West Somerset Steam Railway Trust
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The West Somerset Steam Railway Trust is a group based on the preserved West Somerset Railway. It a registered charity and one of the oldest institutions on the line, being formed in November 1972 with the intention of running summer steam services alongside the year-round commercial WSR company operations. The Trust became moribund and in the mid-1980s was revitalized to coincide with the GW150 celebrations. It is now concerned with the historical and educational aspects of railway preservation in West Somerset and since 1984, has made financial contributions to the restoration of GWR steam locomotives 4561 and 4160, rescued the unique GWR sleeping car, established a GWR museum, registering system and archive; published information leaflets and advised on historical matters. Its newsletter, TRUST NEWS, is sent to members and associate members occasionally and contains news, information, comment and historical articles. The Trust is one of the largest shareholders in the current WSR Plc.
Among the Trust’s current aims are: • To restore the 1897 GWR sleeping car 9038 and GW Toplight coach 3639. • To administer the museum at Blue Anchor railway station • To assist with other projects such as the restoration of steam locomotives and other historic railway items to be used or displayed in West Somerset • To act as a repository for the safekeeping of items of railway interest which may be donated, loaned or bequeathed. • To research the history of the Minehead branch. The Trust has recently published an extensive history of the railway.
The Trust is administered by five voluntary directors and cannot dispose of items it owns, so gifts and bequests remain safe for the future. In the unlikely event of the Trust being wound up, its property could only be passed to another similar trust. Because of this, people who have collected railway items, rolling stock or shares etc which they wish to remain safe for the future may feel that a charitable body such as the Trust is the best organisation to which to bequeath them.
