West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Having launched its million pound "Emergency SOS Survival Fund Appeal", one might expect the WSR to be acting to create the best impression and maximize goodwill from potential donors. Instead of that, some of the WSR's leaders seem to be going out of their way to alienate the railway's supporters. Have they not heard of the maxim "when in a hole, stop digging"?

Yesterday's "Times" highlighted some areas where the WSR shop has suffered an interruption of supplies.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/peter-brookes-times-cartoon-july-23-2021-3n9ttq2rw

 

4 locos is a good number for a service that only sees 2 in steam at any one time. Any more would be overkill. 5199 is on WSR metals. 53808 isn't the only loco in the world capable of load 10 on the WSR is the point I was making.

 

I notice the front carriage of the tour was FO 3058, ex WSR converted buffet, ran as 'Taunton Cider' for sometime, and sold to WCRC approx 10 years ago.

 

AFAICS, either this is a WSRHT matter, in which case, why on earth is Steve Williams asking the Plc to do anything about it or it is a Plc matter, in which case why on earth is the acting Chairman of the WSRHT getting the Trust involved with it?

 

So the WSR got lucky and another loco was available. Relying on luck is no way to run a railway. The original comments were based on what was available at the time and the unwisdom of being in that position.

 

Indeed they have got lucky in that Foxcote Manor and 5199 have become available. However their long term loco policy seems to be hire in a couple of extra locos each and every season. I can’t think of any other major railway that operates like that.

 

I am unclear. At the time I was cautiously supportive of the WSSRT members putting themselves forward for election as trustees. I read a great many comments by them, and a great many comments made by the existing leadership of the of the trust.
These so very contentious comments made by the applicants- were they untruthful? and that way might bring the WSSRT or PLC into disrepute. Were the comments possibly a breach of confidentiality? I can see how that might be a cause for concern.
So, I have to ask, having been taken in by the manifesto of the 14/12/20, how can I find out which of their claims were so controversial.

I have to also ask about the untrue statements made by the elected trustees against those who stood? Slanderous allegations were made by and in the name of the WSSRT against those who were standing, letters and/or e-mails were sent to all members, deliberately untruthfully claiming 'a hostile takeover', and that if elected, the proposed trustees would undemocratically force a merger between the WSSRT and the WSRA. When will the PLC be investigating these statements, which really have brought the WSR into disrepute

 

Seriously? You can't be thinking very hard. Dartmouth have hired in locos for seasons for the last few years... 6023, 7752, 5197, 7820, 5542 and now 5526.

Further afield, Battlefield, Chinnor, Mid Norfolk and Ecclesbourne all hire in locomotives constantly. Gwili are hiring 5786 currently. NYMR had 44871 on loan earlier this year.

 

I think you missed the wording ‘major lines’ in what I said. With the greatest respect to them, I wouldn’t describe most of those lines as such.

Dartmouth I believe has mainly hired one loco at a time, not 2 or 3 like the WSR. They are also taking steps to improve their position for example by buying 4110. Meanwhile the WSR continues to alienate it’s loco owners.

 

I'm sorry to say that it doesn't assist me much.

I've now seen two images appearing to show separate parts of a letter to the the Chairman of the WSR plc from the WSRHT. One image bears the name of the Trust's Acting Chairman Steve Williams, but not his written signature. For reasons unknown to me the valedictory elements are highlit in blue.

What seems clear from the published images is that, whilst they may accurately portray part of a letter sent to the plc's Chairman by the WSRHT on 20 November last, they certainly don't portray it in full.

I note the fulminations about intolerable actions on the part of 'the 10' which are said to warrant a disciplinary investigation and the application of disciplinary sanction before such investigations are completed. I also note that the text does not 'request' such an investigation but says that the the WSRHT is 'looking to' the plc Board to carry it out as the holder of certain unspecified duties.

So there is plenty of sound and fury in the posted text image, but it signifies very little and certainly doesn't assist comprehension of what has been taking place because part of the letter has not been reproduced, perhaps most importantly the part giving details of the actions that are said to warrant disciplinary intervention by the plc.

I don't think it appropriate to comment further unless the whole of the letter in question is reproduced here, subject to appropriate obscuration of matters such as personal details. I would also like to know the letter's provenance, and to understand why it has only been reproduced in part and why the concluding details are highlit in blue. Since it is a letter dating from November 2020 it would also be helpful to know why only now is it being brought to light on this forum.

I have no wish to imply that @Sidmouth has been motivated by any improper considerations in reproducing part only of the letter in question but I would like to be sure that I am not rushing to judgment before I have, literally, seen the full picture.

 

This is a line that we are lead to believe is in dire need of money so, does it make any good sence to hire in locos, as any hired loco would not come FOC, there will be hire fees, steaming fees, etc, most railways who are facing financial pressure would not be hiring in anything, and making do with what they have, including diesel substitution to reduce the steam mileage, so only one engine needs to be in steam,

 

I wouldn't class the WSR as a major line anymore. Its nothing other than being the longest. Doesn't bring much more to the table.

 

I don’t use incognito browser mode, and am familiar with the “not now” option. As @flying scotsman123 says below, a screenshot or quote would have been helpful.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

However, even without the full picture, in fact, even without any knowledge of the correspondence at all, it does appear that either the Plc is interfering in a WSRHT matter that is none of their business, or vice versa. It also appears, and has appeared all along, that this is revenge by the management against workers who dared to stand up to them and no amount of protesting too much will alter that. Ho, hum, recreating a 1950s branch line in more ways than you'd think. Full marks for "authenticity", though.

 

It would be worth making that point that unless 53808's 10 yearly overhaul could be carried out over a winter there will always be seasons when it isn't available.

 

Has North Star been given its permission to move yet?
I beleve that is the only thing stopping it at the moment.

Too heavy or large for some roadworks somewhere. Any idea where?

 

From the DEPG website:

Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – our ‘celebrity’ is still marooned at Bishops Lydeard because of delays in obtaining permission for her oversize road haulage move from Bishops Lydeard to Pickering on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. To overcome this delay, the NYMR are investigating the possibilities of a rail move, which would see our loco being towed from the WSR to the NYMR by another locomotive, possibly one of her sisters or a close relative. Prior to such a move, our loco would need to undergo ultrasonic axle testing and several other inspections (as well as removal of our banners). We will send out a DIESELGEN bulletin as soon as we know the date, time, mode and route for the move.