H2O Posted February 21, 2020 Share Posted February 21, 2020 Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust told to quit Washford site by Feb 2021 by West Somerset Railway. Reasons not very clear so far. A bit of a tall order to find somewhere and move everything within 12 months. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold JohnR Posted February 21, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 21, 2020 Seems daft - the S&DRT was a reason to visit Washford! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Reorte Posted February 21, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 21, 2020 31 minutes ago, H2O said: Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust told to quit Washford site by Feb 2021 by West Somerset Railway. Reasons not very clear so far. A bit of a tall order to find somewhere and move everything within 12 months. Is it likely to have come out of the blue? There may have been things going on that mean they'd have been looking elsewhere, or at least keeping their eyes open. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdvle Posted February 21, 2020 Share Posted February 21, 2020 News article https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2020/02/somerset-and-dorset-railway-trust-asked-to-leave-wsr-washford-site.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PenrithBeacon Posted February 21, 2020 Share Posted February 21, 2020 This has been on the cards for a while now. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ikcdab Posted February 21, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 21, 2020 16 minutes ago, PenrithBeacon said: This has been on the cards for a while now. Not really. A brand new 25-year lease was signed in May 2018. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PenrithBeacon Posted February 22, 2020 Share Posted February 22, 2020 9 hours ago, ikcdab said: Not really. A brand new 25-year lease was signed in May 2018. The WSR was talking c2010 about taking over Washford because it needed the space and making an offer for the 2-8-0. If a new lease was signed less than two years ago why has the lessee been given notice? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted February 22, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 22, 2020 ISTR the WSR has been going through tough financial times. It may be that a thorough review of income and expenditure has revealed they can perhaps make more from this site than the present lease is giving. It is perhaps part of bigger changes within WSR, aimed at turning things round. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
H2O Posted February 22, 2020 Author Share Posted February 22, 2020 1 hour ago, Oldddudders said: ISTR the WSR has been going through tough financial times. It may be that a thorough review of income and expenditure has revealed they can perhaps make more from this site than the present lease is giving. It is perhaps part of bigger changes within WSR, aimed at turning things round. Agree that thr WSR have reviewed things and think this is the best way forward. In most contracts early termination usually comes with penalties for the side who are breaking the deal. For a commercial contract I'd be suprised if only 12 months notice was it, some times (depending on who defaulted) they have to pay expenses and/or provide a new place of business / tenant. Whatever the ins and outs I'd guess those with existing contracts or thinking of getting one with the WSR may be looking at things a bit differently now? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted February 22, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 22, 2020 I think that it could be a blessing in disguise if the S&DT can be accommodated at one of the preservation sites on the S&D. I don't see though how this benefits the WSR. So far as I know, the freehold of the site belongs to Somerset CC. So it would be the County not the railway that stands to gain. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted February 22, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 22, 2020 3 hours ago, PenrithBeacon said: The WSR was talking c2010 about taking over Washford because it needed the space and making an offer for the 2-8-0. If a new lease was signed less than two years ago why has the lessee been given notice? Since 2010, WSR have built new facilities at Norton Fitzwarren. So I can't see any operational need to take over Washford. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffers Posted February 22, 2020 Share Posted February 22, 2020 (edited) This may explain why. Make of it what you will. https://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/news/detail/news-from-the-board-room Edited February 22, 2020 by geoffers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ian J. Posted February 22, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 22, 2020 Quote ...Sadly, the Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust is governed in such a way that means they felt unable to assist other than by allowing the WSR to hold and retain the profits from a Real Ale Festival. They wish to pursue their own agenda and are therefore currently serving a year’s notice to remove themselves from the Washford site... The quote above from the page linked to, gives me the impression that there's a bit of bad blood now. If that is indeed the case, then it may be wise for the Trust to move out to a different location, perhaps one of the existing S&DJR preservation projects, if they can stomach that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold JohnR Posted February 22, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 22, 2020 12 minutes ago, Ian J. said: The quote above from the page linked to, gives me the impression that there's a bit of bad blood now. If that is indeed the case, then it may be wise for the Trust to move out to a different location, perhaps one of the existing S&DJR preservation projects, if they can stomach that. I always had the impression there was "bad blood" between the S&DRT and some of the preservation groups currently working on the S&DJR..... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnofwessex Posted February 22, 2020 Share Posted February 22, 2020 1 hour ago, JohnR said: I always had the impression there was "bad blood" between the S&DRT and some of the preservation groups currently working on the S&DJR..... The impression I have got as an armchair member of both The Trust & Midsomer Norton is that Midsomer Norton would welcome them 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnofwessex Posted February 22, 2020 Share Posted February 22, 2020 As far as I understand it from The Official Announcement & other Forums is that the S&DRT were asked to contribute towards engineering work on the track. The reply was that their Articles do not permit them to do so. They were then served notice on the premises at Washford. Now I am no lawyer or familiar with Commercial Leases, BUT I am not sure that the WSR PLC can tell them to go unless there is a 'break' clause or they have broken a term of the lease, and I have not seen it suggested that they have 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PenrithBeacon Posted February 22, 2020 Share Posted February 22, 2020 2 hours ago, Ian J. said: Deleted post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnofwessex Posted February 23, 2020 Share Posted February 23, 2020 I understand that the SD&DRT are preparing a statement Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimC Posted February 23, 2020 Share Posted February 23, 2020 http://www.sdrt.org/Blog/Trust-Receives-12-Months-Notice-To-Quit-Washford-Site.Html Not that it actually says anything! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PenrithBeacon Posted February 23, 2020 Share Posted February 23, 2020 2 hours ago, JimC said: http://www.sdrt.org/Blog/Trust-Receives-12-Months-Notice-To-Quit-Washford-Site.Html Not that it actually says anything! It probably says as much as can be said at the present. I really didn't think that the WSR could create even more reputational damage to itself but it seems to be determined to do so. All very regrettable. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim V Posted February 23, 2020 Share Posted February 23, 2020 We regularly travel on the WSR and I regret to observe that whereas all the other stations are fully manned (Doniford Halt is the exception), invariably Washford is unstaffed and shuttered. I get the impression the S&DRT don't care about the site. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium spamcan61 Posted February 23, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 23, 2020 2 hours ago, JimC said: http://www.sdrt.org/Blog/Trust-Receives-12-Months-Notice-To-Quit-Washford-Site.Html Not that it actually says anything! Given it's 'gone legal' I wouldn't expect anyone to be saying very much. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivercider Posted February 23, 2020 Share Posted February 23, 2020 I am only an occasional traveler on the line, and read some of the newsletters, but am not surprised. I got a distinct impression a couple of years ago that the WSR wanted the Washford site back, so was surprised when the new lease for the site at Washford was signed. cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted February 23, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 23, 2020 42 minutes ago, Tim V said: We regularly travel on the WSR and I regret to observe that whereas all the other stations are fully manned (Doniford Halt is the exception), invariably Washford is unstaffed and shuttered. I get the impression the S&DRT don't care about the site. Is it "their site" to care about though, if the S&DRT are only tenants carrying out their own aims and ambitions is it not up to the WSR to care about the area generally? Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gwiwer Posted February 23, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 23, 2020 I am very sure there is more to this than is allowed to meet the public eye for at least the present time. I do wonder if there is an image issue in the mix - not as the sole factor but Washford has been (well) maintained in SR style and colours by the Trust whereas the Minehead line is definitely WR territory and the remaining stations reflect that. Just a thought. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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