it has diverted from a course heading for self destruction. Hence my comment up-thread "But what? And where from?"

There would be little point in going for the "surplus" WSR vehicles as they need more work than what those that have left.

As has been indicated, it takes a very long time to create a fully restored complete rake from mobile scrap. Don't take my word for it; ask GW(SVR)A or LNERCA. There is no shortage of heritage stock but a shortage or operational heritage stock.

I do not need 1472 misreading my posts and then preaching to me about the condition of WSR's coaches. In the length of time they have been operating I would have expected their Mk1s to be complete and in far better condition.

 

There is no scaling back. The Trust have just told me that the five vehicle toplight rake is the priority. The exception is 6705 which is due for completion in 2014. The other three Collett vehicles will wait their turn. The Trust say "...we plan that all...be restored when we have the money to do so. "

As for GWSR, I'm hope all will settle down soon, regardless of the chat on here

Steve

 

Well good luck to them. A tip from the LNERCA is that when making parts for the current project, make them for everything that will also need them in the future. It puts more strain on the cash flow but speeds things up as work progresses down the queue.

 

I read the news yesterday regarding the resignation of the Chairman of the plc, and await further information - the timing is certainly odd.

Regarding extra coaching stock, Mk2's have been mentioned. However, I hope that the GWSR do not go down this route. With monocoque construction (ie: body essentially the frame), and no current storage facilities for a full coaching set I can see Mister metal moth putting in an appearance all too soon. For the time being, surely efforts should be concentrated on dealing with what the railway has at present before taking on more?

Do you write for The Sun? If not, you probably should.

 

So long as they are kept in good condition I don't see why they'd be ushered off the network especially now that the risk of collisions has been reduced by TPWS etc. In fact restrictions on their use have actually been eased with the removal of the need for said 'barrier' coaches.

Chris