WSR Landslip Appeal
TARGET REACHED – THANK YOU VERY MUCH
We have raised £50,000 for track re-building
On 20th December 2022 the WSR suffered a huge landslip that could have closed the railway. Thanks to some quick thinking and great teamwork that was not the case. The Festive trains continued to run albeit on a slightly different route, but no-one was disappointed and the WSR survived to tell the tale.
The Infrastructure team went swiftly to work and with the help of some suitably qualified advisors they are busy stabilising the bank and working with the relevant authorities to ensure that we can run trains in 2023.
However that’s only the start. For the longer term a more robust solution is needed and that includes replacing the rails and sleepers and removing and replacing the contaminated ballast.
For the next stage to succeed more teamwork is needed and everyone can play a part. Funds are needed to support the work and purchase rails, sleepers, ballast and everything else that the infrastructure team will need to re-build a sustainable railway track.
West Somerset Railway
Working together
The WSRA, WSR PLC and WSRHT are jointly committed to supporting this work and the appeal has been a West Somerset Railway Appeal, with all the advantages of donations going to a charity.
Jonathan Jones-Pratt, PLC chairman says “We are very thankful to the WSRA for drafting in the support at this critical time on our Railway. The fund raising will allow us to invest to protect. We were very saddened by the land slip and it’s great to see the Railway family coming together to protect our Railway for the future. I hope you can all get behind this appeal. “
Mike Thompson, Chairman of the Heritage Trust says “’clearly this is a vitally important fundraising campaign for the whole railway family, and I encourage all of our supporters to help as much as they can, especially since the WSRA has generously agreed to match fund any donations up to a total of £25K”.
