West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Sorry, but in defence of FrankC, I can see nothing in his comment which referred to the differing distance of its directors from the railway concerned. As I read it, the comment was more about whether individual directors merely concerned themselves with one or two aspects of the railway's business rather than all of them.

 

I agree, and I had wondered how to respond to the original post.

But I encourage all to take the British approach of the pin of humour bursting the baloons of self-importance, unpleasantness and the like.

I have faith that things will come right in Somerset eventually and I hope to be around to see that.

And now I am sure all the air has been squeezed out of this one...

Robin

 

Noted. In which case their comment "your fellow directors are keeping an eye on other matters" would to me look ad feminam. Probably best if we move on.

Patrick

 

I see on the webcam (203 online viewing and very busy platforms!) that the natives are getting restless at Lydeard. The mainline tour is running well, if this one is a repeat of the last they should be well pleased with the WSR.

 

I find it hard to believe that the railway has let people know it ran at a profit in June. In the middle of a survival appeal for £1 million that sort of news is only going to reduce donations. It's cackhanded.

 

The railway can't win it seems, some people appear to rejoice if they don't make a success by making a profit.

 

Really? Can you quote some examples of this behaviour?

 

7822 and 7828 behind it with the charter just before departure to Watchet, with 45596 waiting to go for servicing.

 

Yes. My previous post, 40086.

 

Hang about, I quoted your previous post, where you accused some people of

and asked you for some examples of this apparent rejoicing and you simply reference the accusation. How does that work out, logically?

 

If you want the WSR to stay in business then people should be pleased in that they are making some money, not find fault.

 

There is saying that "one swallow does'nt make spring". Anybody who has run a business or even a household will realise that a "profit" in a single month is not indicative of the full 12 month picture.

I'm not at all surprised by a slight but encouraging profit in June. I am more inclined to donate having heard that in fact.

 

What makes you think that the two are mutually incompatible? It's the people who don't give a damn about the WSR who don't find fault. It is precisely because some posters on this forum want the WSR to stay in business that they find fault with the way it is run. If they wanted it to go bust and could see that it was doing things wrong, wouldn't their wisest course of action be to keep quiet? As Napoleon put it, "Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake".

 

You know that and I know that, but the potential donor reading the chairman's report doesn't necessarily know that, so should be told and weren't. Context is all.

 

But you know and I know that the Chairman's letter was not addressed to the "potential donor" but to staff and volunteers as was made clear on the heading of the news item. Context was appropriate. Do stop inventing things.

Steve
wsr.org.uk

 

If you want people's money, you must keep them informed. The appeal has a ring of "just give us your money", and that just isn't good enough as far as I'm concerned.

 

But, Steve, you then published this on your website so now in the public domain. Having now done this, it is a bit odd to then suggest that the WSR plc Chairman has restricted his remarks to only "staff and volunteers"?