West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Twice the number of carriages, yes, but they also have 60% more mileage to cover. I don't see why you mention that. Longer lines generally have more carriages, it just makes sense. You're not going to get as many round trips out of one set on the SVR compared to the MHR.

 

What really is at the heart of JBT's gripe, its not the old inter region hostility is it, Does He supports the WSR, because its mostly BR(W) engines, whereas the MHR gala is Midland, BR, and Southern designs, does route mileage really come into it, ? Actually if using the train, / public transport then Alton is the easier option, as the train drops you off at the opposite platform, and returning, is just a walk across the footbridge ,

 

Is it? Oh well. Regardless, if you do the potential miles traveled calculation it's not much different.

The last time the MHR did a home fleet only gala, it charged the normal rover fair for the day iirc.

 

Had a great day at the WSR Gala yesterday. Locos and carriages well turned out, staff friendly and helpful and a reasonable number of passengers.

The only thing that disappointed me was that I travelled from Blue Anchor to Bishops Lydeard, back to Williton, then to Norton Fitzwarren and finally back to Blue Anchor and was never once invited to show a ticket or other authority to travel.

I hope that the Railway didn’t lose too much revenue.

 

That may be a valid point for a transport system, but frankly I'm more interested in the 'entertainment' value when visiting heritage railways. Yes, I enjoy a steam hauled train ride, but I'm more interested in what there is to see and do at each of the stations (or nearby).
(And yes I am familiar with both railways so no need for anyone to start listing them).

 

Was the collecting tin brought round for the £1M appeal ? With the culture recovery fund round 3 looming and the plc debarred in round 2 for being judged to be a commercial operation, the plc need every penny they can get. I don't see how they can suddenly qualify this time.

 

I am told, by people other than on the WSR, that the disqualifying criterion doesn't apply in round 3.

Patrick

 

Explain it to me again, it was better for the WSR not to move to charitable status in late 2020 /early 2021 because…?

 

For visitors to the 'Steam? Gala' note that Hymek D7018 will be replaced today by Crompton D6575 'due to an operational issue'. <BJ>

 

Ahh, but it would be so expensive - six figures, so I've heard.

As you'll no doubt be aware, the Bluebell has been undergoing Governance changes of late. One change has been to aim to convert the BRPS from an unincorporated Society into a Company Limited by Guarantee. At the Society AGM last night, the legal costs from the Society were given as having been £1,300 (2018) - £5,617 (2019) - £900 (2020). The jump in 2019 was noted as being in connection with advice for redrafting the rules of the Society so they would be compliant with the companies act when it turns into a CLG, while maintaining all the existing member benefits and provisions etc.

(I can't remember the figures now, but a related change a couple of years ago with the Bluebell Railway Trust to change the legal structure under which it was set up must have been similarly cheap, since the total administrative costs of that body never run above four figures in total in any year, so the legal costs must be lower than that).

Maybe Somerset lawyers are more expensive than Sussex ones?

Tom

 

I was surprised when the auditors' doubts about the WSR Plc being a going concern were made public, but now it makes sense.

 

Because change is to be avoided, anything that may threaten those in positions of power has to be stamped on, and stamped out, people who may harbour feelings of disquiet, made silent, the dear leader, see's all, knows all , Or thinks he does because those around him keep telling him so,

 

That’s a shame

 

And why the narrative is 'we're doing really well and making loads of money but in danger of going bust imminently if you don't pony up the cash'. In other words - we are a viable business (look at our profit) but have been soooo badly hit by covid we are in danger of going bust (just ignore everything else you hear about the railway).

It's an attempt to position the narrative for the funding application in such a way as to say that it would not be good money sent after bad.

Do the accounts include the amount of money spent on lawyers fees?

 

The accounts went onto Companies House a few days ago

 

All lawyers, wherever we are from, have very well-developed 'tosh' detection equipment. And this Somerset lawyer has been providing some (free) minor assistance and advice on the Bluebell reorg. ;-)

Robin

 

D7018 has been fitted with a steam heat boiler.

 

I wonder whether the conflicting narratives arise for direct (but blundering - in the long run, the dissonance will be harmful to important goals) reasons, such as your "an attempt to position the narrative for the funding application", or if confusion over the true state of things is a desired outcome (for reasons which I'm sure everyone can work out).

Noel

 

I too have seen this in the stage 3 webpages. I'm also aware of others who have applied but have not - as have WSR PLC's auditors - expressed concerns about potentially not being a going concern. I don't pretend to understand more than that, but it puts a doubt in my mind how closely that criterion is intended to be/will be applied.

I'm not sure the two are linked, publicly reporting 'material uncertainty relating to going concern' in the accounts is a regulatory requirement rather than choice. The auditors included such a caveat in both 2019 and 2020 (I haven't seen the '21 accounts but gather there's one there too.)

Patrick