West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Steve,

Are you an apologist for John Bailey?

Julian Atkins

 

To say it is a DISAPPOINTMENT is the understatement of the century!

It brings little to the party

 

BUT did the three organisations issue the statement?

Its not on the WSRA website or @Steve Edge site

 

I've had my feelings about the neutrality of the Enabler, as I'm sure many others have. Now it's plain to see that the much-stated Neutrality was a smoke-screen.

 

I'm sure that John will tell you that we don't see eye to eye on a lot of things, especially when it comes to governance of a heritage railway.

 

I disagree with that, and with what has been published today.

My views on today are already on record. Because I disagree with what @Lineisclear has recommended does not mean I consider him partisan in how he has discharged his duty. We should be careful not to conflate the two, or to assume neutrality requires splitting a difference.


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Possibly fair, if it is as it seems - though I note it is signed by the chairmen, and to be recommended to their boards, so is not binding on their organisations.

But this observer wonders, for the same reasons expounded by @Jamessquared, how this can be a practical destination from this starting point.

Time will tell.


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Yes he has a duty to be Impartial or otherwise he might as well pack his bags now!

 

No idea but surely someone else knows?

 

The Answer is they saved the Railway and the Price is encapsulated in your list!

 

Afraid so Alex, we are not talking GWSR here you know and we are not in my opinion talking of a token salary here either

The first of your landslips would have finished off the WSR!

 

When it comes to the creation of charitable orgs on the WSR, why am I reminded of this:

 

I received an email copy presumably because I'm a shareholder. I'm disappointed that the Washford situation appears to have been overwhelmed by Mr Bailey's restructuring to the extent there now appears to be no capacity to resolve the original problem. In fact from what I hear the boat has not been missed. I despair.

There is already too many charities closely involved with the railway and I'm most disappointed to hear we might get yet another one.

On a brighter note I read in the national press that one of our esteemed contributors has won a significant case this week. Congratulations and well done Robin.

 

http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-news202002.htm reminds me that it was £187k. Hardly a trivial sum, or evidence of the inability of the WSRA to fundraise.


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As I recall (and I may be wrong) the WSRA's fundraising attempt was, at one point, billed as the fund to buy 4110 if 4110 Ltd failed to raise the money in time, a position I thought to be madness!

 

I’m glad you posted the video, brilliantly acidic and witty. General Melchett seems to be an inspiration to many people nowadays, no matter whether they’re in Minehead or Westminster!

 

Well, I dunno. SCC could propose raising the rent to a ridiculous degree, and if the PLC said "no thanks, we like the lease we have", give them 12 months notice to quit. That strategy is quite fashionable in 2020, and would clearly be perfectly acceptable to all board members, staff and volunteers

 

This very stark assessment is certainly food for thought. When in late 2018, the then PLC directors stepped aside and handed total power to an autocratic new regime, I suspect that many WSR supporters gave it their support in the hope of seeing an end to the strife and infighting for which the WSR had become noted. It may or may not be true that the new regime saved the railway from an imminent threat of insolvency. But instead of bringing peace and order, they went on to pick fights, antagonize many and generally create further feuds and infighting. The initiating of hostilities against the S&DRT was perhaps a Rubicon-crossing event in this saga, which I think will cause long-term damage to the railway's reputation. We do appear to have seen an instance of "Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely".

I can only hope that, notwithstanding its current problems, the WSR is able to recover and stay in business. The route has been a gem within the British heritage railway scene for its length of line, large engines and long trains, and excellent scenery. Only let down, I think, by its lack of vintage carriages, and perhaps by mediocre station catering and toilet facilities. It is a tragedy that we are now viewing insolvency as a very real possibility. As you say, one must feel deeply for the staff, volunteers and supporters who have heavily invested time, effort and money over several decades, and even now are prepared to turn up for hand-weeding sessions.

But even if the PLC goes insolvent, I would still be hopeful that a salvage operation will eventually be able to restore services on at least part of the route, albeit this will take a couple of years and probably require a lot of fresh money-raising. Hope will only go completely if the entire route is handed over to SUSTRANS and all the station sites sold for re-development. I don't know which parts of the route would be most coveted by the cyclists, but assume that the Minehead station site would be the most valuable for redevelopment.

In the short-term, I am not sure that it is reasonable to expect SCC to go ahead with repairs to the Seaward Way level crossing, until they see evidence of the WSR preparing to resume train services somewhere along the line. I think that the WSR Santa services have traditionally been Bishops Lydeard to Crowcombe?

 

We, the ten WSSRT Trustee Candidates, would like to encourage all West Somerset Railway supporters to consider joining the Steam Trust.

The Trust does fine work in keeping the two principal museums on the line at Bishops Lydeard and Blue Anchor. It is close to having magnificent GWR BCK 6705 in traffic and has the makings of a rake (or a bit more) of GWR passenger vehicles to give the line the premier coaching stock rake it has long cried out for. Its educational work is widening the base of supporters.

The excellent work can be supported by easily signing up by emailing the membership form to Don Fraser, WSSRT membership secretary. E-mail available on the membership form linked below.

http://www.wssrt.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/membership.pdf

All this work can be supported by your annual subscription (minimum £12) which can be paid by credit transfer.

A further advantage of membership is that you have standing to vote at a WSSRT General Meeting. Whether you think the actions of we 10, or the present Trustees, are right or wrong, unless you join you cannot effectively express a view.

Do join the WSSRT. We look forward to welcoming you at the next General Meeting.

 

@sycamore posted this in Narrow Gauge Railways but let it be a warning

https://www.cwherald.com/a/stories/...hRhmTDT6byw_bzP6-gqghMc#.X2PRGIokq9U.facebook