West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Steve

I've posted my story on here before and if I did again the Mod's would likely remove my post. The easy summary is I did nothing, I wouldn't agree with doing as I was asked to do by the new PLC Board in late 2018, including an instruction to stay silent when I 'whistle blew'. My ID Card was removed without any due process and indeed without even being told, the rosters just stopped arriving and I had to find out for myself. The HR Policies were removed to stop me complaining by saying they did not apply to Volunteers (I was emailed this was the case by the PLC) and its been made clear to me a number of times that I can have my ID Card back only if I agree never to speak out again.

But that's ancient history now and given the WSRA & WSSRT also supported the PLC in this as well as many other things since I'm not expecting to get it back anytime soon. The important thing is ensuring the WSR and its Freehold is saved for future generations so lets focus on working out firstly whether the WSRA knew or didn't know about the multiple approachs to SCC by the PLC.

I have literally been on the phone and exchanging emails with various people all day over this latest development, so you could say I have actually spend a day off site volunteering for the WSR without an ID Card and I've had some interesting conversations as well !!!!

 

Interesting press release from the S&DRT over on the S&D Eviction thread that's worth a read.

 

Not for those of a nervous disposition

 

I've read your story a hundred times, Andy. Stuff happens. You are not the first or last person to experience personal difficulties with the Company. I think my first "difficulty" was around 1982 and there have been other examples over the years. You may like to know that I checked if the HR policies were available and was told yes (although I accept at the time they might not have been available to you for some reason) so as they are not on HOPS I assume they can only be available via your line manager. As I say, an ID card to volunteer is not required for all volunteer tasks. I do hope you can have a word with the WSRA or WSSRT or other groups and find something that you can help with.

You've been busy today - we've all been busy today.

Steve

 

I work from home, on-line, on a voluntary basis - no honorarium - but as it concerns certain personal details of others and finance I am required to agree to certain criteria and have to be appointed to the position. I have an overseer -who is able (on-line) to see what I do.
I doubt if I was treated, as Andy seems to have been, that I would wish to take it up again. I suspect many on NP might feel the same.
I do wonder if other lines might welcome Andy's fundraising capabilities, especially at the present time. His other former railway activities may be something for the future.

 

But @Andy Norman wasnt dealt with in accordance with the HR policies, neither it seems was @Maverick and the HR policies are part of the SMS which isnt being complied with, if they are not available/complied with

 

So what happens if the person wishes to complain about their line manager? He/she is hardly likely to be inclined to release the policy to a complainant!

Any HR policy should be available to all (and indeed there is no reason why it couldn't be available to anyone outside the organisation-what would you have to hide?).

Sorry Steve, but this is skirting around the issue - why are the policies not available? There is no reason that every volunteer and staff member should not be able to access them at a moments notice.

It would also be interesting to hear from you regarding my previous post.

Keith

 

Never mind the slightly odd "you need an ID card" "oh no you don't" "oh yes you do" argument people seem to be having on here (surely an indictment in itself) - would it really be a good idea for someone who was a senior figure, who was ejected almost by trebuchet on the express orders of the chairman of the board, to then pop up again hard at work in a technically-separate organ of the line with a cheery "Hi Jon, I'm BACK!"

Would that really engender peace, harmony and cooperation between the various divisions and appendages of the WSR family?

 

But what about the impact on the SMS? Basically the PLC are potentially no longer compliant, Para 16.2 I believe

 

Sorry Keith , the point I was making was general and not a question of being "not welcome on the line as a volunteer". It's just a choice for those who don't need to do their voluntary work on the Railway.

I live 200 miles from the Railway and I do voluntary work every day for several WSR groups inc the Plc. I do not need to set foot on the Railway to do that work. I do not need a Staff ID, in fact, no-one has ever asked if I have one.

The outcome of your scenario is of course horrifying. And it happens all the time all over the place, sadly. The HR policies are in place (at least they were a few months ago when I asked) and so I assume HR issues are dealt with by the line menager and the individual concerned. You may have a different personal experience Keith and I'd be interested to know your story.

Steve

 

Steve,

My scenario was merely a 'what if' - I don't have a personal involvement in the WSR. I do however have an interest in supporting those who are treated unfairly, such as the S&DRT, @Andy Norman and @Maverick.

At the end of the day, this is supposed to be a hobby. Things should be simple for volunteers, policies easily accessible and easy to understand. There shouldn't be any circumstances in which a volunteer is evicted for having a difference of opinion and there certainly shouldn't be groups or individuals on any railway who defend such evictions, nor should there be anyone threatening violence against another volunteer as has been alleged. Volunteers should all be treated equally and with respect.

Keith

 

If you are so sure of this why don't you have a word in the ORR's ear - I suspect that you won't be the first to do that. If you are not so sure then resist from posting such speculation. We would all know about it soon enough if the WSR is not following its own SMS.

Peter

 

I dont have access to the SMS, either

1. Is it in the public domain somewhere, or
2. The relevant bit, I am told, is 16.2 so can someone either PM me with it or post it on this thread

Thanks

 

I'm not sure why you would expect the SMS to be in the public domain; I'm not sure I can think of many others that are.

Also - I might be wrong, and I certainly don't know how that on the WSR is structured, but I've always understood the SMS to be a system, not a document - hence the name. In other words, a collection of rules, procedures, standards, risk assessments and so on to be followed across all of the railway's operations, together with records of training, assessment, materials and myriad other things to show compliance with those standards. There isn't necessarily a document you can wave and say "here is the SMS", except perhaps a high level overview that references all the component parts.

Tom

 

Actually there is a specific WSR document labelled 'Safety Management System'. In essence it sets out the structure of, and provides references to, all the other component rules, procedures, standards, risk assessments etc.

 

The Safety Management System is a collection of rules, regulations and instructions that specify how operational safety is achieved and general safety is managed on site. All of those rules and regulations are brought together in one document which is generally referred to as "The SMS"

Edit:- @RailWest beat me to it.

 

Interesting, clearly I will not make further public comment for now given the potential implications

@torgormaig your observations would be appreciated

 

There are other railways that use "Safety Management System" for the name of a document that contains a lot of the basics of the railways safety policies and procedures.

I've always thought it a bit of a misnomer, because as @Jamessquared said the point of the safety management system required under ROGS is that it is a system. The "Safety Management System" document, the rulebook, the Appendix, the signalling regulations, the procedure for carrying out a driver's rules test, the records of who has an ID card, when a particular coach was last judged Fit To Run, what grade of steel was used in a loco spring, when a signalman was last observed working by a signalling inspector...all of these things and many more, together, comprise the safety management system as a whole. It is never just a single document.