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West Somerset Railway General Discussion

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

  1. Triumph 2500S

    Triumph 2500S Well-Known Member

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    So to what are you privy then Ken?

    Best wishes with your health incidentally, it is challenging when you get to our age as I have found myself! Thoughts of sleeping in a damp caravan or on the floor of Harry Lee's camper van at Barry or on the floor of Pwllheli Goods shed are long lost memories and now beyond me sadly!
     
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2020
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  2. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    Press releases announcing a departure are normally notoriously dull affairs , scripted with all the stock phrases that leave you reading between the lines and pondering what happened

    This one had the one line in , and whether at us or elsewhere it feels a shame it was included . The words whilst i'm sure are designed to show support for the volunteers feels a cheap shot at an unnamed party with no right of response . Maybe the words were thought to bestow credibility on a maligned board ,maybe a parting shot across the bows .

    If we are indeed the troll, looking at the thread I see WSR volunteers, current and past raising valid points on here . Let us not forget that a volunteer led petition calling for change attracted over 500 signatures . These are the voices the board need to be listening to.
     
  3. 35B

    35B Nat Pres stalwart

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    I stand corrected; I’d missed the offending line. My earlier post stands corrected accordingly...


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     
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  4. pgbffest

    pgbffest New Member

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    I've known Andy since we were both teenagers and this is an extremely good move. Be warned though, he's a Yorkshireman who isn't afraid to say what he means or taken actions to show what he means. Andy's Ops skills are second to none and at a young age he had achieved Train Crew Supervisor at Crewe and Station Manager for Snow Hill in Birmingham before moving on to greater things down South. He will be good for the place and has a wide variety of experienced friends in the heritage industry should he need it.
     
  5. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    People who know Bob Meanley will also know that he speaks his mind. When he was at Tyseley and Vintage was running its main line charters he was an outspoken and accurate commentator on the factors that affected the operation of these trips, including the contentious and very occasional use of a diesel in the mix. There are many occasions when he has come on here and put the odd individual straight on the nonsense they may have penned about why something was not to their liking. He just doesn't like ill informed speculation and why should he if it sets 'hares' running unnecessarily?

    So I don't have a problem at all with his parting comments; they seem ok to me. Even on here there has been enough repetitive rubbish posted by a few to obscure some of the more salient detail about the troubles of the WSR. So it's a valid observation in my view and I'll leave others to separate fact from fiction.
     
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  6. Monkey Magic

    Monkey Magic Part of the furniture

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    It just isn’t very professional and it creates an image of a petty organisation.

    Public perception matters, and coming across as unprofessional is not a good look.

    Repetitive complaints about repetitive comments made repetitively. What is that, the third day in row you’ve said that? Glasshouses, stones and all that stuff.
     
  7. Fred Kerr

    Fred Kerr Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Does it ?

    It appears to this observer as a shrewd comment to be heard by those unwilling to "see the wood for the trees". Sometimes it needs an outsider with both knowledge and experience to point out "the bleeding obvious" and Methinks that Mr Meanley has performed this function as one who sees the possible but has identified the factors denying it.
     
  8. Monkey Magic

    Monkey Magic Part of the furniture

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    Supporters of the WSR often claim that places like NP are a small irrelevant fringe, and then they go and give 'the internet trolls' publicity by naming them. Why give attention to your critics?

    I can't think of anyone in a senior position who in their resignation statement turned around and blamed Kevin and Beryl in stationary and supplies for undermining their organisation. If someone did, I would think it a bizarre and petty statement.

    I've no doubt that Bob Meanley is speaking his mind, but he is not the only person entitled to do so, and that is what the 'internet trolls' are doing too. You can't have it both ways.

    The WSR has lots of issues, internet critics are an effect, not a cause of the problems.
     
  9. granmaree

    granmaree Member

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    How does Companies House work? Every thing is filed electronically, do they have someone sitting sifting through the updates and posting them? Or is it literally you control your own page? If the plc do make their 'public' statement on the board member changes I see them slapped on Facebook long before being filed on the government page. Are companies not obligated to keep the record current as it can be 5 or 6 weeks before they show up?
     
  10. Greenway

    Greenway Part of the furniture

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    You may be correct Fred. Your comment reminded me of two past figures who gave quite accurate details of the future as they conceived it. H.G. Wells and Gen. William (Billy) L. Mitchell.
     
  11. Bikermike

    Bikermike Well-Known Member

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    What I find interesting about this whole mess is the continued claims of the WSR of "malevolence", which would be credible until some of the issues re, eg the S&D come out, at which point the WSR-defenders revert to "get behind the railway regardless of politics", and when people don't, the response reverts to "internet trolls", "armchair experts" etc. The Bob Meanly comment in his resignation notice seemed to fit into that pattern.

    The little exchange about trains in Minehead being known/heard about by a person in Minehead or not was very revealing. To simply say "well, he couldn't have been in Minehead as it could be heard as far as [location]" shows a certain attitude. If the response had been "OK, where was he? did he see x, y, z, where does he look?" then there would seem to be some level of trying to resolve, not simply denial and refusal to engage.
     
  12. Triumph 2500S

    Triumph 2500S Well-Known Member

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    Interesting to note that as of now neither of the changes to the Board are Registered at Companies House although I thought the Company Secretary would have electronic access?

    But this is the WSR remember!
     
    Last edited: Aug 5, 2020
  13. Bikermike

    Bikermike Well-Known Member

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    Just because something is sent to Companies House doesn't mean it is put on the website. Also, I can't remember off the top of my head how long they have to send the report to Companies House, but tbh, it not being on there now, doesn't mean it's not coming.
     
  14. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

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    We need to remember the Railways might be our focus but they aren’t for others.

    Despite my sharing the WSR plc adverts For the ‘Living History’ weekends, and sone photos of my own, a member of the group posted to ask who was doing the steam lorry rides around town and where they could be joined.

    Robin
     
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  15. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    absolutely . If it were an internal notice board comment or delivered verbally as a rallying call to the troops I could understand it . in an external announcement , i'm with @Monkey Magic . Even allowing for Bob's forthright observations , Bob is not known for not confronting people (on here at times) head on

    Another thought that occurred is whilst those on the WSR are unwilling to engage directly on here then the forum will appear more one sided !!
     
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  16. Greenway

    Greenway Part of the furniture

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    I can often hear the Dartmouth line steam train whistles in my gardens. Although the distance is some two to three miles away, the Churston and Greenway movements can be heard - despite my poor hearing. Other family members and neighbours are unaware of the sounds.
     
  17. Triumph 2500S

    Triumph 2500S Well-Known Member

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    a bit like the next proper train on the WSR then!
     
  18. Greenway

    Greenway Part of the furniture

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    Your last paragraph emphasises a 'raise the drawbridge attitude' favoured by many on the WSR..
     
  19. granmaree

    granmaree Member

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    Just curious, it crossed my mind a couple of times that their first thought is social media and as an afterthought update the government website
     
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  20. RailWest

    RailWest Part of the furniture

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    Probably 'cos they think that the former will attract more attention than the latter.
     
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