West Somerset Railway General Discussion

I am not a Facebbook ot Twitter, or similer, media. But i do get the feeling that those forms of social networks are quite forthcoming with donations than NP.

 

No, it hasn't! The next issue is being prepared, although we recognise that this is a somewhat dated model of communication, and we have been exploring other forms of communication for the general reader. People probably need to appreciate that we don't have a large team in a communications department. Our main effort goes into communicating with potential customers and this seems to be reasonably effective, at least judged by passenger numbers. As readers on here will have noticed we are not routinely offering "official" comments on NP any more: experience is that this often brings a blizzard of "don't do it that way, do it my way" comments, often from people who are not involved with volunteering, and many of whom do not have any familiarity with the WSR. (I am still happy to answer private messages on this forum, if asked.) The best source of information for the casual reader is the official Facebook site https://www.facebook.com/WSrail?locale=en_GB (other Facebook sites are available!) The official WSR website is currently being completely re-designed and will be re-launched in June or July.

As for whether we understand social media, maybe we understand it all too well!

Frank Courtney
Director

 

The WSRA website mentions shows a Landslip Appeal update, but no dates to when the words were posted or last updated, just that "it was launched two weeks ago and donations are over £5ooo"

 

I’m starting to think the management of the WSR don’t understand a lot of things…

 

How longs that taken?

 

A serious question. Is it the job of a moderator on NP to make comment on what people post?

As to fundraising: Having been at the sharp end I do understand how hard it is and what it takes to make it work.
As to SCC I didn't ask about other posts I asked for evidence that they had been asked to assist?

Not so much a discussion forum, more a rumour mill? I'm off to light up a loco ready for service tomorrow. toodle pip.

 

A serious answer - why would they not be permitted? The moderators do the job voluntarily and I see no reason why they cannot actively take part in the discussions. If you prohibit them from doing so, then what's in it for them?

Yet again someone from the WSR seeks to shut down discussion on a discussion forum. Must be something in the water down there.

 

Other railways seem to manage to put links to important announcements and links to newsletters etc which to me works well.
As for the discussions I,m not sure this site is much different to other social media, I think you have to accept that amongst the unpractical advice there will now and then be a snippet or a gem of a idea that might actually be useful to take note if.

 

You should ask the railway management if you need a serious answer or the management of the WSRA. I am sure I have mentioned I no longer hold such a position so am not part of any strategizing on the subject.

 

Without repeating matters which can be read elsewhere, it is clear that none of the WSR organisations, individually or collectively understand fundraising or the constructive use of social media.

The WSRA had a particular Trustee with a fundraising focus but he stepped down and for a time I held that brief until pressure was brought by the WSR plc for me to step down. I had ‘learned’ fundraising partially from the other side by being a member of the Hinkley Community fund grant panel. That knowledge has been useful in Kent where we took a newly-restored terrier to Poplar Depot and are enjoying a brand new £250K kitchen car on the dining train with the older model being used to great effect on service trains.

There were some successes in Somerset when folk worked together - finishing off 9351 and DCMS Round 1 come to mind.

But until the Railway refreshes it’s structure to become properly charitable (one of several ways in which WSR fundraising has its hands tied behind its back) then there isn’t a snowball’s chance of raising the funds to give the WSR a long term future.

Director Martin Brown (now departed)’s view was that annual investment of £1M was required to stand still. Hence the (now abandoned?) ‘£5M in 5 years’ appeal. How much has been raised recently?

Fundraising is hard work which requires a dedicated, experienced team committed to the work and properly supported by the rest of the ‘organisation’ whatever that is. That takes time and effort to build.

Go figure what (if anything) is happening in Somerset.

As for social media…

 

Thank you for explaining why there apparently was a need for all that cash and now there apparently is not. Someone came up with that figure. That person, like several others who seemed to know what they were about, is no longer there. That does not resolve the question of how much the WSR actually needs, but the indications are that it is incapable of raising anywhere near enough.
If purchase of the freehold had not been blocked, where would the money for that have come from? Who would have benefitted from that? Might they yet benefit if the WSR goes bust?

 

The Railway can carry on ‘living off the fat’ of the BR-maintained infrastructure for some years (over 50 now) given lighter use and slower speeds but eventually infrastructure issues will catch up if a programme of rolling renewals isn’t in place. There is room for professional disagreement on when that limit is reached in a number of matters, just as there is room for disagreement about loco ‘hammerblow’ and the effect of lower speed running. I have had opinions from a number of railway infrastructure engineer friends and there is not consensus, so it would be inappropriate to post them but it is inevitable eventually - lack of rolling renewals = line closure.

 

Agreed. There may well be professional disagreement or a lack of consensus however should "An Inspector Call" (HMRI) then their view may well deal a true hammer blow to the ability of the WSR to operate.

 

I'm just pondering in relative terms how well built the WSR was, and how well maintained it was under GWR/BR(W)? Yes there were sections of double track and extra passing loops added by the GWR in the 30s but were these cheap additions or well engineered?

 

This thread is descending into pure speculation, the bulk of which seems to wish for the demise of the WSR.

@Robin Moira White "The WSRA had a particular Trustee with a fundraising focus but he stepped down and for a time I held that brief until pressure was brought by the WSR plc for me to step down.". Not at all how I remember it, but as I say there are many sides to a story.