Joined the @315_class preservation group Facebook page this morning to see if they’d made any further steps to explaining exactly how they want to preserve a unit.

They haven’t.

Disappointing, tbh, but I can’t bring myself to support a group that doesn’t seem to have a plan.

I’d love to see a 315 unit preserved (having grown up with them), but I’m all too aware of the practicalities of vehicle preservation, with almost fifteen(!) years in the sector - around half my life.

Sadly a group that alternates between identical photos and the begging bowl doesn’t inspire confidence. Where questions have been asked the responses are vague and rapidly derail, with no efforts by the admins (“management committee”) to actually provide clarity.

I recognise that not all the detail can be made public, but equally there are ways of giving answers and assurances to those who want to know and *will* support. So I’ll ask @315_class my questions here:

@315_class:
1. Where are conversations with @eversholtrail in terms of acquiring a unit? Is it possible? Rough costs?
2. Has transport been looked at yet, recognising there will likely be a need to do this quickly? (Moving 4 rail vehicles isn’t cheap) Again, rough estimate?

@315_class:
3. Potential home? What facilities are available? Open air storage or indoors? Publicly accessible (pres railway) or private land?
4. Future plans? Operational or static? Mainline? If operational, how is this safely managed? What additional costs?

@315_class:
4.1. If pres, how is lack of 25kV AC managed? How are low voltage batteries charged? How is stock hauled/propelled? Or plans to look at alternative power?
4.2. If Mainline, what steps are being taken to retain compliance?

@315_class:
4.3. More generally, are efforts being made to also acquire spares, manuals and other relevant equipment to ensure longevity? What are storage & security options for this?
5. If full unit cannot be acquired, alternate options for individual cars? The unique trailer?

@315_class:
6. If no acquisition possible at all, what happens to funds raised? Where are they currently held? Future aims for an organisation (e.g. charitable status?)

@315_class:
7. Have alternate options been looked at? Speaking with established electric traction/railway pres groups to be a ‘supporting body’? Lobbying of, say, NRM to take the unique to 315s vehicle?

@315_class:
Finally, 8: if all answers are known why not a bigger push, better fleshed out website & socials? Currently the whole image given off is ‘appreciation society’. There are people with skills out there to create & manage professional look & feel. Currently lacking...!

(Honestly, I really want to support @315_class and see them succeed in their aims but my commitments elsewhere mean I need to have solid & sound grounds to do so. There is far too much “whatifery” in this organisation’s comms.)

Tl;dr: lots of photos, niche auctions and tacky ‘mercy’ won’t buy people into your organisation. You need a transparent and accessible plan and you need to keep on top of people derailing serious questions.

I’ve now directed these questions to the Facebook group, given no answers from @315_class have been forthcoming here. I shouldn’t have to do this. If you have a presence you need to maintain it! This doesn’t bode well tbh.

In railway preservation £1000 is not a massive amount. It is a drop in the ocean. Language means a lot and either the person posting this is naive to the reality or they really do think £1000 is a lot of money.

Oof. I’ve been kicked out of the 315 Group after posting my questions there.

I think that answers them. (Whilst they did give me some brief answers here, kicking someone out of your group is a much louder and bigger one.)

Obviously I haven’t seen this thread because I was kicked out of their group, but to quickly wash up on it all:

No matter how ‘professional’ or knowledgeable you are, you don’t hold platforms that you don’t monitor regularly. Not everyone uses Facebook - it’s a terrible place. https://twitter.com/315_class/status/1314207994792407044

Dedicating all of your time and energy on there and not having these answers on your website, or responding promptly to queries on other platforms you have, does not help your cause. Likewise, removing people who ask questions from your group - not a good look!

I’ve never once called or suggested the organisation is ‘completely clueless’, although my concerns about their comms continue to be proven - and communication is KEY in any kind of group like this. Now is probably a good time to say I advise a couple of groups on comms already. https://twitter.com/315_class/status/1314208635300372487

“Trying to speak with the current owner” is also not something that fills me with confidence to donate money to buy a train. At this very late stage I’d be expecting for communications channels to be open, flowing and a price to have been agreed. These trains are being scrapped.

There is very little prospect for reuse and a scrap price will be known. A preservation price isn’t going to be much different to the scrap price. What is that price? What is the target? Transport costs are meaningless if you’re ‘trying’ to talk to the owner.

Sadly, whilst I wish the group the best of luck with their aims, my mind is now firmly made up, so please don’t worry about passing further info to me. It seems from this thread that others are equally concerned... and that should be a concern. https://twitter.com/315_class/status/1314208829643485185