West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Physician arise and heal thyself.

 

Indeed, it isn’t. But there was something about his post that rather rankled, as did the curtailing of the full quote in yours.

Every railway I’ve known to face an infrastructure breakdown that would close the line has faced into that, and made it an absolute priority. Here, the funds were made available in 2018, yet progress has been glacial, the railway seemingly could not have operated into Minehead in 2020, and looks like it will be unable to do so in 2021 given what’s being said at present.

If I’m wrong about this, I’d love to be set straight. But with some information, not just bland dismissals.


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I think you are supposed to have faith and belief. With those, you don't need information. We just need to trust in the Lord, sorry, the Board, and we shall all be saved.

 

One gets rather Trumpian echoes certainly.

 

I think what strikes me is a sense that i) anyone who questions anything is against the railway and ii) those asking questions have to no right to ask questions let alone get answers.

If the posts could be found and pinned that would be a good thing.

What is frustrating to me is this - everyone appreciates that **** happens and things go wrong. Most people are pretty forgiving, especially in these covid times when many of us in our 'real' lives are fire fighting problems. However, there is no transparency or honesty, just obfuscation, bluster, blaming other people, or ridiculous arguments about why there shouldn't be transparency.

Llangollen, have in the phrase of the day, put their big boy pants on, and said that **** is f'd up. This is what is wrong, this is what we are trying to do to put it right. They have looked to take the high ground and from what I've seen not engaged in blaming the previous board for the bad decisions (although it is obvious that this is where the fault lies). So instead of looking back they are looking and moving forward.

 

This is your opinion. Many others hold different opinions. There will be a test of who is is right or wrong as to the opinions of the supporters of the WSR tomorrow when the results of the elections for trustees of the WSSRT are announced. Who ever triumphs tomorrow indicates who is right or wrong as to what the supporters of the railway think. I wont attempt to guess the result because of the 10 running a recruitment drive to get people to vote for them may have skewed the result towards them. You I suspect hope that the 10 people who want the Steam trust and the WSRA to merge succeed and I hope that the Steam trust has the majority on the board to stop the merger. I believe different things to you and it will be interesting to see the comments on here tomorrow after the announcement of the votes. The Railway is only here today because of the PLC board and I cannot see that anybody here could have saved the railway as they have done.

Tomorrow will be the first test of who is more in touch with the railways fan base You or I. If you are correct about the people wanting change I will disappear as will I suspect many others and you can all feel the warm glow inside of being right.

1 thing puzzling me though is the silence from the 10 do they know something I dont?

 

I don't see how the results tomorrow will prove anything.

If the status quo remains, the arguments will continue and "more of the same" hardly seems to be a recipe for extricating the WSR from it's current mess.

If the ten, or however many it now is prevail, that will change nothing short term, but might just be the start of a process which might lead to a successful and financially secure railway.

Edited to add that your last paragraph seems to suggest an "us and them" attutude rather than a "lets see what the members want, then get behind them whatever the decision" attitude. More evidence of what has caused the problems in the first place?

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but until recently, wasn't the WSSRT membership less than 100? Even if it has doubled recently, can it be assumed that the election results are representative of how the WSR "family" as a whole would vote were they entitled to do so? It seems to be assumed that many of those joining are in favour of the 10, but they could equally be others motivated to join to oppose them. If the 10 do win election to the Board, will Rodders154 accept that there is a groundswell of opinion in their favour? I suspect not!

 

There does seem to be a Trumpian view of democracy in some quarters of the South West...

"I'm bigly in favour of it and of accepting the result, as long as my point of view is the one which wins. Otherwise I'll sulk, moan about the result and ultimately just throw my toys out of the pram"

 

Please explain! How did delaying the renewal of the crossing save the Railway? How did serving the eviction notice on the S&DRT save the Railway? How did suspending the HR system save the Railway?

The Railway already had some serious issues to deal with before the present members of the PLC Board took over; notably the backlog of PW maintenance and the need to renew the crossing. But the Railway is in much worse trouble now, largely because of the actions and inactions of the present PLC board members. Covid hasn't helped, of course, but they've been allocated a large dollop of cash to alleviate that -- if they can spend it in time in the right way.

 

You forgot to add about demanding a recount.

 

Chill Rodders. Chill!

 

No-one ‘triumphs’ on a Railway working in the atmosphere created in recent years. We all bleed.

Robin

 

Agreed!

I've yet to see any convincing evidence that the current board of the plc have done anything positive to save the railway beyond writing off a contractual liability and parading it as a major financial turnround.

I'd love to see facts to show I'm wrong.

 

Picking up on the highlighted phrase, I think I agree about what they did two years ago. The trouble is, I think their cure may be, like chemotherapy, one that is effective in the short term but highly toxic if carried to excess. And right now, I see the cure having gone on to cause significant damage without showing evidence of further benefit.

Some will show Washford as the prime example of the board's failings, I personally consider that the canary in the mine is Seaward Way where the evidence suggests that the failure of the board to make progress since SCC voted the £850k has led to one, and very probably two, seasons when the WSR cannot operate to it's major destination. All the grants in the world are meaningless if the railway can't actually go to where it's market want it to go to.

I will be delighted if someone in the know - privately if necessary - can prove me wrong; I'm not a fan of rabbit fur so won't offer to eat my hat but would be glad to admit I'm wrong if this can be shown.

 

"The Railway is only here today because of the PLC board and I cannot see that anybody here could have saved the railway as they have done".

The railway and its supporters are only here today because of those who in the main went before and were both bold and visionary. We should never forget. No one knows the validity of your current assertions, but on the face of it it they would appear more than a little absurd. Some positive information for supporters would be helpful, for example what have they actually done that has 'saved' the WSR. For most professionally run organisations that rely heavily on financial donations, regular updates on progress and future aims and ambitions for supporters and members is considered essential.

Comment on any potential secretive progress the plc board may have made is of course subjective with the total lack of solid information. Just rumour and gossip.

No trains running now or in the foreseeable future, summary eviction of a long time family member without satisfactory explanation and the resultant loss of supporters and finance, agreed steam loco overhaul deferred at best, 84.000 pounds of someone else's money unspent on major infrastructure project for two years and counting, summary removal of volunteers, summary removal of the grievance procedure.... Well it goes on. All this bleating and defence of the plc from a small number of people is neither productive nor conducive to the future of a healthy and respectful environment.

If you have some good or positive news, then please why not share it to the wider community ? It would be much appreciated.

 

Out of interest, as your posts aren't clear, are you a longstanding member of WSSRT?

 

..and on Sunday, the Seaward Crossing will still be preventing revenue earning trains running into Minehead station.