1 Trustees
Custodial Trustees P D Falla M J Palmer [decsd 27.5.99]
D Milton M Beale [appt 10.4.99]
Trust Committee (Management Trustees)
Officers Dr P E Cattermole (Chairman) M J Palmer (Secretary) [decsd 27.5.99]
M Lewis (Treasurer) [resigned 14.1.99] P Chopping (Treasurer) [appt. 10.4.99]
Members G R Baker C Porter [appt. 10.4.99]
M Gates B R J Smith [appt. 10.4.99]
A Hammond [resigned 15.1.99] J M Smith
Mrs R Jacob M P Stroud [resigned 10.4.99]
R W Pitman I M Young ( vice-chairman )
2 Status
The Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust ( the Trust ) is a Registered Charity number 265098. It is governed by a Constitution which was last amended by the members of the Trust in General Meeting on 10 April 1999. The principal location of the Trust is The Railway Station Washford Watchet Somerset TA23 0PP.
3 Organisation and Management
The property of the Trust is held by the Custodial Trustees in trust for the Trust in accordance with Clause 6J of the Constitution. The management of the Trust is vested in the Trust Committee which is responsible for the administration of the Trust affairs and for the general policy of the Trust in accordance with Clause 3B of the Constitution. During 1999, the Trust Committee met formally on seven occasions: 10 January, 13 February, 28 March, 9 May, 17 July, 5 September and 7 November. Three Custodial Trustees and the Curatorial Adviser attended the meeting of 10 January. The Trust Committee and its Museum Curators take advice as a Registered Museum (No 851) from its Curatorial Adviser, D Dawson of Somerset County Museum Service.
4 Membership
As at 1 August 1999, there were 429 Ordinary, 232 Family, 174 Senior, 2 Junior and 18 Corporate Members, total 855. 80 Members had joined since 1 August 1998 and 80 Members had left. The number of Ordinary members had fallen by 31 in the year, whilst senior members had increased by 19.
5 Objects
The Objects of the Trust are for the public benefit as defined in its Constitution.
A To form and maintain a museum for the exhibition of items of historic interest formerly belonging to old railways and in particular, but not exclusively, the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway, including signs, signals, posters, records and books, photographs, machinery, models, rolling stock, locomotives and buildings, such museum to be open to the public.
B To educate the general public in old railways railway history and in particular, but not exclusively, the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway and to show how these railways affected the industry of the area.
6 Activities in 1999
a) Management changes
The death of the Trust's long-serving Honorary Secretary and Trustee, Mike Palmer, deprived the Trust of a highly significant thread of continuity with the former Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway and with the Trust's origins and growth. Mike Palmer's work has been shared out amongst members of the Management Committee during 1999, there being no other volunteers offering to take on the vital jobs he carried out with such enthusiasm, skill and devotion for so long.
The Trust was sorry to lose its former Treasurer, Murray Lewis, at the beginning of the year. Murray's wise advise and prudent financial management has been of steadfast importance to the continued success of the Trust. A new Honorary Treasurer, Phil Chopping was appointed at the Annual General Meeting. He has steered the Trust during 1999 through several major changes in accounting practices, including the setting-up of new interest-bearing banking accounts and the transfer of the manually-based accounting systems to computer. Through the last of these, the Management Committee has been able to be provided with accurate fiscal data on a monthly basis thereby maximising the Trust's cashflow to the benefit of its Charitable Objects.
The Officers of the Trust are grateful for considerable practical assistance and support of Members of the Management Committee, new and old, throughout a difficult year.
b) Publications
Pines Express
The year has seen setbacks in the production of the Pines Express magazine and, instead of catching up on the backlog incurred in 1998, production dates slipped further. This has been due to pressures on the time of the Editor who has to spend many evenings working or travelling late on behalf of his employer. In addition there has been a poor response from the membership in terms of new material for publication. This has caused problems in completing some issues with suitable copy. The latter circumstances have also caused some concern with some contributors whose material may not have been used for editorial reasons. Efforts have been made to maintain the high standards previously set for content and presentation and these have been largely successful from comments received. Some criticism has been levelled that the content has been 'wallowing in nostalgia' rather than featuring original research. This is true but illustrates the problem of what is on offer rather than any editorial constraints. Nevertheless the year has seen some notable contributions from members.
The year's events have brought home to the Management Committee the realisation that there are limits on people's time and the new sources of material that may be available for publication in the future. The role of the Trust is, inevitably, changing and the magazine has to change to reflect this. The decision to publish four times a year instead of six should, therefore, be regarded as a positive step towards catering for the membership in the year 2000 and beyond and not merely as a catching-up exercise. The intention is to maintain standards and quality of contributions so the message to the membership is to keep writing articles.
Other
The Trust published a special colour calendar in the autumn for the millennium year. Books and copies of Pines Express have been donated to Somerset schools to the value of £250.
c) Electronic services
The purchase of a computer system for the Photographic Curator has enabled rapid progress to be made with the re-cataloguing of the photographic collection. Selected images are being scanned and stored digitally for future use. Work began in 1999 on transferring information from the Highbridge Registers into an electronic database.
In December, the Trust purchased the webdomain http://www.sdrt.org and a series of webpages is being developed. A discussion group for members SDJR@onelist.com has also been set up. It is hoped that these initiatives will soon provide wordwide access to aid fulfilment of the Trust's Educational Object.
d) Exhibitions, Seminar, Meetings and Publicity
The twenty-first Annual Model Railway Display, held at Edington, was very well attended by exhibitors, Trust members and the public. A special train organised by the Trust under the 2-8-0 Hire Agreement ran on the West Somerset Railway on March 13. Nearly 100 men and women who worked on the S & D Railway attended the Trust's sponsored Reunion held at Bath Green Park Station on 20 June 1999. There was good local coverage in the press, with the occasion providing a rich and enjoyable experience of oral history.
Educational meetings have been held on a regular basis by a number of Area Groups of the Trust, which are especially active in Dorchester, Bath, Winchester, London and, until the death of Mike Palmer, Bridgwater. These meetings took a variety of forms including illustrated talks on railways, exhibitions of memorabilia and visits.
d) Washford Museum
The number of visitors to the Museum declined in 1999 to 3,104 (1998 - 3975). Total receipts from sales, donations and collectors' corner also fell: £7516, down from £9153 in 1998. Whilst the figures are somewhat disappointing and are mirrored by other visitor numbers in West Somerset, they were nevertheless only achieved thanks to the devoted volunteers who not only gave of their time but also of their pockets to ensure that the Museum was open every day the WSR ran trains from March to October.
During the summer, the Museum was twice forcibly entered. Four totems : Bath Green Park, Templecombe, Stalbridge, Highbridge for Burnham-on-Sea and a pocket watch SDJR No 53 were stolen in the first burglary, and the photoCD player in the second. Other premises along the railway were also repeatedly forcibly entered. A RedCare security alarm has now been installed at considerable cost and future inconvenience.
An extensive collection of SDJR paperwork (Traffic Notices, Timetables and Control Office documents dating back to 1900) was purchased at the end of the year. McKenzie & Holland square tablet Blandford-Shillingstone no. 11 was purchased at auction in the summer. A number of small items have been donated.
On 22 June, the Museum achieved Full Registration (subject to action) under the Phase 2 of MGC scheme. As part of the action required, some amendments to the Museum Acquisitions and Disposal Policy will be necessary and will be presented to the membership at the AGM in 2000.
The LSWR Roadvan restoration has progressed well and should be completed by early in 2000. Repainting and refurbishment of other rolling stock is continuing, but the lack of volunteers has slowed progress. LMS Boxvan No. 179162 at Washford has been purchased from the Estate of the late Mike Palmer. Locomotive Kilmersdon was loaned to the Bristol Industrial Museum during the autumn, where she steamed successfully along the Harbour Railway. A private charter by the Headmasters' Conference was very favourably received. Earlier in the year, this locomotive had again become Percy during the WSR's Friends of Thomas weekend. The WSRA's Youth Group, Trackers , have become regular visitors to Washford. They have offered their support to the development of the Peat Works Railway Exhibition in 2000.
A full insurance survey was carried out in the spring as part of insurance rebroking. An informal independent safety audit of the sidings, shed and workshops has been carried out during the summer. Sensible advice was received and an action plan drawn up. two members attended a HRA Locomotive and Boiler Maintenance Seminar in October.
Coach Restoration
No. 4.
The project team has concentrated on refurbishment and refitting of the door. Visible progress therefore has been less than in previous years. The coach remains on display in the shed during its restoration. The process of obtaining the necessary safety case documentation for possible passenger use has been started.
No 98.
Tender documents and specifications were issued near the end of 1999 for the restoration and conversion of this coach.
No 114. Fs
This coach is standing sheeted outside. It is hoped to bring it inside during 2000.
Wells Brakevan, No 9.
It is expected to be able to rescue this grounded vanbody from its location in Highbridge in the early spring. A dry storage location has been provided by a Somerset member.
e) Fund Raising
In 1999 the "200 Club" generated £1546 in income. The Club has 25 members. Prize money awarded was £732.
f) Promotional Sales
Sales at Washford and by post are the provider of much needed funds to the Trust and are vital for the continued prosperity of the organisation, enabling it better thereby to fulfil its objectives.
The second-hand book outlet Collectors' Corner realised £530 (£363 in 1998). This welcome increase resulted from the donation of good quality books for resale.