West Somerset plc generates a profit

Numbers helped by running fewer trains than pre-pandemic levels, while generating increased revenue.

THE West Somerset Railway plc has reported a small profit for the month of June – at a time when Britain’s longest standard gauge heritage line continues to reposition itself in the changing world of Covid-19.

In a letter to volunteers and staff, WSR plc chairman Jon Jones-Pratt said: “Our financial results look encouraging. The results for the month of June show a small profit of £2524 compared to a budgeted loss of £110,120.

“Fare income was £80,301 in June 2021 compared with a budget of £45,640. The budget was anticipating a 50% reduction due to Covid-19 restrictions and reduced capacity. However, a significant number of the trains that ran during the month were close to full capacity!

“Income in June was boosted by works we completed on the Seaward Way level crossing of £25,955, retail income of £28,183, plus restoration income of £11,607. Overall, this is a great result and puts us in a good position for the rest of the year.

Investment

“Of course, there is still much to do. We have launched a

£1M ‘SOS’ appeal to keep the railway operational into next year and to ensure we have the resources to improve the track. We still need regular donations to this campaign, and these can be made to the plc direct, or through the WSR Association or the WSR Heritage Trust.”

Jon concluded: “The overall message is that we are looking to invest much more in our railway, in the track, the stock, the infrastructure and our heritage. The pandemic has been a big blow to us all, but we now intend to build back stronger than before. We intend firmly that the West Somerset Railway will retain its place as one of the country’s premier heritage lines. We have everything going for us. Thank you so much, yet again, for your work and support and let’s keep it going!”

As of August 9, the SOS appeal stood at £36,021.44, so 7.2% of the £500k interim target, and 3.6% of the £1 million total.

A notable £20 donation came from a nine-year-old girl who likes the WSR and kindly asked her grandmother to donate some money to the ‘SOS’ appeal in lieu of her birthday present.

In results which appear to echo one of the messages in John Heaton’s feature on p44 of this issue, on Tuesday and Wednesday August 3 and 4, the WSR exceeded its fares takings for the same period in 2019, but when running half of the ‘normal’ timetabled services.

Excursions

The WSR’s operations have been further boosted by incoming main line charter trains. The first such trip of the season came on July 24, when the Railway Touring Company (RTC) brought 300 passengers on its ‘West Somerset Steam Express’ excursion from London Paddington, hauled by ‘Jubilee’ No. 45596 Bahamas. The tour was repeated on August 14.

■ See also feature on p44.