West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Hard to interpret this in any other way. And people expect this behaviour to be funded and hence condoned.

 

After the petition details have been released, let's see who is weeded out from the West Somerset Railway Staff facebook web site. This site is administered by Minehead administration staff.

 

Given that some of the current problems are a direct result of the structure which has led to poor decisions being made it would appear to many that long term survival demands structural change. Without change the WSR may survive - but only to face similar survival problems in the future. Those concerned with the health of the WSR are looking for a full recovery and long term survival rather than a recovery with long term handicaps. The present lockdown appears the best chance to make the necessary changes especially since it is promulgated that post Covid-19 many accepted methodologies will need to change; rather the WSR change to meet the new world rather than have changes forced upon it.

 

A Titanic solution methinks. The Titanic (WSR) is holed and you are suggesting fund raising to buy more pumps to protect the ship whereas what it needs is both a redesign of the vehicle (structure) and a new set of instructions to move forward. In the eyes of many the main problem is the current structure and the personnel making decisions; both aspects need to be changed if the WSR is to survive the current situation.

 

What part of the WSR PLC board structure led to them deciding to serve a 'Notice to Quit' on the SDRT over Washford 7th February served 10th February , and then 1st May stating it will not honour the legal agreement to pay for the overhaul of SDRT owned S&D loco '88'?

What part of the WSR PLC board thought it could make an outrageous claim of some £300,000 profit in March, but not pay some £100,000 to the WSRA for 'Promotions'?

What part of the WSR PLC board thought it could claim a profit of £300,000 in March, but still desperately needs cash to keep it solvent?

Cheers,

Julian

 

I agree to an extent, but the structure could be blamed for allowing that board to be in place in the first place, with little fear of repercussion.

 

What was the story of that?

 

West Country axleboxes. City of Wells had been partially stripped for overhaul at Hawarth and the six large, heavy and expensive bronze axleboxes were simply stolen. A very costly loss and so far as I am aware they disappeared without a trace. If they were ever recovered I never saw any details of it. Richard Greenward and his team may have valued them as valuable axleboxes but others saw them as lower value but rewarding scrap. Just because you might value something does not mean that it is not valued by someone else but for very different reasons. WSR anyone?

 

Hi Alex,

Without wishing to be banned again on here, you have 2 people who invited someone to join the WSR PLC board back in September 2018, and who still post on here, and those 2 people were then dismissed as WSRA trustees for joining the WSR PLC board without nomination from the WSRA (that is probably rather simplistic, but is pretty much what happened). They appeared at the time to be ignorant as to why their 'invitee' was unsuitable, and clouded by other matters, such as loco ownership, or were gullible and appear to remain so.

The fall out from all this is pretty clear to many.

If this breaches The Moderators' strictures I apologise in advance.


Cheers,

Julian

 

With guidance, this discussion has moved on to "what could be done" to make things better. However the only suggestions I've seen need a lot more details:

1. "Kick out the current committee" - ok, but will you like the new one any more? Will the more-vocal members of this discussion actually put themselves forward? If so, how would they do things differently? (and I don't just mean the lease issue).

2. "We need to restructure the organisation" - into what?! What sort of structure would work better and why? How would you persuade *all* the affected existing organisations to accept your proposal and make the necessary legal, personnel and administrative changes?

 

I only recall the theft being reported in the railway press of the time and the then cost of replacement being very high. How much does a WC axlebox weigh?

 

Actually there have been some specific suggestions of actions that could be taken immediately. Now they may seem unlikely to be done by the current regime, but that's on them, *not* potential donors.

 

It is somewhat ironic perhaps that you feel the need to hide under the soubriquet of Monsieur
Chapelon's masterpiece, ( albeit one with only a ten year life) and there are apparently no
details of you accessible on NP.

Another persistent critic of all things WSR hides from sight as a magical tree climber.

What are you all afraid of ?

Bearing in mind your apparent concern at possibly being recognised why do you find
it surprising that 40% of a collection of 'sign ups' should seek anonymity ? There is
no reason to believe that the 200plus fear losing their WSR ID, and that assumes they even
have one.

When the the petition from volunteers to the SCC, against the proposed Freehold disposal,
was opened some years past we were very careful to ensure that each volunteer signed a
sheet of paper that we then submitted to the SCC. Some volunteers were unhappy at
the prospect of signing; they were not part of the completed petition.

Perhaps if 'Mavericks' petition carried names it might have more clout. Similarly if you
did not hide your talents I might take your contributions more seriously. ( use of the
subjunctive perhaps

End of exasperated rant, Michael Rowe

 

Think it was HAWORTH, the Worth Valley Railway is the clue. But being in Yorkshire, it is pronounced as you spelt it.........

 

It is not at all surprising that a lot of the signatories seek anonymity. A few individuals who have dared to criticise the PLC's actions have been sacked. Therefore it is very plausible that signatories of the petition who are current card holders will be likewise sacked if their names become known to the PLC. Not a certainty, of course, but a clear possibility and therefore a risk that they are keen to avoid.

 

Michael, you know very well what people are afraid of - they don't want to lose their ability to work on the WSR by having their ID removed without due process or right to an appeal and shame on you for making light of their genuine concerns.

Normally I would prefer that people put a name in their profile so that they can be addressed properly, however in matters relating to the WSR I can totally understand a position of anonymity.

Oh good. And you have that in writing from JJP and the other members of the PLC board do you? Thought not.
I guess the other volunteers who have had their ID removed thought there was no reason to believe they would lose theirs either. Perhaps if their were robust HR policies in place, that volunteers could rely on to protect them from vindictive actions, then they might feel more confidence in revealing their names, but then on the WSR HR policies apparently only exist if you support the PLC

How do you know that the petition carries no names? Have you seen it? If you read Maverick's posting correctly (as opposed to the spin you'd like to put on it), you'll see that Maverick has identified those who are volunteers by their names, however those names will be anonymous when the petition is forwarded to the relevant parties

Keith

 

I thought in general that volunteers didn't have any rights in the legal sense (bar the ones to be treated with respect etc) and therefore the HR policies wouldn't necessarily apply to them as in theory there is no contract between the firm and the individual.

Happy to be proved wrong by @Robin Moira White

 

That must have been one heck of a car boot to carry six bronze axleboxes. At a guess, probably half a ton. A van, possibly.

 

It is generally found that there are very few traces of me anywhere, and I prefer it that way. My choice.

As far as the WSR goes the more this unresolved saga runs on for the more likely it is to have a damaging impact on the railway heritage movement as a whole. The movement needs funds and to be successful it has to remain credible and viable in the eye of the potential donor. Enough people now have a rather jaundiced view of charities and are very wary when it comes to the groups and organisations that they are prepared to support, call it the lesson of experience. A rather unavoidable part of life.

And finding people to be unwilling to support an organisation that they cannot fully trust is not unusual. If an organisation by its very actions, or lack of them undermines itself to the point where trust and belief in the organisation in question is eroded and diluted then it only has itself to blame for this outcome.