West Somerset Railway shares

vmaxnick

If one were to have inherited some WSR shares, with badges and rail warrants which come with them, could somebody please advise if they actually have a re-sale value, and if so, where to advertise them?

dunstonh

spam reported

vmaxnick

My original post on this subject was over 3 years ago so I think that the not posting the same thread more than once rule doesn't apply?

vmaxnick

I have read elsewhere in this forum of de-listed shares. Would WSR shares be the same as de-listed shares? If this is the case, then I understand the shares still represent the value in terms of company share you just cannot trade them on the stock market. If you don't trade on the stock market, where on earth do you trade, ebay?

fwor

As WestonDave said in your previous thread on this subject two years ago:

"The plc won't have any significant assets (and none that are saleable) and as there is no dividend stream from the shares they are to all intents and purposes worthless. If they were first issue ones you might find someone would be interested in owning some for a small cost, but in reality they are a souvenir of a donation rather than an investment. Many of these heritage lines have these share issues as a means of raising a sum for a certain project - if you have a £1m share issue towards extending the line to the next station it gives it a defined edge. Probably the only one ever vaguely worth owning for investment reasons is/was the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam railway which has always been run on a commercial basis rather than as a preservation charity. Even then I suspect there is little value in the shares."

As far as I can tell, their main assets are two engines, which probably have no value to anyone other than other heritage line charitable trusts. They don't even own the line at the moment - it is currently leased from the local council, it seems.

I guess you could try the adverts section of one of the railway magazines - though even there you would have to convince someone that the shares have commercial value - which looks to be an uphill task to me...

jimjames

vmaxnick wrote: »

If one were to have inherited some WSR shares, with badges and rail warrants which come with them, could somebody please advise if they actually have a re-sale value, and if so, where to advertise them?

Ebay? Railway enthusiast forums? But if they're worthless then unlikely anyone would look to pay much for them unless there is some interest in the certificate itself

diamonds

Given the local authority own the freehold and could be sold at anytime and the WSR (a leased asset of lines is a major asset) could too with or after freehold sale, even a renationalisation or local or regional local authority plan they are worth more than just what their worth now, keep them safe, you never know

LHW99

May be worth checking if they entitle you to a free ride on the trains every now and then - NN Railway shares do if you have more than a certain number.

eskbanker

Since the target audience is likely to be those who are enthusiastic about this line, why not try contacting people at Friends of West Somerset Railway, West Somerset Railway Association, the unofficial forum or the West Somerset thread on National Preservation?

diamonds

LHW99 wrote: »

May be worth checking if they entitle you to a free ride on the trains every now and then - NN Railway shares do if you have more than a certain number.

And no late train for a free ride, quite the bargain them shares

vmaxnick

As I have 10,000 shares, they are a 'Silver rail Warrant' which does entitle people to travel the line. I don't quite understand how they can be 'shares' but have no commercial value. I know that my father thought he was buying a share in something, but then he was a pensioner. I have discovered that they are not listed on any stock market, but for an enthusiast wishing to 'buy' the travel warrant perhaps. You can transfer the shares, but won't get much help from the 'friends' of WSR as they want you to just give them back. I suppose the bay is the place. If somebody knows the definitive status of these 'shares' I would appreciate a heads up. I'm still no wiser as to why a long, long time contributor to the forum reported me as a spammer?
(I'm going to give the unofficial forum a try)