If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by gwr4090, Nov 15, 2007.

  1. Roland Bushell

    Roland Bushell New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2019
    Messages:
    22
    Likes Received:
    30
    Location:
    Minehead
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    £38.50 if travelling at peak with the donation/discount option ticked. While the price seems steep to me, the option to donate and gift aid to be declared all built into the ticketing app does look very professional and must help revenue generation.

    https://www.nymr.co.uk/pages/category/book-tickets
     
    malcolm imps and Barrie the Beer like this.
  2. tracker

    tracker Member

    Joined:
    Aug 3, 2014
    Messages:
    464
    Likes Received:
    874
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired IT manager
    Location:
    Essex
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    No
     
  3. tracker

    tracker Member

    Joined:
    Aug 3, 2014
    Messages:
    464
    Likes Received:
    874
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired IT manager
    Location:
    Essex
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Still waters run deep then...
    Robin L.
     
  4. Kempenfelt 82e

    Kempenfelt 82e New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2008
    Messages:
    154
    Likes Received:
    291
    Location:
    Bristol / Priddy
    I don’t believe i’ve seen anybody taking delight at the recent events on the WSR. It’s very much been the opposite with people expressing their concerns.

    I previously have stayed out of WSR politics as I have several other charitable project that take up my time. However I don’t believe the latest developments are good for the WSR and can’t sit back and watch any longer. So I have put my money where my mouth is, signed up to the S&DRT and offered my help and support. Time which would be much better spent elsewhere! However I can’t stand back, put my head in the sand and watch a long time supporter of the WSR be evicted from their home.

    If people feel i’ve Misread the situation then please feel free to explain the positives against.
     
  5. 6960 Raveningham Hall

    6960 Raveningham Hall Member Friend

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2016
    Messages:
    713
    Likes Received:
    1,033
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired.
    Location:
    Near St. Austell, Cornwall.
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I certainly cannot agree with that statement. In an earlier post I referred to ‘WSR haters’. I am happy to admit that my choice of word was not well advised and I apologise for using it.

    However, in my opinion, there are a small group of members of this forum who seem to jump at any opportunity to hit our Railway with a big stick. Over the past couple of weeks these individuals, led by their modern-day Pied Piper, seem to have taken some pleasure from the current situation and are using it to their advantage. They will not rest until our Chairman and his Directors are driven out.

    Don’t get me wrong, I greatly regret the situation we are in and agree with those who say that it has been handed appallingly. I also believe that one day all the facts will be made public and some on here may have cause to regret their behaviour and some of their statements.
     
    SteveA, Miff, 1472 and 5 others like this.
  6. 6960 Raveningham Hall

    6960 Raveningham Hall Member Friend

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2016
    Messages:
    713
    Likes Received:
    1,033
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired.
    Location:
    Near St. Austell, Cornwall.
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I say this as someone who was very disappointed at the departure of 4110 and made my feelings known at the time, both by pledging cash to the fund and also by commenting on this forum.

    I did, however, receive an ‘utterly convincing explanation’ in a personal message through NP which completely changed my mind.

    That message, clearly labelled as confidential, was from Mike Sherwood, who is currently the acting Chairman of the WSRA. Sadly, Mike, known on here as @aldfort, departed the forum recently, apparently due in part to some of the activity on this thread.
     
    michaelh likes this.
  7. 6960 Raveningham Hall

    6960 Raveningham Hall Member Friend

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2016
    Messages:
    713
    Likes Received:
    1,033
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired.
    Location:
    Near St. Austell, Cornwall.
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Wonder all you like.

    This forum allows members to communicate confidentially, and I often wish that others would use it instead of engaging in public discussions which are only of interest to the two parties participating.

    For the record, Mike responded to me in exactly the same way as he would to anybody else, having first satisfied himself that I was genuinely passionate about our Railway and was someone who wouldn’t put details of a private conversation into the public domain.
     
    1472, michaelh and toplight like this.
  8. daveb

    daveb Member

    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2005
    Messages:
    943
    Likes Received:
    484
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Wimborne, Dorset
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I've just discovered the latest WSRA newsletter in my email SPAM folder. If you are a member, receive newsletters by email and use gmail, suggest that you check your spam folder.

    No comment made on the S&DRT eviction, but a couple of items to note. Firstly, the AGM is being held at 14:00 on Friday 10th July. OK, the railway isn't running that day so any members who are volunteers will be able attend, but it will no doubt reduce attendance from those of us who work for a living. Does the WSRA expect any members who are interested in attending to take a day off work to do so? Not a good move, in my view.

    Secondly, the chairman isn't the only trustee to have recently resigned. I won't name names, but the information has already been filed at Companies House.
     
    ghost likes this.
  9. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2015
    Messages:
    9,186
    Likes Received:
    7,226
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Thorn in my managers side
    Location:
    72
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    But is that particularly significant and if so why?
     
  10. 1472

    1472 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2008
    Messages:
    1,898
    Likes Received:
    2,517
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    "Publicity turns doubts into facts" - that is an incredible statement! - it might though help to explain the interest in conspiracy theories which some folk on here appear to relish.

    Like others I am tiring of the WSR bashing crusade & on the point of ceasing viewing Nat Pres.
     
  11. Blackdown Boy

    Blackdown Boy New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2019
    Messages:
    62
    Likes Received:
    88
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired and retiring from volunteering soon.
    Location:
    Devon
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer

    Me too.
     
  12. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2015
    Messages:
    9,186
    Likes Received:
    7,226
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Thorn in my managers side
    Location:
    72
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Sorry, my typo, what I mean is that the behaviour went from being a bit 'off' but something you could not necessarily put a finger on to clearly unacceptable.

    I have no anti WSR agenda, I simply want to ensure its survival, and I can see the whole S&DRT bringing the line down
     
  13. 35B

    35B Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2011
    Messages:
    25,493
    Likes Received:
    23,730
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Grantham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    You may want to read what [mention]johnofwessex [/mention]actually wrote, then reread the WSR plc statement, on their website, then consider why someone not closely linked might just think something was badly wrong.

    There’s been a drip, drip, drip of concerns, all below the line, but leaving those of us looking from afar uneasy. Then something like that is published in the plc’s name. That’s why I and I suspect others are commenting, not because we believe in some weird conspiracy theory.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     
  14. Monkey Magic

    Monkey Magic Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2018
    Messages:
    3,498
    Likes Received:
    6,845
    Location:
    Here, there, everywhere
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Funny how you don’t respond to the sentence that follows.

    It is really ironic how you complain about how all the critics have an agenda, while simultaneously maintaining your own agenda of attacking anyone who dares to be critical of the WSR as a conspiracy theorist, on a bashing crusade, etc. Your own bashing crusade of anyone critical. All of which makes you a massive hypocrite.
     
  15. 1472

    1472 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2008
    Messages:
    1,898
    Likes Received:
    2,517
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I return to the concept of what is actually a "fact". Some folk on here seem to be having trouble with the concept.
     
  16. 1472

    1472 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2008
    Messages:
    1,898
    Likes Received:
    2,517
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    A very adequate illustration of just why this thread has become a complete time waster.
    Bye.
     
  17. echap

    echap New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2009
    Messages:
    168
    Likes Received:
    396
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Church Volunteer
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    What is sad is in all this discussion, is that items of good news are being overlooked. There is the rebuilt cattle dock (could we have an update please), the coaches looking their best for a long time, the excellent initiative with National Rail recently and the work done on the track all come to mind.

    The behaviour of WSR Plc then seems, to me at least, all the more bizarre for the damage it is doing/has done to the railway and perhaps more importantly to the goodwill of enthusiasts across the country.

    Equally, I appreciate that regular volunteers are probably going about their duties as usual and the trains will run for the enjoyment of visitors through the year.

    I just wish that there could be a prolonged period of good news coming out of West Somerset.

    Ed
     
  18. RailWest

    RailWest Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2011
    Messages:
    3,803
    Likes Received:
    7,441
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    West Country
    On the assumption that you are talking about Stogumber, then surely that work is primarily the result of efforts (and funds!) from the 'Friends' of SR and not really a PLC initiature/venture at all ? But I stand to be corrected.....
     
  19. Another Yorkshireman

    Another Yorkshireman Member Friend

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2014
    Messages:
    301
    Likes Received:
    688
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    To change the subject, may I record something remarkable, something which many who do not work on the WSR, and some who do, will be unaware of. Today about 30 WSR volunteers and staff, mainly from the Minehead end and mainly those involved with administration, finance, Readers Halt, etc., gathered in the Turntable Café to mark the retirement of Hein Burger after forty years of volunteering on the WSR. A native of the Netherlands, as a child he had hidden under the floorboards while the occupying Nazis searched for young men to take to labour camps. He joined the Dutch Navy, rose to be a Captain and was latterly based in the UK, where he chose to stay when he retired. Coming to Minehead with an open mind, he joined the fledgling WSR approx. 1980 and has been a WSR volunteer ever since. I have only been privileged known him for 12 years of those years, but I know that he has been an ever present on the railway, week in, week out, seven days a week. A one time DMU driver, and Assistant Manager for a time, he has played a huge part in the financial day to day running of the railway and has set an example of dedication and commitment as a volunteer which few could match. I imagine that his remarkable career will be given full coverage in the WSRA magazine and the Railway Press by better informed authors and those who have known Hein for most or all of those 40 years, but in these controversial times I hope contributors to this site might stop for a moment and contemplate the magnitude and significance of Hein’s input over most of the WSR’s existence.
     
    Last edited: Mar 6, 2020
    malcolm imps, mdewell, daveb and 50 others like this.
  20. echap

    echap New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2009
    Messages:
    168
    Likes Received:
    396
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Church Volunteer
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Sorry, I was not clear. I was not thinking of the Plc for the good news, just stuff I had read about on here and places like wsr.org.uk. Yes, recognition should go to the appropriate people/groups and my apologies to anyone offended or who feels left out.

    Ed
     

Share This Page