West Somerset Railway General Discussion

If a web page becomes out of date, then wouldn't an idea be to hide it, on the basis that no information is better than wrong information, or is that no easier than updating it?

 

Whether you update a page or hide it, it requires some kind of positive action from someone. So the actual issue is building in the processes to review content on a regular basis: once you know something is wrong, updating is rarely contentious, so the issue is just how do you find out it is wrong in the first place?

If twenty years or so of being involved professionally around web management has taught me anything, it is that web sites rarely get smaller. It is very easy (and fun) to have a process to create new content; but very few organisations have a process to systematically review and if necessary remove old content. So websites gradually grow, and you get little dusty corners that go out of date in an unnoticed way because there is no formal process to keep them updated. Being under-resourced (as most heritage railways are) doesn't help, but even big organisations suffer.

Tom

 

This is one of Facebook's big drawbacks. How does a successful railway distinguish itself from, say, a one-man-band page that says they're going to reopen Taunton-Barnstaple by this time next year?

Personally I think a CMS-driven website is the best thing for most heritage railways. A static site is better for enthusiast information so long as the skills to update it are there. But all websites need continuous effort to keep them refreshed.

(Believe me - my personal site was dormant for 5 years or so, and it's taken me several months of my spare time to review all the content and remove broken links)

 

Because they are simply out of their depth and couldn' t organise a party in a brewery.

 

I must confess that the specific 'Links' page on my site rarely gets updated more than once a year, simply not enough time (and interest!) to keep checking who else has gone 'dead' or moved or whatever. I also sometimes find a page that I started some years ago and never got around to finishing :-(

By coincidence, I was in the process of buying something off an online retailer's site last night, until I found that the link to their T&C page did not work - that put me off for a start. Their 'help' link failed also.....

 

"Under section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972, a local authority has the power to dispose of land. The main caveat to this power is that the council must not do so for “a consideration less than the best that can be reasonably obtained”. This is interpreted as being the best price achievable in the open market." from here https://clhtoolkit.org/legal/dispos...tion 123 of the,achievable in the open market. Note the reference to the "open market". Of course there is no obligation on the LA to sell at the open market price, it can always hold out for more, but it is not compelled to.

 

As an aside I have today started re-reading John B Snell's 'One Man's Railway ' on the RHDR.

The suggestion on here last week that John Snell described volunteers as "conscripts" seems to me to be taken out of context;
It is on p. 62 and 63 of the above book (mine is the second edition) describing the RHDR in pre-WW2 days, to pretty much posh wealthy young lads who were given unpaid jobs driving the locos with free accommodation for the summer.

 

Another instance, maybe, of mid 20th. century words usage and meaning being misunderstood in the first quarter of the 21st. century. There are a few instances now where words can have far different interpretations than in the past.

 

https://www.wsra.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2020-AGM-minutes-DRAFT.pdf

 

Good to read that the 4160 shares issue is now going to mediation, rather than an expensive court case.

 

While clearly discretion is called for there is little indication as to the WSRA view as to how it might relate to the new single charity

 

The locomotive is now on The South Devon for overhaul under custodianship of 5542 Ltd.

 

I believe there has already been a decent contribution to the Horace Rumpole benevolent fund.

 

You mean someone said good morning to a lawyer?

 

https://www.west-somerset-railway.c...Ai6aFSfdSAvFb0P2UDtJtIwACwvRtm-No0YoanBTvBR4Y

 

Great news, and I look forward to the heritage railway actually getting reopened. Perhaps some of the grant could be spent on helping the S&DRT with its move, or perhaps even stay?

 

It seems that the grant will ensure the survival of the WSR; cheerful news for supporters and volunteers.

 

Yes, reading that piece of Good News was an excellent way to start the day.

 

I Just hope they don't waste it, that it does indeed go towards ensuring the line can re open, so measures such as making it covid compliant, ensuring screens are in place, ensuring suitable measures so they can re open, then for everyone concerned to work together, to start to repair the damage done to morale, and this means the new GM, has to mend bridges and start by getting people together and talking face to face, agree new grievance procedures, and a new rule book, if needed, so people are treated fair. the charities need to be allowed to find their own way, hopefully into one organisation.

 

The Grant funding is great news and clearly is a great chance to save the WSR and make it financially secure, I would make two comments:

1. On 26th August a press release said: “The West Somerset Railway Joint Fundraising Group is pleased to announce that it has been able to support the WSR Plc in submitting, on behalf of the whole railway, a substantial six-figure bid to the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage established by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.” . However today the PLC say: “Although the application was submitted by the West Somerset Railway PLC as the sole grant beneficiary, it was prepared in partnership with the WSRA”,etc. etc.

2. Its clear to me that the grant has been successful because the local Community and its leaders supported it, the MP’s, SCC, District and Parish Councils stated how important the WSR is to the local community, heritage, jobs, community wellbeing etc. etc.

On the first point maybe I’m over analysing it but there is a trend here of claiming credit, stealing thunder and then saying “look I’ve saved the WSR, you must all follow us”. The fund raising group rose from the ashes of the HPC Bid team under the WSRA not the PLC, so credit where credit is due.

On the second point it’s a clear indication of the importance of inclusion rather than exclusion of all, if you work with people, people will support you and here are 865,000 reasons why an inclusive culture is important. It’s noteworthy that only 3 months ago the PLC where insulting one of the local MP’s in press releases to the local papers. To give credit to the MP concerned he then only a couple of months later wrote a letter of support to the WSR for this application which would have helped greatly along with his colleague in securing it. Perhaps we have to thank such people who see the bigger picture and just brush personal insults aside for the greater good, it would have been easy for him to say “stuff you lot” but he didn’t, that to me shows more courage than the people who wrote the press releases about him and others.

Time to celebrate, this as a good thing and lets not use it as a way of forcing anybody’s wider agenda. We need to thank whole heartily all elements of the local community and its leaders for coming together and supporting the WSR in its hour of need, it’s clear to me that given their firm support this application was never going to fail.