If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

West Somerset Railway General Discussion

الموضوع في 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' بواسطة gwr4090, بتاريخ ‏15 نوفمبر 2007.

  1. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

    إنضم إلينا في:
    ‏27 إبريل 2014
    المشاركات:
    11,404
    عدد المعجبين:
    18,231
    الجنس:
    أنثي
    الوظيفة:
    Barrister
    مكان الإقامة:
    Stogumber
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    If we are into Voltaire quotes, my top three are:

    "dans ce pays-ci, il est bon de tuer de temps en temps un amiral pour encourager les autres"

    And for Jeff Price:

    'Judge a man by his questions not by his answers.'

    And my personal favourite is:

    'Life is a shipwreck; but we must sing in the lifeboats.'

    How true

    Robin
     
    Wenlock و Yorkshireman معجبون بهذا.
  2. aldfort

    aldfort Well-Known Member

    إنضم إلينا في:
    ‏4 مارس 2009
    المشاركات:
    1,933
    عدد المعجبين:
    4,252
    الجنس:
    ذكر
    الوظيفة:
    Retired
    مكان الإقامة:
    Cardiff
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Struggling to understand the reference to admirals or do I have that wrong?
     
  3. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

    إنضم إلينا في:
    ‏8 مارس 2008
    المشاركات:
    27,800
    عدد المعجبين:
    64,480
    مكان الإقامة:
    LBSC 215
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    It's a quote from Candide, satirising the ruthlessness of the British Admiralty, who executed one of their own Admirals for a perceived failure in battle: "These days, it is necessary from time to time to kill an admiral, in order to encourage the others".

    Seemingly, all things are possible beyond Taunton.

    Tom
     
    Paul Kibbey, Wenlock, echap و 1 شخص آخر معجبون بهذا.
  4. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

    إنضم إلينا في:
    ‏15 إبريل 2006
    المشاركات:
    16,551
    عدد المعجبين:
    7,897
    مكان الإقامة:
    1012 / 60158
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    "There is no such thing as bad publicity" Attributed, perhaps wrongly, to Phineas T Barnum.
     
  5. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

    إنضم إلينا في:
    ‏27 إبريل 2014
    المشاركات:
    11,404
    عدد المعجبين:
    18,231
    الجنس:
    أنثي
    الوظيفة:
    Barrister
    مكان الإقامة:
    Stogumber
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Google 'Admiral Byng' and all should become clear.

    Robin
     
    Black Jim و Yorkshireman معجبون بهذا.
  6. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

    إنضم إلينا في:
    ‏27 إبريل 2014
    المشاركات:
    11,404
    عدد المعجبين:
    18,231
    الجنس:
    أنثي
    الوظيفة:
    Barrister
    مكان الإقامة:
    Stogumber
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I also meant to say that Candide is well worth a read. I encountered it first aged 14 when staying with my French relatives. It taxed my 14 year-old French but I had a good tutor in an elderly neighbour whom I first met as an obsessive 'Belotte' player but who turned out to be a retired teacher. Perhaps because I had to work harder to absorb it, I worked through its satirical messages and thinking more clearly. There are good English translations, some of them annotated, available.

    Robin
     
    andrewshimmin و Yorkshireman معجبون بهذا.
  7. Aberdare

    Aberdare New Member

    إنضم إلينا في:
    ‏18 نوفمبر 2016
    المشاركات:
    162
    عدد المعجبين:
    1,550
    الجنس:
    ذكر
    مكان الإقامة:
    West Somerset
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    With regard to the shares in 'Four One Six O Ltd' the owning company of locomotive 4160.

    It appears that:-

    Organisation 'W' rightly owned a quantity of shares in 'Four One Six O' Ltd. The directors/trustees of organisation 'W' decided to offer those shares for sale to one or more individuals.

    Individual 'A' who was not part of the management of organisation 'W' agreed to purchase some of the shares at a price that was mutually agreed, the sale went ahead.

    Individual 'B' who may have been part of the management of organisation 'W' at that time, or who may only became so later after the sale, agreed to purchase some of the shares at a price that was mutually agreed, the sale went ahead.

    Not everyone is happy with this state of affairs.


    History will eventually record the outcome, which will probably be one or more of the following:-

    • All was above board and both sales stand.
    • Lack of evidence either way, so the status quo stands.
    • There was a bit of underhand dealing in one transaction.
    • There was a bit of underhand dealing in both transactions.
    • Organisation 'W' did not do very well in obtaining best price for the shares and has to accept the incompetence of their predecessors.
    • The new Trustees make a claim from the old Trustees for the loss of value. [Quite right, I missed this one off the list. My observations are not intended to indicate any opinion but to express the reality of the situation however undesirable, any morality question (however valid) is probably a separate issue. Andy]

    No one yet knows the outcome (least of all me) although they can wish that they know. The legal profession, if given a chance, will enjoy having a good chat about it in and out of court before saying yes, no, or maybe. Followed perhaps by an appeal, then a different selection of the legal profession can have a similar chat with similar results.

    Like a good book I await the actual ending with interest.

    On the plus side advertising revenue on this thread will help maintain "Nat Pres" due to the high viewing figures.

    Andy.
     
    Last edited: ‏3 فبراير 2017
    Black Jim, oddsocks و aldfort معجبون بهذا.
  8. D1039

    D1039 Guest

    There is a lawyer in the house, but were W not obtain the best price due to incompetence of their predecessor trustees then W does not 'have to accept the incompetence'. W (its current trustees) would have a legal duty to recover from the predecessor trustees. Whether there was an undervalue, incompetence and other issues is what will come out in the wash and probably better not discussed at length on here.

    Patrick
     
    MellishR, oddsocks, aldfort و 2 آخرون معجبون بهذا.
  9. Jeff Price

    Jeff Price Member

    إنضم إلينا في:
    ‏25 أوت 2013
    المشاركات:
    715
    عدد المعجبين:
    1,409
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer

    Well Andy

    The issue you seem to have overlooked is that the asset (4160 Ltd shares) was held by a charity who's trustees are required to act in the best interests of the charitable objectives of the WSRA

    Therefore the standards of action required by charity trustees are somewhat higher than those of a private individual.

    If you review the published WSRA minutes the whole process seems somewhat vague, thus unless the report laid before the Trustees suddenly appears with all the working and justification for the chosen course of action it will remain unknown.

    The former WSRA trustees had a responsibility, if they have failed in that responsibility it appears they are somewhat liable personally.

    Who is or is not counted as a trustee, elected or co-opted is an open matter.

    It is also clear that the current WSRA trustees have a duty to attempt to recover losses, which appears to ongoing reading the WSRA journal and the outpourings from the WSRA History Web site.

    If the current WSRA trustees do not follow this course they themselves could be in breach of there duties as Trustees.

    Now as to the actions of the purchaser of the shares, very few people (Andy Aberdare is rather a lone voice it would seem) seem to think this was a morally acceptable action.

    The process will grind on I am sure.

    Jeff

    edit The quick fix would of course be to pass the shares back to the WSRA - this may be too simple of course for some who wish to defend a past action.
     
    aldfort, Barrie the Beer, Paul Kibbey و 3 آخرون معجبون بهذا.
  10. D1039

    D1039 Guest

    *leaps up at the back of class with hand in the air*
    Sir, Sir, I know this one!

    Evelyn Beatrice Hall wrote it in her biography of Voltaire, but the phrase was hers not his.

    Thank you and Jamessquared for the steer to Candide, I thought is was Robespierre or somesuch. I am now more educated.

    Patrick
     
    أعجب بهذه المشاركة Forestpines
  11. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

    إنضم إلينا في:
    ‏27 إبريل 2014
    المشاركات:
    11,404
    عدد المعجبين:
    18,231
    الجنس:
    أنثي
    الوظيفة:
    Barrister
    مكان الإقامة:
    Stogumber
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    There is.

    Sage advice.

    However, missing from Andy Forster @Aberdare 's analysis is the fact that 'W' is a charity, which brings additional legal responsibilities on those involved.

    And putting my legal wig aside for a moment, there is a moral dimension to dealing with the assets of a charity . They are not just the belongings of others, they are assets held in trust for the public good.

    'A' and 'B' might want to reflect on their moral position as well as their legal one... if, that is, they want a place in the heritage Railway world in future.

    Robin
     
    Davidcarter858, Black Jim, Paul Kibbey و 4 آخرون معجبون بهذا.
  12. Yorkshireman

    Yorkshireman Part of the furniture

    إنضم إلينا في:
    ‏6 جويلية 2014
    المشاركات:
    4,486
    عدد المعجبين:
    5,045
    الجنس:
    ذكر
    الوظيفة:
    Comfy chair occupant!
    مكان الإقامة:
    No moaners please!
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Regardless of the attribution the principle is the same.
     
  13. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

    إنضم إلينا في:
    ‏8 مارس 2008
    المشاركات:
    27,800
    عدد المعجبين:
    64,480
    مكان الإقامة:
    LBSC 215
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I do wonder, if we are throwing aphorisms by dead Frenchman around, whether Pierre Bosquet is closer to the truth than Voltaire?

    Tom
     
    أعجب بهذه المشاركة Robin Moira White
  14. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

    إنضم إلينا في:
    ‏27 إبريل 2014
    المشاركات:
    11,404
    عدد المعجبين:
    18,231
    الجنس:
    أنثي
    الوظيفة:
    Barrister
    مكان الإقامة:
    Stogumber
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I am not a WSRA Trustee, just a lowly member, so I cannot speak for the organisation. But such a course would very significantly 'clear the air'.

    As a lawyer I have seen many apparently intractable disputes settled by such an appropriate step. It takes courage to accept that you have taken a wrong course and to step away from it, but the benefits can be considerable and long lasting.

    Robin
     
    Last edited: ‏3 فبراير 2017
    Black Jim, 1472, Paul Kibbey و 1 شخص آخر معجبون بهذا.
  15. AnthonyTrains2017

    AnthonyTrains2017 Well-Known Member

    إنضم إلينا في:
    ‏28 سبتمبر 2014
    المشاركات:
    2,237
    عدد المعجبين:
    918
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Is 60103 using triangle to turn in September and park ride or will there be s dmu into BL for connection
     
  16. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

    إنضم إلينا في:
    ‏27 إبريل 2014
    المشاركات:
    11,404
    عدد المعجبين:
    18,231
    الجنس:
    أنثي
    الوظيفة:
    Barrister
    مكان الإقامة:
    Stogumber
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    You are presumably referring to the comment that:

    'It's Manchester, but is not that station, it's Foley Park.'

    as Pierre Bosquet said on the 'Picture Puzzle' thread.

    Or is my French getting rusty these days.....:rolleyes::)

    Robin
     
    أعجب بهذه المشاركة Jamessquared
  17. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

    إنضم إلينا في:
    ‏8 مارس 2008
    المشاركات:
    27,800
    عدد المعجبين:
    64,480
    مكان الإقامة:
    LBSC 215
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    That's the one ...

    Tom
     
  18. Ian Monkton

    Ian Monkton Member

    إنضم إلينا في:
    ‏26 نوفمبر 2011
    المشاركات:
    952
    عدد المعجبين:
    998
    مكان الإقامة:
    South Somerset
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    It's probably far too early for these details to have been decided, but I'm pretty sure that FS is too big for the TT at MD so will probably not be turned at either end during the day. If it is going to spend the nights at BL, it could be turned on the triangle at the end of the day.
     
  19. Snifter

    Snifter Well-Known Member

    إنضم إلينا في:
    ‏26 أوت 2014
    المشاركات:
    1,692
    عدد المعجبين:
    4,298
    الجنس:
    ذكر
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I think we are on rather thin ice on that point. If for example, I enter into a deal with a Beefeater at the Tower to buy some jewellery which is kept in a glass case for a tenner, he and I have brokered a deal. Setting aside all sorts of debate about receiving stolen goods, I would have done nothing wrong. All the argument in the world about me having a moral obligation to hand them back would count for nothing. The Beefeater on the other hand, would have a rather predictable social life for quite some time.

    I think we have to accept that the shares are not heading back anytime soon. The best option is to have those who held the fiduciary duty to the membership, made liable for fair compensation.
     
    أعجب بهذه المشاركة Paul Kibbey
  20. 35B

    35B Nat Pres stalwart

    إنضم إلينا في:
    ‏18 جوان 2011
    المشاركات:
    28,735
    عدد المعجبين:
    28,667
    الجنس:
    ذكر
    مكان الإقامة:
    Grantham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    You may also want to consider the Leonard Bernstein adaptation of it - not in the class of West Side Story but still worth a listen.
     
    أعجب بهذه المشاركة andrewshimmin

مشاركة هذه الصفحة