S&D Railway Trust

Letter here, for those interested. No mention of S&D Trust at all. And the full text of the relevant passages under discussion:

Notwithstanding all this success and positive development, during the past few weeks we have received some undesirable attention on social media, in particular a site called National Preservation. This became so unpleasant, that the operators of this particular website took down the page dedicated to the West Somerset Railway, which as far as I can tell is the first time they have had to take such action.
It is important that you are aware we have decided that to protect the good name of the PLC, and you as shareholders, we have changed our approach from trying to ignore these comments, to one of issuing factual statements to rebut these unfair, unbalanced and unjustified remarks. One has been issued already and others may follow.

I can only imagine that Mr Jones-Pratt purposefully didn't look too hard when making the statement about the first time. The WSR thread has been temporarily locked, as it has before, and indeed countless threads have over the years.
I'm sure we all await factual statements with anticipation, as it'll be a first from the current regime...

 

I have just read the Railway Herald article and whilst agreeing that it is hardly an investigative journalist piece, there is an interesting piece of context...
“In July 2019 the PLC and the Trust met to discuss a concern the Trust had about the future of the hire agreement of locomotive no. 88 . It was agreed that there was a need for an overhaul and that the PLC would develop a reserve to fund that.”
Can’t think what the motivation is behind the notice to quit !!!

 

Also in there is:- "We want to say thank both the WSRA and WSSRT for their continuing support within their charitable objects..."
So It's OK for the WSRA and WSSRT to limit their support to within their charitable objectives but if the S&DRT limit their support to within their charitable objectives it's a reason for eviction?

@ikcdab - The ex 6 and now this? Maybe enough for the next volume of WSR history? (Rumoured working title:- "Ten years of troubles...")

 

Someone needs to reiterate the age old piece of advice to the Plc: "When you are in a hole, stop digging!"

 

''.....for our great trains to thread their way between the Quantocks and Exmoor and on to the seaside''.

I may have it wrong but it sounds to me as if Mr Jones=Pratt is planning to add an extension to the line. <BJ>

 

It seems as factually accurate as the Railway Herald piece.

I am only surprised that the accusation of 'fake news' wasn't wheeled out.

The statement had more than a whiff of Pravda about it 'here are our momumental achievements, but beware the Southern-Midland running dogs who are working to undermine our great and glorius nation'.

 

The "thank you" to the WSRA in today's letter to shareholders from the WSR Chairman is somewhat different to the message he allegedly gave to the former WSRA Chairman, Paul Whitehouse, a few weeks back. Which one are we to believe?

Sent from my SM-T590 using Tapatalk

 

Although, in this case, the spadework is justified. The letter is addressed to "Shareholders, volunteers and supporters", i.e donors of AGM votes, labour and cash. These are the people he needs to keep on side and these are the people he needs to reassure all is above board and tickety-boo. They may not read Nat Pres, but just in case they do, or know someone that does, they need to know that there's another side to the story and this is it.
It seems that PR-wise, someone has woken up. Soon they will begin to smell the coffee. Expect a lot more like this.

 

Perhaps the members of this forum who have been vocal in their support for JJP could possibly comment on this latest correspondence.
Bearing in mind that as members of NP, you will have seen threads locked many times and you will be aware the reason for the WSR thread being locked is not as stated by the PLC then surely this must awaken you to the fact that not everything spoken/written by the PLC is necessarily true?

Keith

 

Although, we are all told that NP is just a small lunatic fringe that no one listens to or reads, and now the PLC have very nicely given NP some free advertising and told them where there is a discussion about what is happening.

I believe this is called the ‘Streisand Effect’.

 

At least when the receivers are called in, we all know who's fault it will be , it will be NP, that Southern and Midland loving people who do not worship at the feet of our dear leader and just to rub salt in the wound, when the new West Somerset railway opens, under completely new management, in 2022, the reopening train will be headed by a rebuilt west county piloted by a midland 4f with the pines express headboard

 

Or maybe reopen the West Somerset thread as a fitting response.

 

Sadly, there's a good chance that the next volume will be called "WSR: The Final Chapter".

 

Sorry forgot to add
Collection of Nick Jones and "This work is licenced under a Creative Commons Licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/"

 

There is now a statement from the S&DRT

3rd May 2020



The S&DRT notes the helpful joint statement by the WSR plc, WSRA and WSSRT issued on 1 May. Whereas we might take some issue with the suggestion that, hitherto, we were not minded to enter into any discussions, we are grateful nevertheless to the WSRA and WSSRT for bringing about that discussion now.

We also note the position statement provided at the same time by the WSR plc. There are a number of matters in that statement with which we might take even greater issue or of which we might question the relevance but we do not think it helpful to do so publicly at this time.

We welcome the involvement of the Heritage Railway Association and look forward to engaging in discussions via that body.

Ian Young, 3 May 2020

 

Several friends of mine have received this letter/ email, but not I, although I am a shareholder. Perhaps we are not all worth keeping on side.

Perhaps I'm being paranoid, and some pages of the shareholders list at company offices have gone missing.

 

You already posted that in post #1999

Dave B

 

Ah! It was e-mailed to me by the Trust so Senior Moment

 

Steam rally cancelled

 

Sad, but not unexpected. Still probably far too early to expect large crowds to travel and gather in one place.

Meanwhile, a sight from last year's Rally.....or is it the S&DRT searching for the Plc Board???