West Somerset Railway - Removal of the PLC Chairman and related matters

So are bridges and a host of other things. Landslips, in particular can be a deep money pit, more so because you don't usually plan for them and they can be a show stopper.

Those aren't the vibes I'm getting but, like you, I'm happy to stand corrected.

 

Whilst not being disrespectful to Frank C it is worth pointing out that some people are "men of the moment" and when that "moment" has passed they are little valued. As a case in point I refer you to the experience of Sir Winston Churchill - the "man of the moment" for WWII but not considered suitable to lead the country in the immediate post-war period. In Churchill's case his moment had come, he proved the right man at the right time but after VE day his contribution to post war Government was not acceptable to the electorate. Could the position of Frank be a parallel "man of the moment" in relation to the WSR ?

 

Steady on, Fred. We may have our differences on the WSR but World War Two it isn't! And the comparison with Winston is way off target and whatever you say I am still not dressing up for the forthcoming 1940s weekend, even if Robin is dressing as "the enemy" (see previous illustrated postings months ago). What I really want to know is what is Paul Whitehouse coming as? Suggestions in a sealed envelope.

 

The work to remove the X6 would not have occurred without the collective effort of MANY folk. Unsung heros include, for example, the Minehead loco dept volunteers stuffing and stamping 1000’s of envelopes at Minehead, and one member having the returns delivered to his home - he got to know the postman VERY well!

As a point of information, the ‘cunning’ running of the EGM, by which you probably mean the co-option by Frank and Mike of the temporary-temporary Trustees to give an effective Board of Trustees straight away, was suggested by another unsung WSRA member (Frank and I know who that was) and blessed by Robin Coombes in advance.

Frank’s great contribution was to recognise that the tide had turned against the X6 and to hold the AGM in the face of provocation from them including a purported removal of himself and Mike.

Once again, the lesson is the strength of COLLECTIVE action, not individual prima donnas or those who believe they hold the ‘sacred flame’ as the X6 appeared to think they did.

Robin

 

I seem to remember that the game changing WSRA EGM (or general meeting as you wish) was called by the Reform Group and Frank C as WSRA Chairman of some 4 weeks had to respond to a correctly call General meeting (or EGM if you wish)
Mike R was also involved as a WSRA trustees or not depending which view you held.
Frank C took a lot of flack and some real unpleasantness from one of the X6
A good team effort.
It is to be regretted that we are where we are.

Jeff Price -A reform group member, somewhat disappointed now with recent events - time for some people to make way for a new collaborative group to develop the WSR

 

You might want to edit your post, Frank. Or perhaps re-read your history. The Soviet Union were our ‘gallant allies’ in WW2, at least according to WSC.

As it happens, despite having made some minor contributions to the 40’s weekend, it is a matter of disappointment to me that I have longstanding commitments elsewhere that weekend. I will, however be overflying the Railway (weather permitting) on the morning of Thursday 13 September in a moderately relevant aircraft. The plan is Exeter - Taunton - Minehead (display) and then back over Exmoor to Exeter.

Give us a wave?

Robin

 

I agree Robin. And I can reveal that the way the meeting was run was your idea, and without it we could have fallen flat on our faces. Yes, collective action works. The tricky bit is agreeing the action...

Frank

 

Evening Frank

I assume that you will be happy to acknowledge the efforts of the many WSRA members (and others) who worked together to bring the WSRA back from the brink as I am sure others will acknowledge the efforts yourself and Mike R put in to the same task.

That said, I repeat that I am disappointed that we are where we are.

That Mike has posted a couple of times recently "WSRA RIP" seems to rather disrespect the efforts made by our predecessors.

Across the whole WSR that should not be squandered.

Jeff Price

 

OK I stand corrected, but your uniform looked a bit Cold War to me. Then, even though I may look (and possibly am) old I was not present for WW2, so don't have first hand experience. RSM in the school cadet force hardly counts - and that's something I don't reveal often...

 

Of course I am, Jeff. It was a joint effort. If I recall one of the most helpful was Faol's very large (but actually fairly friendly) dog who was persuaded not to eat the postman, at least for the period that signed letters were being delivered.

 

Purest WW2, down to the remarkably comfortable 1943 boots. I did have occasion to visit Eastern Europe with some regularity in the early to mid 1980’s so happy to debate the differences which were important to me then.

I have never found collective action difficult. You just have to recognise that you are there to serve, respect your colleagues, consult with them before acting, and better solutions emerge.

Goodnight, tovarishch...

 

OMG, It's Olga from the Volga !

My Russian is a little rusty but I can just about translate the front page of Pravda.

Yesterday, comrade Stalin read his report to the Party Congress. Suddenly someone sneezed. "Who sneezed?" shouted the beloved leader. His question was met with total silence. "First row! On your feet! Shoot them!" They were shot, and he asked again, "Who sneezed, Comrades?" There was no answer. "Second row! On your feet! Shoot them!" They were shot too. "Well, who sneezed?" At last a sobbing cry resounded in the Congress Hall, "It was me! Me!". Stalin said, "Bless you, Comrade!"

In other news, Comrades Lenin, Stalin and General Zukhov were travelling together in a railway carriage. Unexpectedly, the train stopped. Lenin suggested "Perhaps we should announce a volunteer day, so that workers and peasants will fix the problem." Comrade Stalin put his head out of the window and shouted, "If the train does not start moving, the driver will be shot!" But the train didn't start moving. Lenin then shouted, "Let's take the rails from behind the train and use them to lay the tracks in front". But still the train didn't move. Then Zukhov came up with the master plan, "Comrades, Comrades, let's draw the curtains, turn on the gramophone and pretend we're moving. We were going the wrong way anyway!"

 

Have people forgotten the track grinding incident and report of some years ago? The then consultant civil engineer had the rails ground by a Netwrk rail team to eek out the remaining life of the track rails. Ok he mucked up in not following up the work and delipping the grinding but the underlying message and warnings about life expired rails were clear or should have been. Since then resleeping has been carried out but little or no rerailing as far as I a humble shareholder can find out. I have emailed nearly every PLC chairman since on this but none of them replied. The PLC has to carry out work and fund rerailing similar to other long lines such as NYMR SVR but has dithered away/had their heads in the sand for far too many years Some hard decisions now have to be made quickly which I guess is where all this grief started.

 

I think a Policeman is out of the question.

 

As one of those "temporary trustees" who was drafted in at the AGM (Robin had asked me to stand in a phone call a few days earlier, apart from Ian C I had never met any of the others involved previously). it is with some sadness and bewilderment that I have followed the recent events from afar. Many of the principal characters who worked together so well then are involved in the present mess, and it seems to me that you have ALL forgotten the lesson so painfully learned only a few years ago, namely that the good of the WSR as a whole is far more important than any one of its constituent organisations,. and that to achieve progress it is necessary to talk together, and, dare I say it, be prepared to compromise. Legalistic resolutions should be an absolute last resort, sorry Robin. I hope that common sense will prevail down there in Somerset and that a solution to the present difficulties can be arrived at amicably.

Sent from my Lenovo TAB 2 A10-70F using Tapatalk

 

I agree absolutely.

Robin

 

I think there is a fair chance that he will be there as a signalman.

Robin

 

I think it was in 2013 that I had a trip over the line with Mark Smith. I made a comment to the effect that I had not seen any flat bottom rail and I was told that the only section was over a bridge; all the rest was bullhead dating from BR days. If things have changed since then, and I hope they have, even at relaying one mile per year, there is still an awful lot to go at. 'Ploughman' can no doubt give better detail but I think the NYMR has been totally re-railed once and some sections twice. There is an ongoing investment in new rail of about half a mile every year.

 

It's one of those oxymoron things I think, the permanent way is the least permanent thing about a railway.

 

Reading this thread it appears that the least permanent thing about the WSR is the Board.