West Somerset Railway General Discussion

My experience was the opposite to Ron, I was told by a member of station staff at Minehead, that I had to join the WSRA before I could become a volunteer. This was a few years ago.

 

The big issue with that, really, is that you still have the signals so you have to ensure that when you are operating in that mode the signals can be cleared. It can be done, and there are railways that work that way, but it has to be designed into the signalling system from the outset. A good example is Woody Bay on the L&B, where on the two occasions I've visited the box is only opened to run round. When the train is ready to depart the signalman-guard will close the box, which releases the opposing locking on the Up Starter and Down Home, clear both signals, and hand the token to the driver.

I think someone mentioned switching out boxes on the SVR above. The SVR does use travelling signalmen for things like photo charters, but will roster signalmen at each box for passenger trains; Arley and Hampton Loade only being staffed if trains are required to cross there.

 

Tokens are released for the evening service before the daytime signalman close with each other.

Robin

 

Shares in companies undertaking cross border developments - not cross border shares - absolute rubbish yourself!

 

It certainly makes for an interesting evening.

You would have to visit most of the boxes anyway to work the level crossings which are interlocked with the signalling. We have achieved approved rules for travelling signalman (used for dining trains and occasional movement of works train through sections not in possession) with no expensive alterations to our heritage equipment for relatively small numbers of trains.

It does rely on the signalman being passed for all boxes, and there are a limited number of we ‘Methuselas’ who fit that criterion.

Robin

 

The WSR: switching out boxes since 1976. Nothing new.

Steve

 

There has been doubt that the membership fee doesn't necessarily fund the things the generic railway needs. Mostly due in my view to the unhelpful railway's organisational structure (borne from historical reasons that have long been not relevant). So membership should provide a sense of "belonging". But to what? So I come back, again, to the need for some radical changes down in West Somerset. Maybe 40 years late but it's never too late for that cocoon and the emergence of a new single charitable trust with its supporting commercial arm. Clear structure. Central planning. Single vision. Clear management roles. No overlaps. No "them" and "us". Just "us". Now that might provide a real sense of belonging for members. It'll take brave and bold Boards of Directors to do it. I do hope they are up for it right now.

Steve

 

Scenes from the Quantock Belle

Sunday 10 Dec 2017

 

How many volunteers were actually on board for this particular journey?

 

Driver, Fireman, trainee, guard, chef, asst chef, wash up x2, stewards x4, bar staff x 4....

16 volunteers / 70 diners

Robin

 

As Paul has said I too always try to respond to your messages as swiftly as possible. I think you know I'm always open to listening and discussing matters with members. As Paul has said we welcome ideas and we welcome additional support to implement good ideas. There is no barrier to offering to help out with improving the Association or working on the railway. I don't want this to sound like special pleading but I've spent over to 80 days actually on the railway this year working either directly as a fireman or indirectly as a trustee. On top of that I spend at least 1 hour a day on Trustee related business when I'm at home. While I agree that I took the job and I knew the kitchen was hot it would be nice to get a little more practical help sometimes.

 

Plus three hours put in by our retail manager on pantry duties before departure.

 

Some likely material for wsr.org's Caption Competition amongst those?

 

Probably the most imaginative and relevant post on this thread in the last 1000!

 

Brilliant explanation, lets all look forward to laying new foundations for the next 75 years.

 

So you are claiming that the EU says EIS is only available on shares for companies engaged in in 'cross boarder developments' (or indeed for such companies to spend specifically on such operations)?

Well, they say a day without learning is a day wasted, so, go on, give me a link explaining this element of EIS - oddly, it doesn't get a mention on this page https://www.gov.uk/guidance/venture-capital-schemes-apply-for-the-enterprise-investment-scheme but I suppose that is only the Governments website!

As @huochemi correctly states, EIS and all UK tax reliefs are subject to being tested against EU State Aid rules (and these tests are applied with considerable enthusiasm, if somewhat less creativity, by UK authorities seeking a 'Gold Star' for administration from Brussels - which I believe they then usually fail to get for other administrative messes they don't address!), which is an area that, thanks to my former heritage railway involvements, I have a little knowledge of. I must say I can't see how these have been responsible for what I suspect are the difficult changes as far as heritage railway share issues are concerned (in the 2015 Autumn Statement and clearly anti-avoidance measures), which are all targeted at ensuring that funds raised under EIS are for developing new markets and trades and not just to replace debt or provide extra working capital. They appear to be to tighten the focus of the relief (arguably because it had finally started to be too popular for HMRC!)

The reality is that a Charity seeking Gift Aid donations is a far simpler, cheaper and even for the 'donor'/'shareholder' just as beneficial way of a preserved railway raising funds, if the organisations structure enables their use for what is needed, of course.................

Steven

 

I think the cross border issue may be arising from this posting by the GWSR FD http://www.gwsr.com/userfiles/docum...sue_document_19_Oct_2016_003_-_JMC_amends.pdf which speaks of "new geographical markets". I would have been less bullish than their financial adviser on deeming Broadway a new geographical market, but the Revenue does seem to have been less than helpful by stringing them along.

 

What a divisive reason for starting up the new WSRA group in Taunton.

 

But if you read what was written it was not a new group. Robin simply stepped in to try to re-kindle the existing group.
If you would like to contact me I'll be happy to find the support for you to re-start this group if that is what you would like to attempt?

 

Read it again carefully. The purpose was to prevent division.

IIRC, Robin arranged some evenings with Infrastructure and photographers booked to give interesting and compelling chats over their work. The events were well publicised however if the attendance didn't reflect the effort expended in arranging them, nobody's to blame if nature took its course and the meetings folded.

As Aldfort says, please feel free to step up.