West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Well, looks like they are off to a flying start! Video apparently taken on their first day at Minehead shows a board out on the platform stating no public services today. Seriously, can they not get their act together.

 

...and it goes on to show that the board was replaced by the time the first train arrived, apparently well loaded. Seriously, can't you people find anything positive to say?

 

Two things.

Firstly, don't give people opportunities for finger wagging by seeming sloppiness.

Secondly, the WSR has a rather ''rough'' reputation, rightly or wrongly. If you want to stop people being beastly to you the onus to improve is upon you and it needs to start a.s.a.p.

 

All I want, as someone who has no connection or history with the WSR, is to see the Taunton - Minehead branch flourish. Petty sneering and self-righteous grandstanding have no place in that vision.

 

Agreed, but there are serious issues that need to be addressed. Anyway, we can be grateful that trains are now running, and are well supported.

 

Ignored by the sheep, the 16:30 from Minehead on 20.3.22 leaves Stogumber a few minutes behind time under a clear blue sky. The eternal branch line…

 

How many people may have wandered onto the platform, seen the board announcing no trains, and found something else to do for the rest of the day? How hard would it have been to update the board first thing in the morning, or better still some time the previous day?

 

Thinking constructively, a better option might be a board announcing the NEXT day on which trains are running. At once more positive and more useful?

Robin

 

Beautiful...

 

Thank you.

Other seasons are available…

 

Posted this in the Railways and People thread but probably will get a bigger audience here and it’s also a welcome alternative to all the negative posts on this thread.

On a nice sunny day, Driver Andy Palk and Fireman Damien Moore awaits the first departure from Bishops Lydeard of the season.

 

Promises, promises...

 

The problem with that IMHO is that some people might assume 'next day' to be some day other than the current day if they can't be bothered to check their calendar. 'Trains running TODAY' has more immediate impact.....just as long as they remember to take it in at night !

 

That was indeed what I had in mind when I said "some time the previous day". The board could say "Next train 10:30 on Saturday" or whatever the actual time and date.

 

This is really important. Even if I'd checked online to see if it was a running day, if I arrived to see that board up (and nobody to ask) I'd assume there was a mistake on the website or that they'd had to close at short notice.

 

Closure at short notice is much more likely now than it was because of COVID.
On the subject of being "nice" and not pointing out mistakes, it was said that the British car industry was almost killed by customer loyalty: people kept buying the cars, even though they were badly designed and made until the companies thought they could sell any old rubbish and were practically wiped out by the competition. Lack of feedback as to where a business is going wrong may be comfortable for the business, but is not a guarantee of a healthy future.

 

Ah, the old car industry.

FORD ....Fix Or Repair Daily and for a foreign producer, FIAT ....Fix It Again Tony

Sorry, back to the main topic. <BJ>

 

There is apparently little chance of some of the regular contributors to the‘West Somerset Railway General
Discussion’ ever failing to point out any mistake ( perceived or actual, large or small ) relating to the WSR
methinks.

Prognostications of doom on NP, unlike with British Leyland, are the order of the day. I sign on Tuesday
and, after following a weeks commentary from NP, never cease to be amazed at the enthusiasm and
willingness of all the staff ( volunteers and paid ) .

Now how was it I wonder when one arrived at Longbridge ?

Michael Rowe

 

http://cgibin.wsr.org.uk/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?h=Topical%20pictures&t=pics

"THE STAFF FROM THE WASHFORD INN WAVING TO THE FIRST TRAIN FOR SOME TIME TO STOP AT WASHFORD STATION ON 19 MARCH 2022..."

But what about the 'new' station management team? And the station still looks to be in green and cream, so what took place during the recent 'revamp'? Looks the 'same old' to me.....

 

Staff shortage and building in 'quite a bad state' (but there are plans to start fixing it up) according to a posting I read elsewhere on the internet today.