West Somerset Railway General Discussion

I thought one of the advantages put forward of the overarching charity model was the potential for collecting Gift Aid on fares; indeed, this was one of the reasons put forward by @Lineisclear for preferring a membership charity to be the owning organisation, rather than a membership non-charity.

If that reason is correct, then it seems that a considerable amount of money is being left to go begging by not proceeding with the reorganisation, and an amount which increases for every year that there is a delay. Most perplexing.

Tom

 

It was determined in the same way it was always determined - by estimating a volume of work, then calculating what it would cost if done by a partner at a Magic Circle firm, then multiplying.

It’s a scare tactic, designed to deflect serious questions and give a free pass to do nothing.

As for timing, there will never be a “good” time to restructure. But harnessing the energy of people who love the railway and want the best for it as they reopen would IMHO have been a great time to do it, despite the distraction it would cause.


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True, but realistically it is the WSR and I find it hard to believe that it could be done without there being another massive punch up.

Also, my recollection is that the version of Bailey that the PLC wanted to introduce was much more favourable to the current PLC than the version originally proposed. The version proposed by the PLC seemed deeply flawed. The WSR does need to reform but not flawed reform.

I don't think the board have the ability to manage major structural change and getting the railway running simultaneously.

 

Agreed on the board's version of Bailey, and you may well be right about structural change.

 

I perceive a paradox. The WSR Board has been massively incompetent in running the railway and in its publicity, yet very clever at delaying and obfuscating anything to do with reorganisation.

 

All I would like to know is when is the WSR running trains . Want to use the line when in the Quantocks on holiday...

 

https://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/

 

With the line closed for a long period and Covid restrictions continuing for a further period, together with a shorter journey until mid-season, the WSR needs to sort themselves out as they have been bailed out once but they may not get a second chance next winter.

 

I'd suggest that they are two sides of the same coin. They are both underpinned by the desire of a few to hold onto power. If the latter were done successfully they could be held to account for the former.

 

One wonders about the relationships of cause and effect on the round 2 application given the way that the application processes for rounds 1 and 2 were described up thread.

 

It would be interesting to know whether the WSR was the only line to be turned down for CRF2 funding. If it was that (to me at least) suggests a serious failure on the part of the WSR Board.

 

No, the SVR was also turned down.

 

Well, Joe Public will have the last say, I guess. They will patronise the line - or not, time will tell.

 

Seems to me that the Board has sat on its collective butt for what, some 14 months isn't it? Done nothing about this (or about the level crossing) and now has the nerve to say we cant do anything because we are so busy getting the railway ready... So:-

Dear Board. If it wasn't for the likes of the volunteers doing their sterling work while you have just been pontificating about how good you are and begging for more funds, you would not have a railway to "...get ready".

All I see is yet another excuse, yet more clinging on to power for dear life and yet more carefully selected, so called, 'facts' to support twisted opinions.

So, dear Board, lets hear an answer to some of the questions above. Especially the details of the shareholdings of those that replied.

Your comment that "only 4.7% of shareholders replied" may be completely true (for a given value of 'true') but I seriously doubt it is the whole truth.

 

With a large dose of North Wales Narrow Gauge in the offing, a trip to Swanage seems infinitely more attractive than Williton, both are roughly the same distance from home but one appeals so much more for several reasons

 

SVR and WSR both limited Companies, albeit not for profit ?

Presumably successful applicants were charities ?

Viewed from an armchair I think an opportunity, during the Covid period, to form an overarching
charity may have been missed but now the priorities must be to :

1) commence carefully operations ( no time for ‘busy fools’ ) ; every service must return a contribution
net of all costs.

2) Fund raising, SOR. (Save our Railway.

3) Seek new volunteers.

I have no reason to believe these actions are not ongoing.

Michael Rowe

 

Sadly, I think we all know what it takes to get past that kind of situation. However, as I said above, all the rest of us can do is quietly watch.

Noel