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S&D Railway Trust

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Andy Norman, Feb 24, 2020.

  1. Greenway

    Greenway Part of the furniture

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    Reading the PLC statement below, it seems like the PLC assumes all the assets apparently owned by the S&D Trust, would become theirs. They mention rolling stock being accommodated and an expansion of the Museum. Rather a bold comment to assume someone else's property might become yours. Would the PLC pay for it? Do they have the wherewithal to so so?
    https://www.west-somerset--railway....et-railway-board-statement-regarding-washford
    What better reason needed to support the Trust financially.
     
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  2. 35B

    35B Nat Pres stalwart

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    While I won't argue with your conclusion, I don't think that (disgraceful) statement actually presumes anything about what they will acquire from the S&DRT. The museum is in the station building, so could possibly be expanded. Similarly, the sidings would lend themselves to the sort of uses talked about, while I doubt that replacing the S&DRT shed would cause too many planning issues - though I'm sure the plans for the eviction hope that the S&DRT would sell the building in situ rather than require the WSR plc to build anew.

    However, the overall impression is of a wishlist of things that might happen, not of a coherent plan for why the plc requires control of the site. In particular, I'm struggling to understand how the engineering functions would co-exist with a "visitor attraction", especially with the limited parking on site.
     
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  3. echap

    echap New Member

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    It has crossed my mind that perhaps when whoever decided upon the eviction at Washford, they thought it would not include the sidings and shed and thus the plc would be gifted more sidings and a shed for (.........) activity of their choice.

    Ed
     
  4. Maunsell907

    Maunsell907 Member

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    I had intended to say no more but I think '6960 Raveningham Hall' deserves credit and support.

    I endeavoured in posting No.767 on 24 March to offer some thoughts , including observations as a TTI
    and experiences from the Flying Scotsman visit. I also expressed concerns at the wording of the Plc
    Press Release.

    My reward was for 'Monkey Magic' to brand it a 'Hatchet job' ; apparently from his subsequent postings
    without having read most that I had written. Based on such a reaction and as '6960' has noted the wild
    assertions made wrt the Plc Chair ( how many of these people have actually ever met him ) I can well
    understand why the very few WSR volunteers/ supporters who do actually post on NP would prefer
    not to.

    Another unhelpful set of postings emanate from Messrs Andy Norman and Julian aided and abetted
    by 'Snifter' ? Whereas the continuos failure wrt accuracy in their various posts is unhelpful, the overall
    mantra I suspect has a worse consequence ie to make any discussion twixt the Plc and the S&D Trust
    less likely.

    As a footnote the three gentlemen concerned have at various times referred to the changes in WSRA
    Trustees in 2016 ( particularly the standing down of the 'ex6' , and again there are errors wrt what
    actually occurred ). May I suggest that there was a moral to the events ie if you wish to change the
    Membership of a Governing Body you are more likely to succeed with a friend or supporter within
    than merely hurling abuse from the Terraces.

    Something about p......g inside the tent rather than outside.

    This you will all I am sure be pleased to know will be my last Public utterance on
    the Washford station issue

    Michael Rowe
     
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2020
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  5. RailWest

    RailWest Part of the furniture

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    Part
    of the museum collection is in the station building, but to a large extent the whole site (bar maybe the actual workshops) is part of the Trust' museum and open as such to the public who pay the entrance fee. Also, as I have pointed out previously, several of the buildings - or significant parts thereof - in the yard are in themselves historical S&DJR relics and I doubt that the Trust would want to leave them behind.
     
  6. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Thank you for continuing to participate in this discussion.
    Do you believe that eviction of the Trust would benefit the WSR? If so, how?
    Do you believe that a formal solicitor's letter, without prior discussion or warning, was the right way to go about it?
    Do you deny that the "F.. off" comment was made?
    Or do you believe that the comment was appropriate? If so, why?
    Do you deny that the WSR's HR procedures have been withdrawn?
    Or do you believe that withdrawing them was legitimate?
     
  7. Monkey Magic

    Monkey Magic Part of the furniture

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    Here's the thing, you complain about personal attacks and then promptly engage in personal attacks. You complain about unsubstantiated claims and then make unsubstantiated claims.

    You continue to play the victim about how beastly everyone is about the WSR. You claim to be critical of the board but you do nothing and defend the indefensible actions of the board.

    The question remains - in what way does evicting the S&DRT help the WSR in this period of crisis in the short, medium or long term?
     
  8. dhpaul

    dhpaul Member

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    I am intrigued by your last paragraph, and would like to ask a question.
    Can you give a simple Yes or No answer as to whether you personally are aware of why JJP and/or the plc wish to reclaim the Washford site (no details required, just a simple one word answer).
    If the answer is Yes, then perhaps you might enlighten us all why the reason could not have been made public early on.
    If the answer is No, then perhaps you might enlighten us why you "wholeheartedly support JJP and his board", there must presumably be some bigger picture that is just not obvious to mere plebs like me.
     
  9. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    The PLC statement still does not answer several important questions, such as, were there talks with the S&DJR MT concerning PLC intentions to make use of Washford,? or did the board go straight to route 1, eviction notice? My overriding concern is this, that should the plc be successful in evicting a member of the railway family , what guarantee is there that the next move is against the WSRA, saying it needs the shed and facilities, that's of course assuming, that the railway re opens, I have to say, I don't expect it will, because if this goes legal , the so called railway family will be blown apart, and whilst no body, wants to see it die, it probably has to , in order to sort out the mess, either the railway becomes run on the Dartmouth railway lines, with no supporting group, run by the PLC, or it had to change whereby the supporting charities obtain an controlling interest in the PLC, and become the charity arm of the railway , but theres problems in that route, because, I can't see how any trustee of the groups, who stayed silent, or supported the removal of a railway family member, can ever be trusted again, not only will it need a whole new structure, one organisation, but probably, a whole new trustee board also, who are not tainted by the past.
     
  10. Bayard

    Bayard Well-Known Member

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    As someone who bears no animus against Mr Jones-Pratt and is going entirely by what JJP himself has put into the public domain via his own actions i.e. concerning 4110, Paul Whitehouse and the S&DRT, I find it amazing that anyone is able to support him in the eviction of the S&DRT. I don't need to meet him, I am not interested in what he is like as a person, that is irrelevant. As a supporter of the WSR I am only interested in what he is doing to the Railway.

    I note you continue the totally invalid argument put forward by 6969 Raveningham Hall that beliefs are responsible for the people who believe in them. So what if the all the fools in town are on our side? it doesn't make our arguments any less valid. You also appear to be endorsing another dubious argument on 6960's part, worthy of a politician of the lowest quality, to try and dismiss the complaints about Mr Jones Pratt's behaviour as only coming from people who wish the railway ill , "if you are not with us, you are against us". Well, if this really is the case, then they have an odd way of showing it. If someone really wished the Railway ill and thought that the current Board were running it into the ground, wouldn't they keep very quiet or even make posts in support of the board's actions? As Napoleon said "Never interrupt the enemy when he is busy making a mistake".
     
  11. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    I wonder, when in the fullness of time, and this is all just a dim memory, if it turns out bad for the PLC, how many who support Jones- Pratt and his board , ( not the railway) Will be saying we thought we were doing the right thing ?
     
  12. ross

    ross Well-Known Member

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    I tried this link earlier, quite soon about 5ish. Didn't work. Still doesn't.
    Can anyone suggest what I might be doing wrong? Or has the linked page been taken down?
     
  13. Glenmutchkin

    Glenmutchkin Member

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    Not just me then. I have tried copying the link and using a different browser but not got a result.
     
  14. longdogs

    longdogs New Member

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  15. Glenmutchkin

    Glenmutchkin Member

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  16. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    It's nothing new, the same statement from February that referred to Cuckoos in the nest.
     
  17. ross

    ross Well-Known Member

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    Well, now I've read the board's statement, the scales have fallen from my eyes. What an utter shower this S&DRT lot must be. I mean, what absolutely selfish, self interested b@stards.
    They've been given a fifty year lease on a site they have already maintained and improved for a quarter of a century, but when only two years in, the landlord wants to change the contract, they said no.
    Not only that, they paid the rent in the contract! Seriously, where do these people get off, paying the agreed amount!
    And there's another thing, when the landlord went whining about it's own finances, the S&DRT only went and gave over all the profits from an event held on the land they rented. Otherwise, all the money raised on the site they rented was spent in accordance with the rules that govern their charitable structure! All of it! To help their own site and other causes they support.
    When the landlord was under financial pressure due to its own mismanagement, the S&DRT did nothing. They just sat there obeying the law, and wouldn't commit fraud to help out their old buddy.
    Well, I know where my support is going now, I can tell you
     
  18. jma1009

    jma1009 Well-Known Member

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    If I recall correctly, the 'press statement' referenced today was actually done on 7th February under the name of Mark Smith, WSR PLC director, and coincided with the issuing of the 'Notice to Quit' upon the SDRT at Washford on 10th February by the WSR PLC board's Solicitors Clarke Willmott.

    There was no 'letter before action' from said firm of Solicitors, and the receipt of the 'Notice to Quit' was a considerable shock to the SDRT.

    The SDRT owns everything it has constructed or erected at Washford, under the terms of the 1991 lease, and the 50 year new lease agreed in 2018. It owns the track in the yard, and all the buildings in the yard, and I have stated this numerous times on here.

    If the SDRT goes, through being forced to, the station will be empty as will be the signal box, and there will be nothing in the yard whatsoever - no track, no covered accommodation; nothing.

    The WSR PLC has no claim on any other asset that the SDRT owns, except S&D loco '88' subject to a separate agreement.

    Today's debate reached a low point and nemesis when '6960 Raveningham Hall' described me as an "idiot". I personally don't give a toss what '6960 Raveningham Hall' says about me on here, and hiding behind a pseudonym, but others might take from his comments that the WSR PLC board is employing low tactics to discredit those of us who dare question the WSR PLC board's action over the SDRT and Washford.

    The WSR PLC board IMHO are digging themselves a hole bigger than they will ever get out of over this. Why clever people in the know can't also appreciate this is quite beyond me.

    Cheers,

    Julian Atkins
     
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2020
  19. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    I think that's extremely unfair, and also extremely unhelpful. It merely serves to entrench views on either side. I've really seen little evidence of influencing forces exerted by the board on members posting in their defence here. I just don't buy it. I still think they're wrong, but I do think they have formed their own opinions and not been told from "on high" to come on here and spout the party line. Respectfully engaging with them on the issues might change some minds. Accusing people of being stooges for the WSR Board certainly won't.
     
  20. jma1009

    jma1009 Well-Known Member

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    Really? What about
    Michale.Petersons
    ??

    And I myself was subject to a character assassination by Bob Meanley who is still a WSR PLC board member over support for Andy Norman. Mike Sherwood chose on here to denigrate my support for Andy Norman (that was critical of JJP) on the WSR Operations thread by referencing private messages between myself and Mike Sherwood, and making these public on here, without any prior notification or consent by me.

    Alex, I would like to think that these sort of low tactics did not happen, but I am afraid they do.

    And who put Mark Smith up to that disgusting press statement over the SDRT in February? Mark has fingers in lots of pies, and hither to was highly regarded in the preservation movement, and I was quite shocked that he should be the designated 'frontman' for this most appalling piece of PR from the WSR PLC board, plus that he should be complicit in a WSR PLC board decision at some haste to serve a statutory 'Notice to Quit' on the SDRT over Washford.

    Cheers,

    Julian
     
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2020
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