West Somerset Railway General Discussion

You may all be right about co-option, and I certainly agree that a "specific skill appointment" could well be reason for co-option, although I would have thought that a specific 'interim appointment' might be better until the next AGM. It has been my experience that co-option results in the most noisy and persuasive person at the table ends up with two votes.
As Mr Bayard alludes, where the co-option process results in the systematic replacement of a board with acolytes of the chairman, the result can be problematic.
As has Alex rightly says, any process is subject to abuse if the determination is there

 

Mildly amusing; but alas, not productive, I am afraid. How would you like it, if someone called you that? (Apologies in advance if you feel that I'm being a kill-joy over a quickly tossed-off witty line, but if I'm going to critique people for saying non-productive things, it's better if I'm even-handed about it.)

Particularly un-intentionally ironic was the "volunteers, who just want to get on with the work .. end up as collateral damage". I wonder how the volunteers at the SDRT felt, reading that?

One really has to wonder what on earth is going through the minds of people who write things like that. Can they not see how it makes them look? I can only suppose that they didn't think about that aspect at all.

Noel

 

Yes, probably not my finest hour.

 

It’s good to hear that discussions are continuing if the Trust feel there is still something to gain from the process, even if it doesn’t include the chance of a renewed lease. However I still haven’t a clue whatever it was the PLC ever hoped to gain by this eviction.

 

What can be discussed though, the trust are leaving, are they not, all that can be discussed is access to the yard for the low loaders, ensuring gates are unlocked etc, as to not impede the removal of the trust's assets. in answer to what the PLC board intended,to gain, it's got it, with a few exceptions a silenced supporters network, that, had it grown a collective pair, could have stopped this, except JPP now knows that he can do as he pleases, and unless people wake up to whats happening, run it as his own railway.

 

The other thing that crossed my mind was any potential financial settlement.

 

An amicable arrangement might be the sale of trackwork and structures to thee PLC. I assume they would be the more difficult items to re-locate elsewhere. Maybe they would not get the best price for these things but on the other hand the Trust would not have to pay for removal and storage. Just a guess.

 

I think prudent might be a better description than amicable.

 

As long as it's a cash up front deal!

Keith

 

I hope I'm wrong, I hope the 10, or is it 9, do manage to wrestle control of the WSRSST out of the hands of the pro JPP faction, and finally can start holding the PLC to account, and start to claim back their railway, but all I can see is an announcement between now and March, that they have had to stop trading. and under the present regime that certainly has to be taken seriously.

 

The WSR consistently fails to do the basics. In this case identifying ways in which covid could be successfully negotiated to put the line on the strongest footing to survive and to move forward in 2021.

It failed to find ways other than the living weekends to bring in revenue and the excuses put out for this failure were weak and unsustainable. At a time when lines up and down the country were embracing different ways to operate and bring in custom, the WSR had nothing but excuses for inaction.

This is because instead it has persisted in the unnecessary eviction of SDRT. This has resulted in:

• Negative publicity and the loss of public support for the line at a time when support via donations is critical,
• A highly suitable locomotive being lost from the line
• The loss of a group who were supporting and maintaining one of the station

These decisions and the way in which the issue has been handled has reopened the deep divisions among supporters of the WSR. Every public statement and press release has made the situation worse. The effect of this has been to prevent people working together. Instead, emotional, financial energy and time is being wasted on internal battles that the line can ill afford.

instead of energy being focused on getting the line running, innovating and thinking on their feet, the line as been stuck in a terminal round of foot shooting as opportunity after opportunity has passed the WSR by.

The responsibility for this rests with the board, and no matter how often they whip out a violin on Facebook and cry about how they are the poor victims in all of this, they created this situation, they chose to exacerbate the situation rather than to defuse, the chose to continue on this path rather than withdraw the eviction. They are to blame.

Every step of the way, the board has taken steps that have put the WSR in a worse position than it was before.

However, it is wrong to just blame the board. There are those who have failed to oppose, to work with others to stand up to the fact that the PLC Board is driving the line headlong into the ditch.

It is easy to blame those at the top, but blame also needs to go to those who have done nothing and have not even tried, and especially those who have seen the eviction as an opportunity in the world of WSR politics.

While I appreciate that volunteering on the WSR is very important to people and that the risks associated with speaking out are why people have chosen inaction, I have to ask, does that not also apply to the volunteers and supporters of the SDRT who have spent 40 years developing Washford? Was not volunteering, developing the site and working on their projects also important to them. Sadly, and this encapsulates the problems of the WSR in a nutshell, too many people put themselves first and what is best for them and not thinking about other people on the line.

The arguments about why the WSSRT should be left alone are exactly the same as to why the SDRT should be left alone. To support the eviction and to defend the WSSRT against those campaigning for reform is hypocritical.

 

For the last 24 hours I've had non stop cookie agreement every time I touched this page to scroll or refresh, now I've just choked on my coffee seeing the title of the thread changed, hacked or a moderator?

 

For years people have been predicting that a major heritage line will fail, and there's no doubt that at least one has come very close but are we approaching the point here, like a broken clock that's right once every 24 hours this prediction will com true. Sadly, I think we are. Rats deserting the sinking ship beforehand will be the first signs of confirmation.

 

For a few seconds I read the revised title as "(lack of) options"

Not sure which makes more sense.....

 

Glad I'm not the only one. I asked about this in general chat last night...

We value your privacy

 

Ah, I'm on Chrome on Android, went through all the cookie jobs and did all-sorts to no avail. When I opened this up earlier everything was fine again.

 

I think it is sold out (over 80 trains), as are the Santas. As you say, not authentic, but in the current climate more than ever, every pound of income is vital.

(As an aside, it only runs over a five mile section of the line - food for thought operationally on the WSR. A commercially viable operation doesn't inevitably mean the whole line has to be open).

Tom

 

I assume that the childish individual who changed the thread title will also amend those that are also not running trains.