S&D Railway Trust

As you will appreciate, I was merely referring to the actual words used in the Joint Statement. Maybe this will be another case where in due course it is claimed that we poor souls who can do no more than read what is put before us will be told that we have 'misunderstood' the reality

 

The notice was served back in February - before this pandemic hit us - so I'd suggest the question should be "How was this action supposed to help the Plc at all?"

No course of action is going to be financially beneficial to the Plc. Either there are going to be Court costs and/or compensation payments and/or site rebuilding costs and increase of utility expenses together with a loss of rental income if the S&DRT do leave. Then what? Do they pay ongoing maintenance to keep it as a station or just shut the station completely and turn the whole place into one big p-way yard? That'll be cheapest...

No, I can't see any benefit to the Plc in doing this. Nor can I see any benefit to the WSRA, the WSSRT or any other group on the railway. So who or what would benefit from this action? And, if you take it to the extreme, who or what would benefit if the action was forced to continue to the point where the Plc ran out of funds and was declared insolvent?

Is there a queue of local house builders waiting at SCC to buy the land? Golf course anyone?

 

To be honest this action benefits no one, and damages everyone involved with the West Somerset Railway, it hurts people who only want to see the railway they love in the media for the wrong reason, its an ill conceived knee jerk action, to being told, sorry we can't help you financially, and has done untold damage , and possibly is more damaging than the virus to long term planning, assuming there is a plan, someone threw their toys out of the pram, and now everyone is trying to save face, and actually digging an even bigger hole in the process, this though was always going to happen, when you have such an organisational problem, and unsuitable people at board level, its not just the chairman, its those who enabled his actions, first in reducing the board to just like minded people, and allowing him total power, without any way to hold him to account .

 

You are so right. To my mind the latest news on funds raised for the emergency appeal tells it's own story.http://www.wsr.org.uk/news.htm#2031
In round numbers, taking everything in, £101k, of which £32k is really already WSR money, strongarmed out of local funds held by the stations, so £69k raised externally. Compare this with similar appeals for other lines, SVR over £700k, GWSR £210k being just two I am familiar with. WSR certainly not top of the popularity poll with folks inclined to donate to such funds.



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It would not be unfair to say that a PW yard, by its nature, can be an untidy, scruffy space. It is not surprising that the good folk at Dunster station would like it removed so that their environment can be improved. But why on earth does the Plc want simply to move it to another station, thereby simply shifting the problem rather than solving it? DR station is fairly remote from local habitation, whereas WD is slap bang next to the Inn and has many houses in the immediate vicinity. I wonder what the good residents of Washford will think of the Plc's plan to dump this eyesore in their midst?

 

And right next door to, and behind the yard at Dunster is a equally messy builders yard. So moving it makes your side of the fence look nice but then you still have the lovely sight of a messy neighbour.

 

I expect what will worry them most is noise. An eyesore can be screened by Cupressus Leylandii, but they won't do much for noise.

 

There are those who feel Cupressus Leylandii to be an eyesore as well but that is really getting into thread drift territory.

Perhaps this is the time to suggest that the present lockdown situation might be a spur to dispose of railway linear scrapyards for re-cycling once restrictions are eased.

 

A new WSR director.
https://www.west-somerset-railway.c...t-of-justin-kerr-peterson-as-company-director

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Don't know if it's just me, but virtually everybody that I come across with a double-barrelled name seems to present problems.

Bob.

 

Leaving aside individuals, personally I'd be uncomfortable about the general manager also being a board director. Is this a temporary arrangement until the GM can take up his paid role and have something to generally manage with a formal role, which he currently can't have? The statement isn't clear.

 

I suspect it is temporary, the statement does say that the job description for the job makes it clear that the role does not include being a board director. Presumably Mr Kerr Petersen is remaining in his paid job with GWR until such time as the coronovirus crisis is over, and so making him a temporary director is a way of ensuring his input before then.

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I think that one can be argued every which way; the important thing is that there be a critical distance between those charged with implementing policy and those making it. As for the individual in question, I infer judicious use of furlough arrangements with his current employer to the advantage of him and the WSR. If I'm right, congratulations to all involved for making that work.

 

Indeed, that's what it looks like, and if so, jolly clever, well done.

 

Didn't the departure of the last GM from the WSR begin with him leaving the Plc Board on the grounds that it wasn't appropriate for the GM to be a Plc Board member, followed by his dismissal as GM some time later, or am I misremembering?

 

Your recollection is perfect, see page 2 of the link below. "It was felt that the role of General Manager is to run the daily operation and should be reporting back to the Board, not participating in the development of the PLC strategy."

I hope the new post holder repeats the word "yes" sufficient times to pass the 3 month probation.

http://www.wsr.org.uk/plc-press-1-jul-2019.pdf

 

You ask for consistency...


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Nothing wrong with your memory ......

 

While I hope that the WSR will ride the COVID 19 storm, and in normal circumstances would donate and/or buy more shares, I hesitate to do so. This is because my money could end up being spent on litigation against the S&DRT. No way would I want to assist in evicting the S&DRT, even indirectly.

 

View of what Washford will look like after SDRT leaves