S&D Railway Trust

Are we allowed to still visit the S&D Museum when service starts again. I hade wanted to visit but not had chance until this year.

 

Who would stop you?

Keith

 

It may be worse than that - because what is the PLC getting out of this? I can't imagine that having the station back will allow them to raise a lot of money, in some fashion. About the only possible mechanism I can work out is that when the PLC goes around to constituent groups with a begging bowl, they're more likely to cough up.

So if this isn't actually a serious attempt to get more money somehow, then reading the PLC's own statement ('cuckoos', etc) gives one the distinct impression that it's merely sheer pique - which is even worse than being willing to use whatever means are available to bring in cash in a desperate situation.

Noel

 

Good question, very good question.

The railway is in doo-doo - agreed

Sorting out the situation, whoever did it, may well result in at a minimum ruffled feathers, at a maximum some falling outs.

But as you say why would a cash strapped company want to evict a tenant even if they were not particularly remunerative, where will they get the money to do something with the site?

More importantly if the S&DRT wont go, and I think that Charity Law will force the trustees to stand their ground, could they even manage to get the case to court, as the Trust may be able to require the PLC to make payments in to Court as they would have strong case that the PLC may not be able to pay their costs if they lost.

 

I am aghast at the Washford situation. To me the S&D group at Washford was another reason to visit the WSR. It pains me, having been and travelled on WSR every year since 1976 (age 9); I won't be going this year. Clearly that will change if there's an outbreak of common sense around the Washford upset. !

So, I have joined the group at Washford and will make a visit there, by service bus.

 

Quite so. If there was another tenant lined up, they would be well advised to get a watertight lease agreed, with severe penalties for breach. In this case though, it appears that someone in the reigning cabal has decided to reclaim the site, by grossly inflating the rent, followed by an eviction notice. The actions are crass, and I seriously question the motives of the small group in control of the PLC. Shareholders should convene an EGM and kick them out.
Robin L.

 

I cannot say whether either are likely, but for sure I can say both are highly desirable.... Make it happen.
Robin L.

 

It isn't really a question of who has the most money to fight a legal battle.... WSR PLC isn't exactly rich with cash to spend on such legal nonsense.
Robin L.

 

If the S&DRT need help to return the site to fallow field, I hope we will all try to assist.
Robin L.

 

The issue is not the WSR.... it is the goons that are currently in charge.
Robin L.

 

My thoughts are that a "management team" would have far more pressing things to deal with to keep the WSR in business. Whatever the motive here, I think it is just sheer spite.
Robin L.

 

Precisely my point. Meaning the financial risk of action against the plc is increased by the question of whether they could afford to meet the terms of any judgment, should it go that far.


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Isn't a 'cuckoo in the nest' an outsider who moves in and starts kicking out members of the family? If anyone in this miserable story merits that description, I can't see how it's the S&DRT.

 

Yes I agree. Many internally including me have tried to bring common sense to bear but now I don't think for one second the decision is going to be reversed. After hearing of another very recent communication the S&DRT have just received and its tone, plus having just been emailed about another new nonsense reason to remove the S&DRT (which having checked the facts directly with the people concerned is a fabrication) being spouted internally by the PLC Chairman to justify his actions*, I'm also now convinced in my opinion that the only way forward is for the removal of a small number of people from the PLC Board.

This way of acting is not who the WSR are, its a great place full of dedicated people who love doing what they do. Unless the shareholders stand up to their responsibilities and the stakeholders and any other concerned people write to, lobby and generally make their views known in my opinion at best the WSR will be tarnished and have its reputation damaged beyond repair. At worst, if any legal case brought in defence finds against the WSR then this is likely to bankrupt it, meaning the WSR will close either permanently or until a phoenix can be brought from the ashes, and nobody wants that. "Speak now or forever hold your peace".

*Interestingly this new reason for removal in my humble opinion also further undermines the legal rationale for the eviction notice as its about getting money from the S&DRT for something that's in 'another' contract they have with the S&DRT.

 

The whole Somerset 'soap opera' has become utterly tiresome - and that's to an outsider, goodness knows what it's like to those on the ground. From the 'old' WSRA trying to grab the freehold, then the ensuing civil war inside the WSRA... up to the targeting of the perfectly harmless SDRT. Will it never end? I know the regular workers will say that the ordinary people (volunteers and paid staff) of the WSR mostly get on well, just keep their noses down and get on with it, and things are mostly fine inside - and I'm sure they're right. But the drama never ends... and I don't think it's the water! The immediate causes of any of these episodes appear plain (in this particular case, the gamble on the new Chair may not have been a success); and there are clearly long-term structural challenges (the governance structure issues; a long line; dropping passenger numbers); but why the seemingly un-ending problems? Is it just bad luck, or is there some other underlying issue or issues (above and beyond the long-term issues above)? If so, unless it's identified and sorted, this will go on. Or is it just the combination of the identified long-term issues?

Well, I don't have any answers, but I do wish all the best for the line, and its hard-working and dedicated workers (volunteer and paid).

Noel

 

Now the steam press have brought it to the attention of the general public

I doubt that the general public read Steam Railway

 

Certainly some painful but necessary steps were taken.

But how, exactly, did kicking the SDRT out help?

I can see an argument that says 'well, the kind of person you need to take the painful steps is going to be liable to do the other thing too'; I guess everyone just has to hope that they don't also do something even more damaging.

Noel

 

In what way is the eviction of the S&D from Washford necessary to enable the survival of the WSR?

If we are sticking with medical analogies, it seems akin to cutting off a patients legs at the knees when the problem is with the head. A treatment that serves no useful purpose and doesn’t make the patient better.

 

Precisely! Words including "pot" and "kettle" come to mind.