West Somerset Railway General Discussion

A number of us did, the poor council were drowning in requests. Fortunately, the redacting pen wasn't used very effectively. Hidden details in one document were in plain sight in another.

 

To be honest in this part of the world - I'm in Bristol - as volunteers we are overflowing with opportunity. There's the AVR, Swindon & Cricklade, GWSR, Dean Forest, Pontypool & Blaenafon, Didcot, and Severn Valley all a similar or shorter travelling time to the WSR; and then South Devon, Swanage and Mid Hants not much further, in addition to those you've already mentioned.

 

We at the ESR are always willing to consider new recruits to the footplate crew. You would be more than welcome to come along we we re-open. We, and I expect this is the case with other railways, would expect you to be willing to undertake other work as well e.g. locomotive maintenance and overhaul.

 

Not forgetting Midsomer Norton.

Also I am sure the S&DRT would also welcome you.

 

One very busy line, in the South West, has a volunteer than lives some100 miles away. He has a business which he attends weekdays but weekends he spends at his chosen line - and has done for many years. His travelling is not excessive as he has a caravan in the locality of the line and he and his wife spend the week end there. His wife has no big interest in railways but she manages to enjoy her week ends it appears.

 

MY suggestion would be to take your time. When the various heritage lines are open again, spend a bit of time riding the lines, travel to them from home (and think about doing that for the start of the working day and travelling home at the end of a day). Have a wander around the local area and stay for a day or two in a local B&B and chat to the volunteers doing the sort of role you think you might enjoy.

The G&WSR should be on your list as well.

I’m biassed, of course, as the WSR got under my skin 40 years ago and I’m still here (and at the K&ESR and Swanage Railway!). But I also have good friends across the whole heritage sector.

Hopefully the present difficulties will provide the incentive for some sensible choices for the future, here in Somerset and elsewhere.

Robin

 

I would have thought Swanage could be a possibility, too.

 

Plus consider ownership structures (real estate and equipment) indeed who is "in charge" generally. Far more important than the length of run or the permitted axle load as this unfolding story shows.

 

I don't think so, alas - the phrase 'lipstick on a pig' unfortunately comes to mind. It wouldn't sort out the WSR's culture problems, which I have come to believe are the root of its problems; the current PLC Chair is a problem, but a symptom, not the cause.

I do so wish the WSR could get itself sorted, because it could be an absolute gem of the UK heritage scene; a wonderful, long (by heritage standards) country branch line which retains much of that original atmosphere, in a gorgeous location, etc, etc. But alas, I do believe that until everyone in the WSR is prepared to truly believe and contemplate 'I am part of the problem', it will sadly continue to suffer turmoil, and the resultant issues...

Noel

 

I'm not sure the current chair of the Plc is a symptom of the culture problem generally, more an extra problem in its own right, which has only further shone a light on the culture problem.

 

I'm with @jnc on this - I think the manner of his appointment is a really clear example of the culture problem, and his style has then further entrenched that culture problem. Some of his actions have then created problems of their own.

 

... after which you proceeded to do precisely that, and in the process sparked further pro- and anti- comments, with battle lines clearly drawn through the medium of a "like".

I don't get the endless desire to rake over the coals of past events. Seemingly, nothing happens on the WSR without it fairly rapidly turning into a game of who said what to whom in the past, sometimes for decades past. (As an aside, a comparison was made earlier on the thread to the actions of the late Horace May on the Bluebell, a similarly divisive period. In some ways, our current structure was conceived as a response to that episode, but I have never heard people forty or more years on still finessing over the precise minutiae of the affair, just as the Nabarro issue was undoubtedly significant in SVR history, but you don’t still get “pro” and “anti” camps still arguing).

It's the nature of social media I suspect that positions then get entrenched probably more strongly than either side perhaps intended, but by then the damage is done: the appearance is given of fundamental personality clashes besetting the railway.

Maybe all sides need to realise that in trying to win the battle, they risk losing the war: namely, settling scores from the past isn’t helping make the railway look a welcoming place for future volunteers and donors. Sometimes even those who have played a pivotal role in the past need to consider at what point they continue to add value, and at what point it is time to step aside, proud of the past achievement but giving space for those hoping to tackle the future challenges.

Tom

 

I'm not sure it's even the culture. Having spent many hours reading these threads, I'm reluctantly of the opinion that the real problem is lack of money. As Andy Norman pointed out a few posts above the financial situation has been getting worse for several years and there's nothing like the imminent demise of an organisation to make those in charge grab at any passing white knight brandishing a cheque book, whatever they believe his motives to be, if they think it will save the organisation. And if or when it goes wrong, everyone blames everyone else ad infinitum.

Hope I'm wrong - I'd hate for those rails to go for razorblades.....

 

I observe, though, that this raking over the coals seems to be linked to both personal animosities and conflicting visions for what is necessary to make the WSR successful. In that pursuit, I notice that the key period of "who said what" is the fight against the ex-6+1, and the status that has for the WSRA to be the soul of the WSR. So much of the antagonism seen here and which I can't believe isn't manifested in the politics around the WSR seems anchored in that phase, and the need of individuals to be seen to have been on the "winning" side in that battle. When some of the ultimate "winners" have very different views of how the railway should be run, the ability to claim moral authority from that era seems to be vital.

I wonder if, 5 years after Horace May or Nabarro, the politics of the faction fighting that must have gone on in Bridgnorth and Sheffield Park would have been so little discussed?

However, your final point is absolutely valid - people need to know when they've done their bit, as well as when they need to gird their loins. I fear that wisdom is not always in evidence.

 

I think improved PR is required, and would make a lot of difference to the Plc.

Every day there are businesses making decisions that their employees, customers, people looking from the outside will disagree with. But these businesses don't have forums with 24500 plus posts mostly of comments saying why they disagree with there actions, regular features on local tv and newspapers, and are not in public arguments with journalists, newspapers and MP's. And that's because they conduct themselves in a professional manner to the world outside of there business bubble and don't get themselves into wars with everyone that disagrees with them.

 

But the way it looks there will be no winners, only losers, everyone loses, lets say the PLC does not step back, and it goes to court, and the court finds the PLC at fault, what then, if the PLC does not change, what if it goes in their favour, the WSR will be for ever tainted, In many ways, it pains me to say this, the structure is the problem, everything else is symptoms of that clash of cultures, wrong people making wrong decisions based on personal animosity will only make matters worse.
In some ways, perhaps it needs for the present SWR way of doing things to be swept away, completely, and for a new start, possibly with none of the old personalities, if they as I suspect are part of the problem , but the railway has to collapse before that can happen because people, who mean well, but are possibly miss guided in trying to save what can't be saved, will only try to mask the magnitude of what has gone wrong.

 

Once the victory was achieved over Nabarro, the whole episode was very quickly put to one side, with ALL on the SVR concentrating on moving the railway forward to bigger and better things. Yes, it was a pivotal point in the SVR's history, but it was also the point that 99.9% of those involved with the railway came together as one to fight what was perceived at the time as a common enemy. Afterwards, there was litttle or no recrimination against those who had backed the wrong side. Since that day there has always been a culture of healthy debate of management decisions, by staff and volunteers, without any fear of recrimination.

Andy

 

That's not about PR, but basic competence.

 

Thank you for the clarification; perhaps Nabarro/SVR was a poor example to choose given the division of opinion.

 

...although sadly the S&DRHT seem to developing 'internal problems' of their own, with many long-standing members either leaving or at risk of being thrown out AIUI.