Turntable Fund

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The Turntable Fund has been responsible for fundraising to purchase and install the turntables at Kidderminster and Bridgnorth. The Fund transferred ownership of Kidderminster Turntable to the Charitable Trust in 2009 but still owns the proposed Bridgnorth Turntable[1][2]

Various articles in SVRSevern Valley Railway News have referred to "The Kidderminster Turntable Fund" and "The Bridgnorth Turntable Fund". These appear to be sub-funds of the Turntable Fund as detailed below.

Origins at Bewdley

The Fund began as The Bewdley Turntable Fund which was launched in autumn 1979 with the intention of acquiring a 70ft vacuum operated turntable. Initial contributions included £2,000 from members and £2,000 from the SVRASevern Valley Railway Association.[3] The turntable was purchased later that year,[4] arriving in June 1980. At that stage the intention was to install the turntable at Bewdley, probably in the Stourport Triangle, as the extension of the Railway through to Kidderminster was then only a possibility.[5] A second smaller turntable ex-Whitchurch had already been acquired by the SVRSevern Valley Railway Company which at that stage was intended for Bridgnorth.[6]

Installation of Kidderminster turntable

Following the opening of Kidderminster in 1984, the Bewdley Turntable Fund’s Committee (John Giles, Paul Burns and Paul Fathers) gave notice in summer 1986 that it was now planned to install the turntable at Kidderminster instead.[7]. Although not announced in SVRSevern Valley Railway News, it appears from subsequent articles that following that decision, the fund name was shortened to The Turntable Fund.

In summer 1991 fundraising was in progress to install the turntable at Kidderminster with donations sought for "The Turntable Fund". The article noted that if successful the Fund would then proceed with 'sorting out' the Bridgnorth table.[5] The Kidderminster turntable project was completed in early 1995.[8]

Acquisition of future Bridgnorth turntable

By spring 1997 fundraising for the second turntable was in progress with donations sought for The Bridgnorth Turntable Fund.[9] This appears to have been a sub-fund of the Turntable Fund, as subsequent articles confirm that the Turntable Fund which acquired the ex-Bristol Bath Road Turntable in spring 1998 was the same body that had previously acquired the Kidderminster turntable.[10].

Transfer of ownership of Kidderminster Turntable

In Winter 2007-8 John Giles, "Chairman of the Turntable Fund", announced that "the trustees of The Kidderminster Turntable Fund" felt it would be in the best interests of both the turntable and the SVRSevern Valley Railway to transfer ownership to the SVR Rolling Stock Trust, should the Trust be willing to accept it. The announcement thanked "...all those who have supported the Turntable Funds over many years".[11]

The transfer of ownership was completed on 15 September 2009. The SVRSevern Valley Railway News article noted that ownership was transferred from "the Turntable Fund", and that the Fund still owned the ex-Bristol Bath Road turntable[1]. Plans for installation of the latter turntable at Bridgnorth were included in the 2016 share issue.

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 SVRSevern Valley Railway News 168
  2. GM's announcement on SVRSevern Valley Railway Live, 25 September 2018
  3. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 53, article by John Giles
  4. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 54, article by John Giles
  5. 5.0 5.1 SVRSevern Valley Railway News 99, article by Paul Fathers
  6. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 56
  7. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 80, article by Paul Fathers
  8. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 118, article by Geoff Longmore
  9. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 122, article by John Giles
  10. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 126
  11. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 160, article by John Giles

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