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Joined the @315_class preservation group Facebook page this morning to see if theyâd made any further steps to explaining exactly how they want to preserve a unit.
They havenât.
Disappointing, tbh, but I canât bring myself to support a group that doesnât seem to have a plan.
They havenât.
Disappointing, tbh, but I canât bring myself to support a group that doesnât seem to have a plan.
Iâd love to see a 315 unit preserved (having grown up with them), but Iâm 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 doesnât inspire confidence. Where questions have been asked the responses are vague and rapidly derail, with no efforts by the admins (âmanagement committeeâ) 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 Iâll 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 isnât cheap) Again, rough estimate?
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 isnât 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?
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?
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?
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?)
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 âsupporting bodyâ? Lobbying of, say, NRM to take the unique to 315s vehicle?
7. Have alternate options been looked at? Speaking with established electric traction/railway pres groups to be a âsupporting bodyâ? 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 âappreciation societyâ. There are people with skills out there to create & manage professional look & feel. Currently lacking...!
Finally, 8: if all answers are known why not a bigger push, better fleshed out website & socials? Currently the whole image given off is âappreciation societyâ. 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 âwhatiferyâ in this organisationâs comms.)
Tl;dr: lots of photos, niche auctions and tacky âmercyâ wonât buy people into your organisation. You need a transparent and accessible plan and you need to keep on top of people derailing serious questions.
Iâve now directed these questions to the Facebook group, given no answers from @315_class have been forthcoming here. I shouldnât have to do this. If you have a presence you need to maintain it! This doesnât bode well tbh.
In railway preservation ÂŁ1000 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 ÂŁ1000 is a lot of money.
Oof. Iâve 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.)
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 havenât seen this thread because I was kicked out of their group, but to quickly wash up on it all:
No matter how âprofessionalâ or knowledgeable you are, you donât hold platforms that you donât monitor regularly. Not everyone uses Facebook - itâs a terrible place. https://twitter.com/315_class/status/1314207994792407044
No matter how âprofessionalâ or knowledgeable you are, you donât hold platforms that you donât monitor regularly. Not everyone uses Facebook - itâs 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!
Iâve never once called or suggested the organisation is âcompletely cluelessâ, 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
âTrying to speak with the current ownerâ is also not something that fills me with confidence to donate money to buy a train. At this very late stage Iâd 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 isnât going to be much different to the scrap price. What is that price? What is the target? Transport costs are meaningless if youâre âtryingâ 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 donât 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
