West Somerset Railway General Discussion

As a separate supporting group, York Area Group on the NYMR but with our own Charity number and policy of support to the railway in general and the Civils dept in particular.
Until this last 6 months our main fund raising efforts concentrated on Recycling a number of different materials.
One of which was Aluminium foil. Initially we were approached by the Alu Foil Recycling campaign who were in existence to get more foil recycled but not to do it themselves. Local groups would earn the income instead.
When we were approached we were asked if we would work for the income by doing the collection and processing into bales of foil.
We said yes, no problem, we were then told that we were the first group who actually agreed to this as every other "Charity " up to then would take the money and not do anything for it.

In the end we have shifted Thousands of tonnes of paper and a couple of hundred tonnes of foil.

After 40 years of Paper recycling and 20 years of foil recycling we have had to finally stop our bulk recycling activities due to our premises being redeveloped.

What did we achieve?
1/2 the initial purchase price for 80135
A number of coaches.
Built a 40 m workshop at Newbridge.
Became the largest rolling stock owner on the NYMR mainly in Civil Engineers working wagons, not demo freight stock.
Bought A Ballast Gopher, 3 Tampers, a Ballast Regulator, 3 cranes and 4 ballast hoppers amongst other vehicles.
Provided financial backing to other groups on the railway for projects that would get no backing elsewhere, Levisham Weighbridge as one example.

 

It would be interesting to know if people who want the WSR to fail are paying you to come here and make posts like this. If so, then I would suggest that fact would be another reason you've suddenly sprung into life.

No, I don't really think that - but that should should show you just how nasty unfounded speculation about people's motives can be.

Noel

 

There is an irony in that the PDSR would be buying it to bolster their home fleet, and reduce reliance on hired in locos. Whereas it would have the exact opposite effect on the WSR.

A sale to to the PDSR would certainly see a more rapid return to steam than any of the options for it remaining at the WSR. Perhaps it would have been the next contract job for the ESR.

 

No. If I thought there was a cat in hells chance that the WSRA could actually raise £100k through donations in the timescale it appears the WSR Plc need the cash, and could actually restore 4110 within a lifetime I'd be happy the support their ownership.

 

By apparently ruling out a sale to the 4110 group WSR plc appear to have made a massive miscalculation.
If the WSRA cannot raise the funds in time, then I suspect the result will in fact mean it will leave the WSR. I'd like to be wrong...
Robin L.

 

Is it too early to discuss visiting locos for the 2019 diesel gala

 

It's the gift that keeps on giving.

 

That might just be something they’ve said in order to encourage donations to the WSRA. I’d imagine if it came to it they would still sell to the 4110 group.

Of course this would make the WSR plc look even more silly.

 

Perhaps - sometimes it seems like the gift that keeps on taking!

Steve B

 

Those organizations are made up of people. People make mistakes - nobody' s perfect. Moreover, they're all volunteers, and have other things they have to pay attention to. (Indeed, the new PLC Chair has his own business to attend do.) Plus to which, it was Christmas, and everyone's distracted.

Could it have been handled better? Yes. But the reaction you point to is seemingly not cutting them any slack.

And, speaking of volunteers, who's going to be crazy enough to try and help a situation that is that full of this kind of hard feelings? Who needs it? Life's too short.

Noel

 

There is an Italian writer who argues that we should not fall into the trap of seeing organisations as rational or goal orientated. He argues that within an organisation individuals will often put their own personal interests within the organisation above those of the wider organisation. In short, they will often not do things that may weaken their powerbase or influence within the organisation, even if they would strengthen the organisation as a whole.

Whether that is what has happened at the WSR I will leave for others to decide but reading the thread reminded me.

 

As a long term supporter o the WSR PLC and the WSRA through the difficult times I am saddened to seethe chaos that currently threatens to destroy the good works done by hundreds of people. In particular this forum has simply become a place for anti WSR folk to just try and make matters worse. Perhaps the mods should give serious thought to closing it since it seems to no longer serve any useful purpose to the WSR or the heritage railway movement generally..

 

Says one of the many offenders.
Totally agree though, shut it ( this thread) down, please.

 

This thread, please. Every other railways' threads on this forum are largely benign.

 

That is a bit rich considering that my only comments were constructive unlike yours. You just epitomise the bad mouthing.

 

The Italian writer may have influenced/been influenced by the British documentary maker Adam Curtis.

His films have covered the very trap you describe.

 

I sadly have to agree with Dennis

Under all other circumstances the WSRA would be the ideal vehicle but how long have they been restoring 4561 an engine which I was one of the people who secured it from Barry with a £500 loan in 1975 along which I additionally bought £80 worth of shares in 1975. Not that being a shareholder ever meant anything other than handing over the money of course! Happy memories sleeping rough in Barry!

I wonder what the consortium who has raised the required funds to buy it actually think about all of this? Unless it was agreed from the outset I doubt they would be enthusiastic and it could even result in the evaporation of the promised funding and then everyone loses!

 

Constructive??
Have a look in the mirror.

I reiterate, this thread is absolute poison to the heritage railway industry and needs closing.

 

Worth noting that just because 4110 would be under WSRA ownership doesn't mean it has to be restored by them. The original group could be reconstituted as a "friends of" style group funded by donations that go via the WSRA (with all the benefits that go with that previously discussed) and those same original people could carry out the restoration in whichever way they would have done had they won ownership of the loco. I think given all that's happened now this surely is the ideal way to keep everyone happy, the original group get a reasonable level of autonomy but keep the benefits and securty that the WSRA offer. This arrangement would give a reaosnable compramise on the feeling of ownership as well, Not as strong as with a separate group, but more than if it followed the path of 4561.

 

Perhaps best not to just at the moment,

Jon