West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Now that would be a step too far!

 

Cool, great for them. Sometimes though you need to take a step back to be able to move forward.

 

Both of which the MHR own, so a low cost solution whilst the railway tests the "Not post but perhaps nealy post"-COVID era. At some stage the MHR will be running long trains again, even RATs which will be potentially running on autumn/winter/spring evenings. With 1/60 gradients, wet rails and leaves or frost on the line, a small wheeled but powerful loco with decent water capacity would be most welcome. With 92212 out of ticket, 53808 will do nicely thank you

 

A pannier tank, thats not "big" enough for every day useage.....

 

Oh haha. 3205 isn't suitable for the WSR or SVR day to day.

 

The WSR own 9351 and 7828 (or have it mortgaged whatever).

RATs etc are a long way off.

 

Right now you wouldn't put it past him.

Washford was a step too far.

Wiliton he could upset several groups in one go with his, its my way or the highway plan.

 

But you were arguing that railways are right to give away locomotives that are useless in the here and now? as opposed to doing the sensible thing and thinking about the future where circumstances such as passenger demand and availablility of other locomotives may change...

 

Then I suggest you pause and reflect on what you're saying. Every business makes mistakes, and hopefully get the chance to learn from them. At the moment, WSR plc seem to be making a lot of mistakes and being very rigid, just as their peers at Alresford, Winchcombe, Bridgnorth, Pickering, Sheffield Park, etc. seem to be finding different ways to do things. Strangely enough, those are railways that have demonstrated an ability to learn and make friends (I believe that latest issue of Steam Railway has really quite a lot of coverage of the Bluebell); I see WSR as a railway that is broke, not operating and losing friends. Would that it could be as adaptable as those others.

I also suggest you read Matthew 25:14-30, and consider which servant best fits the current management.

 

depending on what your loadings are, early, and late you might get by with a hired in Pannier from Tysley ,but if passenger numbers return to what was the norm, then that pannier will not have the capacity , At the moment, clearly the finances of the WSR are terminal I would say, that's the only reason , or maybe just bloody mindedness why 53808 is leaving, because the railway won't, or can't honour their agreement , so the owners have no option but to move it where they can earn some money towards it's overhaul, because they can't trust the WSR PLC's word, and who can blame them .
If the railway was planning on reopening in 2021, why let an engine go? unless of course the Chairman is hoping to get special dispensation to run one of his engines that both are over the axle limit as things stand,

 

Model engines can haul some unrealistic trains but I think that even my 00 gauge 0-4-0 can't haul a load 12!

 

I agree wholeheartedly with what you are saying,

Low Season shorter trains you could get away with smaller locos.
high season longer trains bigger locos.

 

Was the first thing that came into my head, but you get the general idea of how stupid that sounds.

Maybe we are conversing with the new head of locomotive strategy for the WSR.

 

53808 has the chance to earn some cash at the MHR rather than sit doing nothing at Minehead?
What's not to like?

In this situation long term cannot be viewed really. It's why many railway projects are paused, like Swanage carriage shed.

 

All depends on what rails are used and if Hornby Magnadhesion is in place.

 

It's good for the SDRT - their engine is earning money to help pay for its next overhaul.
It's good for the MHR - as someone here has mentioned this morning, it can directly replace the now-withdrawn for overhaul 92212 in the MHR's locomotive strategy and offer them a powerful locomotive for heavy loadings.
Is it good for the WSR? The WSR have lost a powerful engine that can haul anything asked of it, they've lost their only engine which could haul incoming charter trains and the whole reasoning of why the engine has left - to raise money for its overhaul - is a massive blow to confidence in the WSR, which had previously agreed to overhaul the engine at the end of its boiler ticket.

It's not just long-term - the action has started already, and its results will be felt for a while to come.

 

As I see it in simple terms...

It would appear that the Plc, for whatever reasons and not necessarily entirely matters within their control, did not have - or would not spare - the money needed to overhaul the 7F in a few years. Consequently they have 'lost' the engine for the next few years while it goes and earns money elsewhere. Then, if I have read the Press Release correctly, the theory is that that the loco owners will send the engine back to the WSR for overhaul and hand over the money earned over the next 2 years in order to help pay for the work (for which contractually the Plc should be paying). Yet by that time the owners may well have been evicted from the WSR anyway under the still-extant Notice to Quit! Who is trying to fool who here ????