West Somerset Railway General Discussion

I discovered that, much to my surprise, after I made my post. His user page has now been set to "This member limits who may view their full profile", though.

Noel

 

Sigh!

(1) 6412 had cost considerable sums to restore at the previous repair cycle and required an even larger (and apparently ever-increasing sum) including extensive boiler work. However 6412 was too small for other than occasional use on the WSR and so WSRA funds were being spent, in effect, to support the other railways she was hired to at rates that, effectively could cover only half the prospective repair cost.

The WSRA membership were carefully consulted and agreed with the disposal. A Membership-consultative approach notably lacking in some WSR organisations since, one could say.

And as an interesting parallel to recent events - particularly the 4110 saga - a group of WSRA members approached the WSRA committee and asked to be given an opportunity to form a ‘6412 Group’. They were provided with access to everything the WSRA had on the locomotive and were given an assurance that nothing would be done for at least 4 weeks. After 3 weeks, they came back to say they couldn’t make the numbers work.

(2) 7821 offered the short-term prospect she did and the long term prospect of another Manor for the line. And find another one, one might say.

I’m struggling to regard either step as any form of mistake and tend to regard (1) as a successful exercise in consultative reality and (2) as a successful strategic purchase.

But, of course, you are entitled to take a different view.

Robin

 

Would that be by hand weeding or the use of a spray train?

 

The bus named "Bristolian" in our fleet was No. 117 though........

 

Large tanks are just fine. I do find it strange the water tower was removed at Williton, does anybody know why?

 

I agree with you.

Troublemaker:- “Someone who causes problems for other people” (Cambridge Dictionary).

So perhaps that’s people who upset other people, or break agreements/contracts, or bully and harass people, or remove Policies to stop people complaining, or remove ID Cards to stop people enjoying their hobby when they don’t agree with them, or people who offer ‘a roll around on the platform’ to sort it out’, or people calling others mentally unstable when they don’t agree with them, or tell people/groups to give money or else it will be their fault the WSR closes, or throw long standing groups of people out, or put out public press statements with inaccurate information and call people Cuckoo’s and Trojans’, or people who think they are the only game in town, or stop people standing for elections, or cancel AGM’s or just ignore their own articles because they know better. I could go on but you will get the point.

Now if only we could work out fairly who these people are? Perhaps if we invented some HR Policies which everybody agreed with, and then we could have some open and transparent accountable Governance, perhaps some open elections, some external oversight and a positive can do Culture instead of a destructive one so when we did remove troublemakers everybody could see it was done fairly, in line with Articles and best practice giving everybody a chance to defend themselves. Now wouldn’t that be a great idea !!!!!

I do agree some troublemakers (your word not mine) need to be removed from positions of influence (as distinct from the WSR because I feel the freedom to volunteer is important for all) and to coin Robin’s phrase that can be either by hand weeding or spraying, it just depends how big the problem is.

Personally, my opinion is given that many people who hold positions to cause trouble have either been involved with bringing the WSR to this very sad point or sat on their hands when their positions in management meant they should have spoken out, over sometimes a long period of time I think that perhaps the clean sweep option is the only one which will bring peace to Somerset. Or of course the people of the WSR could just allow the troublemakers to continue until the last train runs (maybe it already has), as you so rightly say: “It won't end until you weed the trouble makers out” .

 

Surely not, they have a gentleman's agreement with the Plc and we are all gentlemen on the WSR, aren't we? (apart from the ladies, of course).

 

This sums up the West Somerset Railway malaise and it is not specific to the PLC; it has a wider reference.

 

If there was ever any doubt about intimidation and harassment being applied to the 14, just imagine what went on in private. Perhaps Rodders will be so good as to reconsider his earlier views on that subject.

 

The personal attacks on those standing for the positions of Trustee of the WSSRT are a total disgrace to the WSR.

The ten, no matter what you think of them as people, or their aims as a group, are exercising their rights as members of the WSSRT and as part of the WSR Family. If you disagree with them then you can vote against them at the WSSRT AGM, you can vote against any proposals in the suggested WSRA-WSSRT conference to agree a path to the future.

The fact that senior management are engaging in personal attacks in the local media, in the railway press and in press releases rather than dealing with the substance of the proposals, is telling about the management culture that permeates the WSR and how rotten it is.

That supporters of the board and management come on here and elsewhere on social media and engage in disgusting personal attacks on the ten is a total disgrace and an embarrassment to the WSR.

The failure of management and their supporters to condemn these attacks is another failure by those in positions of authority, and shows why they are unfit to lead the WSR.

 

Indeed, I would be interested to see @rodders154 comment on the implications of such "support" for the current leadership.

 

Interesting report on yesterday's PDG meeting on the WSSRT facebook page posted within the last 10 minutes.

 

It was removed in BR days and then the gardens leading down to it were sold off and there are now two properties there and a reconstructed tower would overlook them. There must be other sites in Williton like opposite the original site so easy access could be made to the original supply source?

Others will know better than I why this issue was never addressed?

 

West Somerset Steam Railway Trust
31 mins ·

The Partnership Development Group (PDG) met yesterday to consider proposals from the PLC towards achieving 'One Railway' via a fundamental re-organisation of the PLC to create a parent charity, with the PLC operating as a subsidiary company. The meeting was also attended by John Bailey, architect of the recent report recommending these changes.

The PDG is the WSR stakeholder forum established to consider and advise on policy and other matters affecting the whole railway. The group includes representatives from the WSRA. WSSRT, DEPG, S&DT and representatives for Staff, Station Masters and Friend groups, as well as the PLC and representative from the Local Councils.

The whole PDG was unanimous in supporting the roadmap and principles of the PLC initiative. It endorsed the terms of reference for the project and has also agreed to act as a reference group for ongoing consultation and assist with project development.

The Group recommended that the project should get underway as quickly as possible since there appears to be a consensus across the majority of people on the railway that this is right way forward. Indeed, there was an element of 'just get on with it' along with a recommendation to try and find a respected and independent chairman to lead the initial formation of a new parent charity and develop relevant articles of association

Steve Williams, PDG Chairman commented: 'This is potentially the biggest change to the WSR railway structure in over 40 years and it was heartening to see a cross-party consensus across all representatives on the PDG. It also re-enforced the message that in order to achieve the required agreement on the proposed changes, it is important to work across all groups in a process of consensual evolution'.

Mike Thompson PLC Project Lead confirmed that the next steps are to send a letter to all shareholders of the PLC outlining the broad proposals to solicit an initial indicative response. If this is broadly favourable, the next phase will be to develop appropriate timescales and milestones toward achieving the desired re-organisation, ready to present for approval by the relevant member groups, no later than their 2021 AGM's.”

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55

 

I do not know how readers will react to this but this appears to have the 'usual' amount of WSR thought put into it!

It is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL to form a Working Group with a COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT CHAIRMAN (not with all due respect John Bailey) to consider ALL the aspects of this proposal including the Viability of forming a New Charity in addition to those already in existence.

I fear this move is too plc orientated and that in itself should concern us

If they get this wrong I fear this will end the WSR as we know it!

 

Can you ban their access to the site as well please?

I read what was written before you removed them and they are an absolute disgrace whatever the background circumstances or personal opinions!

 

I agree. It feels encouraging, but I worry about two things. 1) Whether they have properly explored other options and 2) The Plc rep came along and said "here's what we're going to do". I think in the circumstances the others were right to go "ok then", but I think it would have been preferable to involve them at an earlier stage such that they could have had more input without appearing to be slowing the process down, as they would have done had they raised objections now.
It does seems slightly less of the "pushed into the long grass" territory than the last statement though. Oh well, let's see what happens...

 

I don't think that's so easy, because you don't need to be a member to view what's going on (unless we move this thread to a members' only area of the forum).