West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Some on here seem to have a hang-up with "Solicitor's letters". Largely they are meaningless, simply an attempt to frighten the recipient into submission. Often the threatened actions have no real basis in law and will never be pursued by the solicitor's client, partly because they lack substance and partly because the cost of doing so is prohibitive. If the contents of this particular letter are as stated above there seems to be little merit in the issues raised and the fact that the complainant has taken an action that can only be seen, by reasonable people, as outright bullying does him no favours. Instead of facing up to his critics and answering their charges he has attempted to throw up a smokescreen to hide behind.
We can draw our own conclusions !

 

As an occasional visitor who enjoyed visiting the WSR and thought it was a well run and a great day out for enthusiast and non enthusiast alike, I am horrified to see it being apparently torn apart by the current dispute(s). Having read much of this increasingly more acrimonious thread, I can only fear for the future of the railway as even if only half the things being said are true then I'd be surprised to see the railway reopening again next year. Of course, there's a simple solution. Get all the major protagonist together in one place, lock the door and only let them out once they have reached a concencus on the way foward!

 

If only !

 

Can the grant awarding body, actually ask the recipient awardee for the money back, if it has not been used in the manor intended, if the educational activities have not been provided, is the attempt to bully into silence someone, who instigated reporting this because the PLC themselves have had a letter themselves, asking for money they can't repay?

 

Once again, the only way this can be " fixed" has to be that further board members are elected to the board of the PLC, with the purpose to vote the chairman, and his backers, out of office, then , and only then, can people be got on board to examine the finances, give an honest report and a rescue plan and start the wholesale reorganisation of the railway, IMHO certain people, have screwed up, big time, this time, two in particular for inviting the present chair to the board, and by allowing him to in effect take over, appoint a group of yes men, giving him total power.

 

I wonder how many tomato plants they harvested from the track!

 

Please dont close my local heritage railway

 

I recall a few years ago many people attacking the WSRA trustees for instructing a Birmingham-based legal firm on grounds of expense, distance, and so on. I'm intrigued to know just what cunning specialist skills the legal eagles of Clitheroe have in their armoury that the clerks of Taunton and scriveners of Bristol just haven't thought of.

 

I have instructed a solicitor by e-mail/phone

Perfectly normal these days

 

4561 is the WSRA, who you dismissed only a few days ago

4936 owned by Kinlet Hall Ltd (JJP), but with a big finance charge on it
9466 owned by JJP
both would have to be 'hired', & require expenditure by the WSR...

6024 is ultimately controlled by Jeremy Hosking, who owns a big stake in Dartmouth


Yes, locos move around.
However, that needs paying for.
With the financial issues now facing the heritage rail sector, & which will be ongoing for a while, I could well see future hire agreements having the transport costs front-loaded in the fees, so that the cost of retrieving a loco is already paid for.

 

Your point being ??

 

The key point with the Birmingham firm was less distance, and more the appropriateness of a large commercial law firm for the WSRA.

 

That in itself using a solicitor based many miles away isnt unusual

 

Instant results are fine if you need instant results.

However, with the only plans being to be open at Minehead & not run trains, then surely it makes the most sense to put all volunteer resources into Minehead, & not just do weeding.

 

I keep seeing mention of 9466 loco but it has been posted elsewhere that it is now on hire to the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway for 2020 and all of 2021.

 

The legal services market has fragmented - I'm just doing the conveyancing for a house sale online - and there are organisations that offer no win no fee for defamation cases. What organisations there are in Clitheroe I haven't checked.

I used to work extensively with law firms, it was in Clitheroe I was visiting a firm while a by-election was on and bumped into Miss Whiplash. It was 1991, and now I have a search history for 'Clitheroe AND whiplash' that I will have to explain someday :-D

Patrick

 

Judging by the length of the grass in the cess perhaps it's also worries about lineside fires that's preventing the reopening just now?

 

Black pudding is your answer, Lancashire Black pudding lovely stuff.

 

Good advice for online life generally. That was a steep learning curve for me personally, back in the pre-Internet Dark Ages.

Noel

 

Perhaps it's the threat of resorting to the Lancastrian martial art of 'Ecky Thump'? https://www.facebook.com/networkdistributing/videos/ecky-thump/466257020537158/
Ray.