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Heritage Carriages Project News
Wednesday 30 April 2008
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John Wood, Heritage Carriages Project Vehicle Care, writes...
On Saturday last (26 April) 4 members of the Heritage Carriages Project (aka Auto 169 restoration team) visited Minehead to fit the recently purchased 'experimental' design tarpaulin sheet to Ex Williton toplight 2578. The carriage is yet another WSR vehicle that had received unwanted attention of the local stone throwing youths so was urgently in need of some extra protection. The job was successfully completed in about 4 1/2 hours but not without its 'testing' moments. Hopefully this will prove a good learning experience for the future.
The sheets were 'made to measure' and supplied in 2 sections sufficiently long to allow an overlap of about 5ft and possibly allow re use on other length vehicles at some future date. Previous experience of a single piece cover proved difficult to 'man' handle due to weight but on that occasion the use of a fork lift truck allowed the sheet to be placed on the roof, a luxury not available on this occasion.
The other notable difference with the first carriage was the lack of any roof furniture by way of ventilators.
The first half of the sheet was hauled to roof level by a system of ropes passed over the roof and the sheet in an unfolded format pulled onto the roof and subsequently manoeuvred into position. Believing there is always a 'better' way the second half was pulled onto the roof having rolled the sheet, believing it would slide easily on the already positioned first sheet, we would then be able to unroll it along the roof of the carriage. This proved not to be an ideal method, but put it down to a valuable 'learning experience'.
With 3 of the HCP stock now afforded some protection from the worst elements of the British weather and a further 2 or 3 carriages urgently requiring covering for protection and transport, the design will now be suitably modified to make future fitting exercises a little easier particularly where space and mechanical assistance is limited.
Heritage Carriages Project News
Saturday 19 April 2008
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Wanted - volunteers required to assist with coast walk along the WSR on Sunday 16 November 2008
Volunteers are required to be marshalls to supervise the walkers, and sweepers to ensure that the line is clear after the last walker. A meeting to get the team together will be held on Friday 20th June in Brunel House, Bishops Lydeard at 7.45pm. Alternatively ring Mike Webber on 07795 95 88 18.
A poster giving full details is available for download...
Heritage Carriages Project News
Saturday 5 April 2008
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Bishops Lydeard Parish Council offers strong support to West Somerset Railway's Plans
Exciting proposals for a new museum and carriage shed at Bishops Lydeard station on the West Somerset Railway have just been boosted with strong support from Bishops Lydeard Parish Council.
At a meeting on Wednesday 2nd April 2008, the Council voted by a resounding 10 votes to 2 to support the West Somerset Railway's planning application for new facilities adjacent to Bishops Lydeard station.
The proposed new facilities centre on a Museum and Display Building for heritage railway carriages dating from the 1920's and 30's.
The proposals also involve much needed tourist facilities such as a cafe, and inn or restaurant; some road safety improvements, including a much needed roundabout at the A358 junction, plus some enabling development in the form of housing, including affordable housing for local people.
West Somerset Steam Railway Trust’s (WSSRT) Heritage Carriages Project Director, Robin White said: "This vote is a great boost to the project. It shows the depth of feeling of local people in favour of the West Somerset Railway's plans for top class facilities for our visitors and local people alike.
“The Parish Council wanted to see closer ties between the railway and the village, and we will be delighted to work with them to see how that might be achieved. We look forward to working with respected local builders Gadds of Taunton to put the plan into effect.
“All of these proposed facilities will also help bring jobs, affordable homes and greater prosperity to the village, but without damaging its essentially rural nature."
The next stage will be for the plans to be considered by Taunton Deane Borough Council in the next few months, and further details, including plans and drawings can be seen at www.wssrt.co.uk.
Heritage Carriages Project News
Tuesday 15 January 2008
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Project Director Robin White writes:
Coach trip to the Severn Valley Railway – Saturday 10th May 2008
At the invitation of the Severn Valley Carriage & Wagon Department at Kidderminster, we have arranged a visit to the SVR on this date. A coach will leave Minehead station at 7 am sharp, picking up at Williton station, Bridgwater station and Gordano M5 Services near Bristol. We should be at Kidderminster by 11 am and are privileged to have been invited to a private tour of the Kidderminster Carriage Works, which is not normally open to the public. The tour will take about an hour. Kidderminster Carriage Works is very well set up for the maintenance of vintage carriages and their lottery-funded carriage storage shed is a striking building. Several equivalents of the carriages which will be part of the WSR Heritage fleet will be available for inspection. It should be an inspiring visit for prospective Heritage Carriage Project volunteers and supporters. The usual delights of the SVR will then be available for the rest of the day, including the newly-opened ‘Engine House’ at Highley. This will be a cracking day out to the only other GWR Heritage railway that comes close to the WSR in character. Our return coach will leave Kidderminster at 6.15 pm (5 minutes after the last train of the day). The coach fare will be £12. Cheques payable to ‘WSSRT’ to David Stockwell, 20 Castlewood Close, Clevedon BS21 7HS and please include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Please note that SVR travel is not included. Working WSR Volunteers can obtain an HRA pass valid for SVR travel from Minehead Office. Book early as this is bound to be a popular trip!
Heritage Carriages Project News
Saturday 12 January 2008
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Project Director Robin White writes:
Bishops Lydeard Station Farm Meetings, meetings, meetings
In recent days West Somerset Railway Officers and the Developers have been involved in a series of meetings and visits about the proposals for the Station Farm Site.
On Friday 4th January Taunton MP was shown the site and the plans.
On Sunday 6th January Parish and District Councillors visited the site and were given a presentation and a tour explaining why the railway supports the development and the considerable benefits which accrue from it. Copies of the documents given out to Councillors are available - the Main Briefing document and a document describing the View from the Up Platform. It will be seen that the series of photographs taken along the UP (London) platform show that the effect of the new buildings on the old and any loss of view is much less dramatic than objectors have been suggesting.
On Wednesday 10th representatives of the railway and Gadds, the developers met Steve Kendall, Taunton Deane Council's Economic Development Officer. He had previously written a letter only expressing 'lukewarm' support for the proposals. The railway and Gadds thought that he would be assisted by being talked through the proposals in more depth and he expressed himself much more satisfied with the proposals at the end of the meeting. A much more supportive letter is expected.
On Thursday 11th, Gadds and the railway met the planning officer, John Hamer, and his boss the Head of Planning at Taunton Deane, Tim Burton. We examined the work to be done to get the applications fit for consideration by the Parish Council and then the District Council. A target was set to get the applications before the Taunton Deane Planning Committee on 26th March 2008. Two significant areas remain. Firstly the economic report being prepared by external consultants which shows whether the 'enabling development' (the housing) is justified. A further meeting to move this aspect along has been planned for early February.
The second aspect is the Conservation Officer's report, which is rather negative. Unfortunately, this report was compliled by a temporary member of staff, without apparent reference to the discussions between the architects and the previous permanent Conservation Officer. The report makes a number of mistakes of fact, including calling Norton Fitzwarren a 'semi-urban site' and plainly has ignored significant parts of what the proposals will achieve in heritage terms. Credit is due to the Chief Conservation Officer at Taunton Deane who, when these difficulties were explained to her, immediately scheduled....... yes a meeting!........ to take a fresh look at the Conservation aspects. It is anticipated that a fresh report would become available in the first half of February.
All the above has absorbed a considerable amount of time form Chris Austin, Paul Conibeare and myself, in preparing for and attending the meetings and is part of the work not always seen by members.
The planning process would continue to be assisted by e-mails of support to the planning officer from anyone who has not yet sent such an e-mail. Just follow the following link and the Taunton Deane website has a facility for you to register your comments on line. Taunton Deane website.
Heritage Carriages Project News
Monday 17 December 2007
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Project Director Robin White writes:
Work is now well underway to get the Heritage Carriage Project vehicles around the country protected from the weather and fit to move to the WSR.
Collett BCK 6705 at Crewe has been sheeted over by Steve Lord and Walt Denning pending works to be carried out to the carriage by LNWR Heritage Ltd.
Alan Anstee and Mike Dunse have started work to strengthen Collett BTK 5131 at Bodmin ready for sheeting and transport. Graham Anderson is leading a team to do a similar job on Toplight BCK 7538 at Chinnor.
Carriage care supremo John Wood has designed and ordered the first a new style of tarpaulin (in several pieces roped together) which it is hoped will form the template for tarpaulins for the other coaches. This first one should be available by the end of January and will be applied to Toplight TK 2578 which is now residing in the spur siding adjacent to Minehead signal box.
Help with these working parties would be very welcome as would donations towards the cost of tarpaulins. Good quality ones cost several hundred pounds and are vital to protect the carriages during movement and the period until they reach the head of the restoration queue. If you can offer practical or financial help the Trust can be contacted at info@wssrt.co.uk | |
Heritage Carriages Project News
Monday 17 December 2007
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Project Director Robin White writes:
A date for your diary - 16 November 2008 - WSR Coast walk
On the above date the WSR Company have agreed that there can be a sponsored line walk along the track of the (closed!) WSR in aid of the Heritage Carriages Project. More details will be available in the New Year but it is likely that the walk will be from Williton to Minehead (just under 10 miles) to ensure that it can be started and completed at a reasonable time on a short late-autumn day.
A DMU will run from Minehead to Williton and then from Bishop's Lydeard to Williton to get walkers to the start of the walk and at the end of the day will run Minehead to Bishop's Lydeard to get everyone home.
Do get this date in your diary. The WSR is becoming increasingly busy and days on which such a walk can be arranged get rarer and rarer. There is no certainty that the walk can be repeated in furture years.
The walk is being organised by WSR engine cleaner Mike Webber, a keep-fit enthusiast. If anyone would like to assist with the organisation and admin for the walk, please be in touch info@wssrt.co.uk info@wssrt.co.uk
Heritage Carriages Project News
Tuesday 2 October 2007
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Trust Archivist Ian Coleby writes:
The West Somerset Steam Railway Trust is very pleased to announce that its ex-GWR toplight coach that is currently stood at Dunster is going to be on display in Minehead engine shed over the Saturday and Sunday of the Autumn Steam Gala, 6 and 7 October 2007. The Trust are very grateful to the WSR Chief Mechanical Engineer Andy Forster.
This is clearly an ideal opportunity to talk to visitors, to explain about the heritage carriages project and to boost the membership. Inevitably, all the Trust's usual staff for such an event are out doing other jobs on the railway over the weekend.
The Trust are, therefore, looking for volunteers to come forward and to man the coach. What is required is to be in Minehead engine shed for a few hours over the weekend and to meet and greet visitors to the coach. To talk to them about the project and make sure they go away with a leaflet clutched in their hands!
If anyone would like to volunteer for this, please email the Trust at info@wssrt.co.uk
Heritage Carriages Project News
Monday 30 July 2007
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Project Director Robin White writes:
Collett Coach ready to welcome visitors
Collett Brake Composite Corridor coach 6705 imported by the Trust from the USA in the Spring is ready to welcome visitors over the weekend of 11/12 August at "The Railway Age", Crewe. Caretaker Steve Lord has finished preparing the coach for visitors for this uniqe opportunity to see a 1950's time-warp coach before it is cocooned for restoration. 'The Railway Age is open 10 to 4 on both days. Steve said: "The coach is a lovely gem. Such a shame that she has been left to the elements for so long. However, its all there and very restorable. After the weekend we will be wrapping sharp edges and then sheeting the coach over to protect it from the weather. Assistance with working parties would be very welcome." Steve can be contacted via the the Trust at info@wssrt.co.uk
Consultation held of Museum and Carriage Shed
Nearly 60 interested parties came to Bishop's Lydeard station on Saturday 28th July 2007 to see the plans for the WSSRT's new Museum and carriage shed and how they fit in with the development of tourist facilities and housing proposed by Gadd's of Taunton. Trust Director Robin White and WSR General Manager Paul Conibeare were kept busy explaining the plans to visiotr who included County, District and Parish Councillors, local residents and others. Trust Director Robin White said; "It is important to emphasise how the whole scheme must be taken together. We cannot build our Museum and Carriage shed without the rest of the development and the developer needs our support for his part of the scheme." It is expected that the planning applicaton will be lodged in the next few days. More information...
Heritage Carriages Project News
Sunday 15 July 2007
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Project Director Robin White writes:
Bishop's Lydeard Station Master's House may be part of development scheme. In answer to a question at the WSRA AGM on Saturday 14th July, Steam Trust Director, Robin White, confirmed that the Station Master's House might be acquired by the railway as part of the co-operative development with Gadd's of Taunton which promises to provide the land for a museum and carriage shed. Robin White told the meeting that negotiations on the development had provided an opportunity to acquire the house - a heart felt object of many of those who know the station. He said that the next stage was to obtain a professional valuation of the house, which would cost £500 and he asked 5 members to come forward, each to pledge £100 to achieve this. Robin was approached after the meeting by 3 members who each pledged £100 so would be very pleased to hear from the remaining two needed to make this step forward to bring one of the historic buildings at the station back into railway ownership. Robin can be contacted via the Trust's e-mail address info@wssrt.co.uk
Support for the Museum and Carriage shed came from a very welcome quarter this week. In a letter published in the West Somerset Free Press on Friday 13th, Bob Elgin, Chairman of the Bishop's Lydeard Residents Association wrote, "The proposed museum and engine shed subject to planning approval (not as yet submitted) are to be welcome as bona fide tourist items on a site which deserves respect, sensitivity and vision'." In the remainder of the letter Mr Elgin maintained opposition to other aspects of the scheme, in particular the pub and the quantity of housing proposed. Steam Trust Director, Robin White said "It is pleasant to receive this support, even before the plans for the museum and carriage (not engine) shed have been made public. The planning application for these aspects of the scheme should be lodged around 20th July and we plan to have a public session to explain them to interested parties, particularly local residents, probably on Saturday 28th July at Bishop's Lydeard station. That opportunity will be confirmed shortly. We also expect to hold a public meeting in co-operation with the Parish Council in September when folks are back from their holidays and we understand that the overall scheme is likly to be considered by Taunton Deane planning committee in October or November."
Heritage Carriages Project News
Thursday 21 June 2007
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Project Director Robin White writes:
The 'Launch' event for the Heritage Carriages Project announced in the WSRA Journal for 23/34 June 2007 has been postponed. The Project continues to make rapid advances on all fronts and when the Journal went to press it was expected that all major parts of the project would be in place. Negotiatons are, however, continuing with external bodies and partners in a couple of areas and it has been felt best to complete those negotiations before going 'public'. The present intention is to stage a proper launch event with full razz-ma-tazz at or around the time of the Spring Gala Event in 2008. Meanwhile the step-wise progress we are making will continue to be announced by the usual channels....
Heritage Carriages Project News
Monday 14 May 2007
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Project Director Robin White writes:
Collett BCK 6705 at Crewe confirmed as being open to the public to visit over the weekend of 11/12 August 2007 by kind permission of 'The Railway Age' Trustees and LNWR Heritage Ltd.
6705 offers a unique opportunity to look back to 1962 when it was sold out of traffic to an Americal collector and was shipped across the Atlantic. I have had numerous requests to visit it and this will be a once only opportunity to see it before restoration starts.
'The Railway Age' is open 10 to 4 (last admission 3pm) on each day and admission is £4 for adults and £2 for children.
Please note that access will be by steps at either end of the coach and the visit will not be suitable for those with mobility problems.
Heritage Carriages Project News
Sunday 6 May 2007
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Project Director Robin White writes:
I spent two very intensive days cleaning 6705 at LNWR Crewe on Monday 30th and Tuesday 1st May. I was pleased to be assisted for part of Monday by Andrew Forster who was at Crewe for company loco engineering purposes.
Between us we removed over 20 dust bin bags of rubbish and broken glass. The coach is now much safer to visit and much more respectable. It was amazing to be vacuuming the dust from the upholstery and watching it change from brown to red and gold.
Much interesting detail is now revealed by the close inspection this process has entailed. The corridors and third class compartments were floored on what appeared to be black lino but when polished a sample showed the usual brown colour. First class gets a scumble pattern sky blue lino, although it would not be seen as our first class passengers were furnished with a carpet, of course, the remains of which were present. The first class lavatory features light blue rexine as a wall-covering !
There has been considerable interest in the coach as something of a 'timewarp' from the early 1960's and I intend to open it to the public to view in its present (unrestored) state, probably over the weekend of 11/12 August, subject to agreement by the management of 'The Railway Age' in Crewe. This should allow curiousity to be satisfied in a controlled way, and should garner some donations towards the coach. Would anyone be interested in helping me 'man' the coach over that weekend?
I am visiting the Severn Valley on Thursday next to investigate a source of replacement buffers / drawgear for the coach.
Heritage Carriages Project News
Saturday 28 April 2007
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Project Vehicle Care Leader John Wood writes:
A group of 4 volunteers performed what was the first 'home based' working party of the Heritage Carriages Project at Minehead today. The work required the GWR Toplight 7740, formally used as volunteer accommodation and training classroom on the WSR, and an S&T vehicle by B.R., to be made safe and secure for movement. Its 8 mile trip to Washford for storage courtesy of the SDRT is due to take place tomorrow, Sunday. It is due to remain at Washford whilst plans for a long term restoration and storage facility are progressed. Many thanks to those who helped.
Heritage Carriages Project News
Friday 20 April 2007
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Project Vehicle Care Leader John Wood writes:
The impending movement of toplight 7740 from Minehead to storage at
Washford requires the carriage to be prepared for travel. The main
outstanding requirement is to sheet it down to both protect and secure
it.
We are planning to do this work on the morning of Saturday 28th April
and would welcome the help of 4 or 5 people to assist the operation. If
you are available to help make history on what is the very
first 'working party' of the HCP then please contact me at
by email and I will let you know the full plans. The only
requirement is that you are happy and capable of working at carriage
roof height on a ladder.
A supply of about 10 old car tyres might be helpful as protection for
the roof ventilators (or however many still exist on the roof?). If you
have any that you can get to the railway before Saturday 28th again
please let me know.
Heritage Carriages Project News
Tuesday 17 April 2007
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Project Director Robin White writes:
Discussions with other vehicle owners are now sufficiently advanced that it is possible to set out which vehicles are intended to make up the 1930’s rake of GWR coaches which the Trust intends to create. Vehicles of this era are usually referred to as ‘Collett’ coaches after the Chief Mechanical Engineer of the GWR at the time. There is a view by many that the 1930’s were the heyday of the GWR, the era of Agatha Christie and Enid Blyton before the storm clouds of WW2 changed the world forever.
To hold its own in service on the West Somerset Railway some 300 seats are needed in the rake of coaches and so 7 vehicles are needed.
The first is, of course, Brake Composite Corridor (BCK) no. 6705 recently repatriated from the USA and now securely stored at LNWR Heritage Crewe, to be assessed for restoration.
Number 6705 is a BCK and so has a relatively small luggage area. To balance this at the end of the train it is preferable to have a Brake Third Corridor (BTK). These vehicles have a much larger luggage area which will cope with a large quantity of bikes, push chairs and the like. There are two of these available, 5102 from Llangollen and 5131 from Bodmin. Both were heavily stripped for use by the railway engineering departments after they ceased to be used for passengers. Both have been made available to the project and it is intended that out of the two, one good vehicle is resurrected as a BTK and the recoverable spare components are used for other vehicles. For example, that will provide BCK 6705 with replacement buffers and couplings.
Every set of coaches on the WSR needs a catering vehicle and restaurant car 9605 from the Pontypool and Blaenavon has been secured for the project by a private individual. 9605 was originally owned by the National Railway Museum. It was stripped for restoration and then the project abandoned, leaving 9605 as little more than a framework. It will be a challenging restoration.
So we have the two brakes and the catering vehicle. There remains the requirement for the workhorses of the set, the Third Corridor (TK) vehicles which provide the majority of the seating.
The first is TK 5929 standing at a private site near Leeds. This was obtained to be a summerhouse for the present owner but that project was abandoned and the owner has made the coach available to our project.
The second is TK 5848 at the Dean Forest. This was converted for use in an emergency control train in the 1960’s. The alterations included additions like air ducts which were asbestos-wrapped and this must be professionally removed before the coach can be acquired. Quotations for this work are being obtained.
Thirdly, TK 4546, owned by a private individual but standing at Buckfastleigh on the South Devon Railway. This vehicle is available to the Trust.
A fourth TK is required. There are at 4 which might be available to the Trust and with whose owners we are in contact but discussions are not sufficiently advanced to make public.
Funding. The owners of all the above vehicles have realised that they do not have the capacity to take their restoration forward and have been made available to the Trust for essentially their scrap value or less, low single thousands of pounds per vehicle. Transport costs for each are in the region of a thousand pounds each and all need to be securely sheeted, also at about a thousand pounds each to protect them until restoration can start. Most of them are at risk of terminal decay if they are not rescued soon. Equally, if they are not rescued, the Trust will not be able to offer a complete, viable train in years to come. A donation of a thousand pounds towards the acquisition, transport and protection of the above vehicles will make a significant contribution to the west Somerset Railway in the years to come. Your donation can be towards a specific vehicle, which you would then have a close connection with in the years to come.
Heritage Carriages Project News
Friday 6 April 2007
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Project Director Robin White writes:
This has been an eventful week. On Monday the carriage restorer at Swindon informed me that he was closing his business and so there was little point taking Collett coach 6705 there. Not a great moment as it was due to be collected from Newport Docks the next morning by road transport. Some hard work by Andrew Forster and some patience by the transport contractor has allowed 6705 to find a temporary home at LNWR Crewe, where it will be assessed for restoration as had been the intention at Swindon. So alls well that ends well.
The Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust at Washford have kindly agreed to accomodate storage of one of the Project vehicles. This is likely to be Toplight CK 7740 which is presently standing at Minehead and would have to move soon to clear the turntable site in any event.
Heritage Carriages Project News
Monday 26 March 2007
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Project Director Robin White writes:
Collett BCK 6705 was successfully off-loaded from MV Fairlift at Newport docks under the watchful eye of Andy Forster on Monday 26th March. This was a day late as the ship developed engine problems on the approach to the Bristol Channel. Andy and I have now had the opportunity to look over 6705. Andy's view is that it is "a good 'un", an assessment with which I concur. In comparison with the ex-departmental vehicles which I have been looking at recently to form the other vehicles in the set, it is a joy to see. A considerable amount of refurbishment is required, but it is refurbishment not recreation. We have been offered free covered storage at Swindon for the vehicle, whence it will move shortly. We will arrange an opportunity to view the coach as soon as is practicable for Heritage Carriage Project supporters.
Meanwhile the Trust Board is due to meet on 7th April to sort out some remaining aspects of the scheme.
Heritage Carriages Project News
Monday 19 March 2007
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Project Director Robin White writes:
Collett BCK 6705 sailed from Halifax, Canada on 16th March, bound for Newport, South Wales (and so did the ship!). Arrival is scheduled for 25th March but then departure was scheduled for 9th and in fact was 16th. I am told that a clearer estimate will be available once the north Atlantic weather has been sampled - ice bergs and all. At least the coach is well insured.
The Sleeping Car is now well ensconced in the Museum at Bishop's Lydeard and has proved popular with visitors over the first Gala weekend. It needs to be stewarded when it is open, These are relatively light duties in a convivial railway environment and would also be a good promotion opportunity for the Heritage Carriages Project. Are there any HCP supporters who would like to help keep the Sleeping Car open? We might initially try for Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays when the trains are running. If you would like to help, please be in contact via the e-mail address on the 'contacts' page, or drop th Trust a line at Williton station.
Heritage Carriages Project News
Thursday 15 March 2007
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Project Director Robin White writes:
GWR BCK no 6705 has been loaded and the MV Fairlift is due to leave Halifax tomorrow, 16th March...
Heritage Carriages Project News
Sunday 4 March 2007
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Project Director Robin White writes:
After the excitement of getting GWR BCK 6705 from Scranton, Pennsylvania to Halifax, Canada, the past couple of weeks have been quieter but progress continues to be made.
The Heritage Carriages Project team held its first meeting on 24th February and Bishop's Lydeard and reviewed the present progress of the Project and likely future developments with some satisfaction.
I have now almost completed my country-wide tour of ex-GWR vehicles which has taken me from Cornwall to North Wales and West Yorkshire (and many places in between). We now have a clear idea of which additional vehicles we wish to acquire to complete the toplight train and to make up the Collett train. Once arrangements have been agreed between the vehicle owners and the Trust you will read about them here !
Progress continues to be made on a site for the Museum / Carriage Shed. We have made some progress with temporary storage until that site is ready but we continue to search.
The forthcoming WSR Gala will be a busy time for the Heritage Carriage Project. We now learn that the Trust's 1897 Sleeping Car will be in the Museum at Bishop's Lydeard in time for the Gala. Members of the project team will be on hand throughout the Gala to display the Sleeping Car and to promote the Heritage Carriage Project. Do come and see us if you can.
On the Gala Saturdays the Trust is also putting on a slide / film show in aid of the HCP, following the Gala theme of 'Summer Satudays in the West'. The show will be at the Hobby Horse Inn, Minehead, just along the esplanade from Minehead station, from 7.30 (prompt). The first half will be a selection of slides of GWR locations in the 50's and 60's shown and described by well-known west country photographer Peter Gray. The second half will be a selection from the Ivo Peter collection of moving images by Mike Arlett, notable S&D expert. Tickets (in aid of the WSSSRT HCP) are £5 on the door or £4 in advance from Blue Anchor Railway Museum. Please note that the same show will be given on both Saturdays 17th and 24th.
Heritage Carriages Project News
Sunday 18 February 2007
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Collett BCK 6705 is now safely on Pier 9A in the docks at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada awaiting MV Fairlift which should collect the carriage on 9th March. There were some trials and tribulations along the way, including driving through a couple of snowstorms and an escort vehicle going into a ditch and having to be pulled back on the road by the truck carrying 6705. We continue to be grateful for the professionalism of those involved with the move.
Media interest is growing. The move has featured in articles in the Scranton Times-Tribune and the Western Daily Press, so both sides of the Atlantic have been covered.
We now have 20 days in which to raise the shipping costs, so please keep those donations coming in.
Robin White
Pictures of No 6705 in North America...
Heritage Carriages Project News
Saturday 10 February 2007
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The focus this week has been to keep the move of 6705 on track.
Over last weekend the staff at Scranton worked hard to prepare the vehicle for the move by boarding up windows and securing loose steel sheets etc.
The coach was craned in three parts (body / bogies) onto road transport at Scranton, Pennsylvania on Tuesday morning.
The lift itself went very well but a number of US Federal employees were inconvenienced as the lift had to be performed in their car park from which they were evicted for the morning ! Development around the Steamtown site in recent years has made access for heavy road vehicles rather difficult.
The coach is travelling as body on one vehicle and the two bogies on another. It is spending the weekend in Quebec, I believe, and is due in Halifax on Monday or Tuesday where the body will be craned back onto the bogies on the dock rail system to await the MV Fairlight in early March.
The Trust has been able to take advantage of Jumbo shipping's kind offer of shipping for £8,000 rather than the normal £25,000 because two supporters have made interest free loans to cover the £12,000 road transport costs. We will need to cover the shipping cost by 9 March and to pay back the loans. If you would like to be part of a truely historic moment in GWR railway preservation, please help us with these costs - forms on the website. Remember, if you are a UK tax payer, every £1 you donate enables us to claim a further 28p from the government.
Please also consider signing up as a regular contributor to the Heritage Carriages Project.
There are a number of further exciting developments in the pipeline.
Pictures of No 6705 in North America...
Heritage Carriages Project News
Wednesday 31st January 2007
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It was thought that after the announcement of the scheme, 2007 was likely to be a year of planning and negotiation with landowners, vehicle owners and the relevant authorities. Those activities are continuing but a very significant opportunity has arisen, which needs to be grasped quickly.
Great Western Railway Brake Coach 6705 was sold out of service in 1967 to an American private collector and shipped across the Atlantic. It passed between several US museums and now stands at ‘Steamtown’ in Scranton, Pennsylvania. It has no real US relevance and is not receiving even protective attention. The United States National Park Service would be prepared to donate it to the Trust to be the start of the Trust’s Collett train. For this it is ideal. It is a Guard’s Brake (every train needs at least one!), it provides both first and third class accommodation, a toilet and luggage space. Best of all, it is has not been stripped of its internal fittings. Most of the other vehicles available to us have been internally stripped because they spent a period in the service of the railway engineering departments after they ceased to used for passengers.
Andy Forster, the WSR Chief Mechanical Engineer has said that the vehicle is worth the transport costs for the fixtures and fittings alone but that the vehicle, while tatty, appears to be ‘totally recoverable’.
But it is the wrong side of the Atlantic! Normally that would be an enormous problem as the shipping costs alone would exceed $40,000 and transport to the post and other costs might add another $30,000.
If we are able to move quickly, there is, for a brief window of opportunity, a solution. Modern diesel locomotives are manufactured in North America and shipped, in several batches each year, from Halifax in Canada to Europe and / or the UK. The shipper, who has some spare capacity, has very generously agreed to bring GWR 6705 back to the UK with the next shipment for only $10,000. This is a very generous offer and cannot be relied on to be repeated. Road transport for the 900 or so miles from Scranton will cost a further $18,000. Crane hire, port dues and UK transport may add a further $10,000, making a total of around $40,000, or at present exchange rates, £20,000.
This vehicle is important to the project in itself. However it is important also in showing that the WSR Heritage Carriage Project can achieve great things, which will help with negotiations with other vehicle owners local and national government agencies and grant-giving bodies.
The difficulty is that the ship leaves Halifax on 9 March for the UK and it is not thought that the remaining sailings this year will come to the UK, rather they will all go directly to Europe. There is a risk that the relatively mild winter in North America this year will worsen, so there is a need to move even faster than that.
If you wish to see 6705 as part of a restored train of GWR carriages on the WSR, we need your help NOW.
Every pound or dollar would help. It would be especially helpful to hear from a one or two persons who felt to make the Trust an interest-free loan of the required funds immediately so that the movement can be arranged as soon as possible.
The value of donations to the Trust from UK taxpayers are increased in value because the Trust can recover the tax you would otherwise have paid, so every pound donated is worth £1.22 to the Trust. If you are a USA resident, please consider making the donation via your UK relatives, if they are UK tax payers, to gain advantage of this tax break.
Pictures of No 6705 in the USA...
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Heritage Carriages Project News
Wednesday 27th December 2006
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Trust Director, Robin White writes...
I am excited to have been asked to develop this next stage in the WSR’s progression toward its aim of preserving and recreating a Great Western Railway Branch line. A train or two of GWR rolling stock and an associated Museum for the stock to be kept in and to tell the story of rail travel will help keep the WSR up there in the very top echelon of Heritage Railways.
A steering group of Chris Austin, Mark Smith, Chris van den Arend, Andy Forster and myself have been working on the project since May 2006 and it has been very pleasing to see all parts of the WSR – The Trust, the Company and the Association – working together as one to make the project happen.
We have a very strong team, and I have no doubt that we can bring the aims of the project to fruition in a reasonable timescale – we just need your help!
The first way is by your covenanting £10 or more per month to the scheme to provide the working capital needed. You should have received the form with your WSRA Journal or it can be downloaded here. If you want to see trains of GWR coaches running on the WSR, then please join the scheme NOW. Remember, the value of any donations are increased by the Trust’s ability to reclaim income tax.
As far as Toplight coaches go:
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| We start with TK (third corridor) 3639, which the Trust already owns and for which some funds for restoration are already held. |
| (2)
| WSR Company have made available CK (composite corridor) 7740 and TK (2578), for £1102. |
| (3)
| But you cannot have a train without a brake vehicle. Very few Toplight brakes still exist. Fortunately, Sir William McAlpine has agreed to sell us Toplight Brake 7538 which last saw service as the restoration base vehicle for GWR loco 4247 and is presently standing at Chinnor. The agreed sale price is £1,500 and transport costs will be in the region of £2,000. Can anyone help with these immediate costs? |
| (4)
| We are in discussion with a number of other Toplight owners. We need another three vehicles to make up a seven coach train that can hold its own in WSR service. |
Collett vehicles. We have been given ‘first refusal’ on two Collett brakes and a restaurant car. (and also a Hawksworth brake). We are in discussions with other owners of sufficient vehicles to make up a 'Collett’ train.
To broaden the scheme to include these vehicles we will need to see a healthy response to the scheme leaflet. It may also be that you would want to make a larger donation aimed at the acquisition of a particular vehicle, or that you might be able to make an interest-free loan to the Trust to enable a vehicle to be obtained and fund raising to follow.
Other vehicles. We know that when we have the covered accommodation available, the owners of several ‘special’ GWR vehicles would be anxious to bring them to the WSR.
Land negotiations are in hand for a site for the project’s carriage shed and associated museum of rail transport. You will appreciate that such negotiations are delicate and best performed diplomatically and privately.
However, an immediate need is a secure site, somewhere near the WSR, where the carriages can be stored away from the operating railway until the permanent site is ready in a year or two. Ideal might be a secure industrial site, or a large farm or estate. The carriages are about the size of a lorry trailer and the Trust will be acquiring up to 12 over the next 2-3 years. The site does not have to be rail-connected as the carriages will arrive by low loader one-by-one and then be cleared to the Trust’s permanent site all in one go when it is ready. A number of options have been examined but so far without success. All suggestions gratefully received.
All thoughts, comments, offers of help (and especially donations) gratefully received.
© West Somerset Steam Railway Trust
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• No 6705
• Pictures
Proposed Museum/Carriage Shed
Artists impression of the future...
No 6705 moves from USA to UK...
GWR Toplight CK No 7740...
• The Project Team
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Robin White
Project leader and land/vehicle purchase |
Ray Casely
Fundraising |
David Holmes
Land, buildings, planning |
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Ian Coleby
Museum |
John Wood
Vehicle care |
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