West Somerset Railway General Discussion

You have missed the point entirely. Overall the WSR does run harmonuiously though like any organisation is does have ups and downs. The only serious problem in the last five or six years was solely related to the ex 6+1 who caused enourmous dissent within the WSRA. Many ouitsiders, quite wrongly got the idea that the entire WSR family was riven with disagreement. That simply was not true nor is it true today. Throughout the "troubles" behind the scenes many people worked very hard to oust them. Important support came from all sections of the WSR that was not overt, but nevertheless was invaluable in defeating the rogues. Since then relations across the WSR family have improved greatly. It is not perfect and there is still much to do. There is nothing wrong with open and robust debate. That happens in any democratic society. Those who seek to stifle honest and open debate don't serve their cause well.

 

Certainly not my intention to mis-represent you in any way. However this is how your comments seemed to me. I am glad this was not so.

For myself, I simply am glad if one of these railways does provide something a little "extra". Home made steak and kidney pie at the IOWSR and Bluebell came into this category. This takes quite a bit of work to do properly as does any catering which is not merely re-heating.

PH

 

I suspect the cause of the West Somerset Effect is a combination of structural issues and the personalities of a handful of people involved with the railway, some of whom seem to believe that the best way to proceed, when they disagree with what is happening on the railway, is to try to publically humiliate those concerned until the railway changes course. There have been numerous examples of this happening, and I suspect it is likely to continue unless all concerned realise that it is negative and damaging.

The other damaging aspect, which may be specific to WSR fans on Nat Pres, is the constant assumption by some that anything the WSR does is automatically both correct and set in stone, and therefore anyone who demonstrates that the WSR is lacking can be quickly and forcefully shouted down.

 

Your informant clearly needs to have their head examined and taught the difference between restaurant, buffet, and trolley.

You can count the services with a restaurant GWR still has on the fingers of one hand. There is an earlier GWR service from Central to Parkway serving breakfast but they wont serve breakfast for that journey due to the limited time available. I know because we've tried it. It's a shame as it has the same connection for Taunton as your rediculous suggestion.

 

Bah, Paul, you have suddenly made the sandwiches in my packed lunch seem somewhat unappetising!

 

I think it's you that's missing the point. What folk mean when they talk about "the West Somerset effect" might not reflect reality, but we're talking about perception. And the perception given in this thread to outsiders, like it or not, is that you lot manage to make every single molehill a mountain.

 

I vowed never to respond to any of your posts but I will make an exception. The level of debate here goes beyond what is robust and acceptable.

 

Peter all this reminds me of a new government spending the next year or so blaming the previous administration for all their problems.

 

I did say I was sorry. I hope you'll accept this further apology.

Steve

 

Thanks for your reply, and, yes, reading between the lines of many posts I can see that there is far more to the dynamics of the WSR than might be obvious to the outsider (like me) just skimming through the posts on this thread. I appreciate you standing up for "your" railway and putting a positive view forward, whilst still acknowledging that things there are not perfect - no railway is!

My point, though, was not that open, robust and honest debate should be stifled, just that it is better restricted to those who actually matter, in a place or forum less public and better informed - where hopefully those involved in the discussion are committed to seeing the best for the railway. Not everything is appropriate in the public domain (which is what it is here). There are many of us reading this who are outsiders, who are ignorant of the true situation, have no commitment to the WSR, and who (as @Forestpines has already mentioned) form an impression that may well be false, which can then be damaging to the WSR's image as a whole (even if it is just amongst those of us who read Nat Pres!).

Steve B

 

There are c.900 volunteers on the WSR. Some obviously are able/willing to make themselves available for more daily rosters than others. Some manage over a 100 days per annum; others due to distance, family commitments, work etc have difficulty in meeting the preferred minimum of 12 p.a.

However they share certain characteristics; overwhelmingly they enjoy what they do and I believe this shows in how they greet, respond to and look after our passengers. It would be surprising if within such a large number there were not those best described as extroverts and likewise introverts. However I think that recognising the general tenet of comments on Trip Advisor overall our passengers find us welcoming.

Naturally we all recognise I am sure that there are many things we can improve on and hopefully we are seen to be addressing those concerns.

However regarding National Preservation there are hardly ten of those cc.900 volunteers (I admit to being one) who contribute to this website. I have not carried out an audit but I suggest that WSR volunteer postings barely reach 20 % of the total contribution. Yes we had difficulties within the WSRA in the past, but.....

Much of the "disagreement, criticism, indignation, fault finding etc' , indeed the majority of posts do not emanate from WSR volunteers.

Michael Rowe

 

I think that many people who post on here might actually think that any of this makes a difference to the success or otherwise of the WSR. Most visitors, even to galas, never look at Nat Pres, and indeed most don't even know of its existence! The only time we've ever had an effect was in sorting out the WSRA, and as Mike says sites like Trip Advisor are much more important in gauging how the WSR is perceived outside our little bubble.

 

But leaving the WSR to "those who actually matter" has led to Bishops Lydeard station and the WSR catering being in their present sorry state. As I see it putting my view forward here for "those who actually matter" to see is a justified way of campaigning for improvement as there are few other opportunities.

I would also like to point out that this overheated debate has resulted from a response, which I suspect was intended to inflame, to a throwaway remark of mine which didn't warrant any response.

I think the best thing would be for the moderators to close this forum for a couple of months to let those not seriously interested in the WSR find something else to do.

The WSR used to be my favourite preserved railway but sadly I can name several that have overtaken it which I feel very, very sad about as I used to live nearby and still have family there.

 

Are you suggesting that only volunteers should be allowed to post here? Should shareholders not be allowed to post here?

And you seem to think that only volunteers should be allowed to have a view on the WSR. Isn't that a little blinkered?

 

Anne, I think I can see where you are going wrong here - you might find that making your views known to the PLC would be a better use of your time and energy - this forum is not going to feed that information to those who need to hear it. I quote from earlier in the thread:

 

I still care about the WSR to make my views known anywhere that I think might have an influence. There are those here who seem happy with the present poor catering so this seems a good place to make my point. I also care enough not to make my comments on tripadviser even though that might mean more note would be taken of them.

 

Just a passing thought. The Minehead Rail Link people claim, as part of their justification for a TOC running a regular service, that "steam fans coming to galas etc do not spend any money in the locality". Clearly this is 'spin' of the type that ought to get them a well paid post at Westminster, but maybe arguing a case for providing such good catering on the railway that no-one ever needs set foot outside the railway property and into the local community is going to add credence to their claim ?

 

I've always been led to believe that trade in pubs, restaurants and hotels increases at gala times. Perhaps there is one particular hotel that they all avoid?!

 

I'm travelling up to Minehead tomorrow to spend Thursday and Friday at the SSG. Although my spend on the WSR will not be insignificant (train tickets, snacks at Stogumber and even more purchases of WSR branded clothing) I will also spend a large sum in the local economy, usually in excess of £300, mostly on accommodation and meals at the Premier Inn.

Stef.