West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Yes it does, Tom, no other organisation has more shares in WSR Plc (as far as I know) but the WSRA's holding is no means a majority, even a tiny majority.

Steve

 

At the end of 2011 WSRA owned just over 10 per cent of issued WSR plc shares. Collectively WSRA members privately own a very large number of WSR plc shares. The combined shareholding of WSRA itself plus that of its membership might well be a majority holding.

Barrie

 

Apologies if this has been covered before, but looking at a recent image on wsr.org, there appears to have been no further work at Williton in respect of extending the track the full length of the platform on the Bishops Lydeard bound line. Has this work been postponed until finances are available?

46118

 

That is correct, 46118.

Steve

 

I suppose that the acid test will be whether many people belong in a year's time to both WSRA and FoWSR, perhaps as well as owning some shares individually and having a vote at the WSR AGM.

John

 

Perhaps the WSRA needs to increase it's shareholding in the PLC to be able to exert real influence.

 

Putting these two thoughts together: perhaps individuals who are WSRA members, and also hold shares in the PLC, could donate those shares to the WSRA - gathered in one lump, they are likely to have more influence than being held in small batches by many individuals. (I would assume it's legally possible to do that - I can't see why not.)

Noel

 

Rather than start a new thread I wonder if anyone here could answer a query?

In September 2010 we visited Minehead and were shown round the sheds. Tucked away was 51887, the lines current "spare" Class 115 powercar which was about 50% through the most thorough rebuild to date on a WSR DMU. The sides were being fully re-skinned and all the usual DMU trouble-spots were being properly attended to, to set the vehicle up for many years to come. The level of work was very impressive, especially for a company owned and funded DMU.

Over two years on I haven't heard any reports that the vehicle has been finished, nor still in progress. Equally no reports of work being stopped either. Can any regular WSR folk shed light on the situation with this project?

 

The people who really could exert influence are the volunteers. All they have to do is to withdraw their free labour!

While at the SSG I was given leaflets on the FoWSR. On this bumf there was no mention of any constitution, who the officers were, nothing. Does the FoWSR have a constitution, officers etc?

Regards

 

As mentioned before, volunteers on the WSR do not need to be members of any organisation so if they are happy with things then why should they withdraw their labour.

I'm also interested in the FoWSR constitution, having earlier in the month queried on a WSR forum the absence of any structural information, along with a number of other questions, but receiving no reply other than a suggestion that I go along and ask at the FoWSR stand on Minehead Station. I went looking for FoWSR on a day when they were advertised to be there, but I found no-one. There may be a legitimate place within the WSR family for FoWSR and I hope they are a lot more forthcoming and soon. They do have a website which answers some of your questions, Orion.

Steve

 

The FoWSR constitution was available for inspection at the stand at Minehead during the Gala. I was given a copy to read, and I believe that it will appear at the website soon. It has a Management team who will be (re)elected by members at the AGM. Membership is growing steadily, particularly among working volunteers. It has a good range of projects, and a very low overhead cost, so that a large proportion of money raised will go directly on improving the WSR. I was assured it will be happy to collaborate with any other WSR based group. I was very happy to give it my full support.

David at www.uksteam.info

 

It was intended as a joke, I cannot see the volunteers going on strike any more than I can see WSRA members pooling their shares to control the PLC.

Regards

 

Hwo do you know that such a fledgling group will have a low overhead cost? Also who wrote the constitution and on who's authority? Why does the WSR need another fund raising body when the WSRA is doing that already?

A very funny business.

 

I must have missed the joke! I responded as I felt it important to underline the fact that, on the WSR, it is not necessary for volunteers to belong to any supporting organisation, and therefore no supporting organisation can use their working members to exert pressure on the operating company, should that be necessary.

Steve

 

You were lucky to find them, David!

And folks might like to know a large proportion of the money raised by the WSRA also goes directly to improving the WSR (to the tune of £2.5m in recent years) due to its activities (which despite arguments to the contrary) do not duplicate or overlap with those of the WSR Plc.

It is interesting that the FoWSR's "water project" is costed at £34.5K and I understand the WSRA could fund that outright, today; thus releasing FoWSR to fund a project that, for legal reasons, the WSRA (a charity) are unable to fund. But the WSR Plc has, it seems, chosen not to "collaborate" with the WSRA on the "water" project. So I wonder just how the WSR based groups will actually work together if they won't or can't talk to each other.

I just hope a way can be found but I fear common sense is being suppressed by dominating personalities.

Steve

 

On the day I visited the gala (the first Saturday) the FoWSR stand was absent, otherwise I would have approached them for a chat. There were FoWSR leaflets in most carriages. As a WSRA member I was pleased to see a couple of WSRA people travelling on one of the trains, talking to the passengers and suggesting that they might be interested in joining the WSRA. Perhaps the presence of competition is a kick in the rear that the WSRA needs when it comes to membership recruitment?

I did see the GM on Minehead station, and would have approached him for a chat except that he was deep in conversation with the 6880 folks and I didn't want to interrupt them.

Dave

 

That is the most interesting question. It may well have a legitimate answer, but if so, one would have thought that among the organizers of the FoWSR someone would have had the wit to point it out loudly and boldly, to nip any problematic theorizing in the bud...

Noel

 

The WSRA (a charity) is unable to provide funds for all requests and that seems to have upset a few people who, perhaps, believed otherwise. The new group have said they will not become a charity and therefore can provide funding for any purpose. I believe there is a place for both but only if all WSR organisations work hand-in-hand to make best use of all available funding. I hope that answers the above question.

Steve
(WSR volunteer since 1977)

 

What are the requests that the WRSA is not allowed to fund, merely due to the fact it is a charity?

Put more directly, what could it not fund because the charity aims preclude it and if so why not just broaden the aims?

 

Just like most charities, it cannot directly fund the normal trading activities of an entirely separate commercial company, for example, provide money to cover an income shortfall. It can financially support projects that directly enhance historical/heritage aspects.

Steve