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West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by gwr4090, Nov 15, 2007.

  1. Forestpines

    Forestpines Well-Known Member

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    I've just rechecked: if you go to https://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/volunteer and download the "Signalman" file, it's in there.
     
  2. granmaree

    granmaree Member

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    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Yet there are some who reside in Bristol (and further afield) operating various boxes? Well worth contacting the company to see how flexible they could be.
     
    Last edited: May 2, 2019
  3. 1472

    1472 Well-Known Member

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    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
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    The information says "preferably" within one hours travel distance (ie the ideal situation) but does not make that an absolute.

    Bristol is little more than one hour from Bishops Lydeard & Crowcombe though more to the other signal boxes. That said the length of the days for signalmen are not excessive at around 9 hrs duty so home to home within 12 hrs is possible. Contrary to what some folk on here would have you believe the WSR is a friendly place to volunteer! - go for it.
     
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  4. Andy Norman

    Andy Norman Member

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    Mike

    I agree that people should step up, I did, it was you who invited me, I followed the remit your Board gave me, it was working well as you very well know and we were making headway in a direction your Board set for me to follow. I think I made a difference but then I was thrown out because the PLC not for the first time went back on what they had agreed and signed off at Board Meetings (this is not directed at only the current Board, this is a reoccurring theme) and with other parties externally and internally. Then the WSRA Board did not stand behind the direction it set, it fell in behind the new PLC, did not support me and I was left high and dry and shown the door.

    You and I had long discussions about the WSR currently not being a ‘safe place’ to volunteer culturally (the WSR is a very safe place operationally) for volunteers to step up and work within, in my case I’ve lost my hobby on the footplate because I stepped up to do additional things, I wish I hadn’t.

    As you know I was bullied personally and raised a complaint against a member of the PLC Board, that complaint has never been heard, a PLC Director was allocated and it was acknowledged as a complaint but nobody has ever contacted me. The new external HR company put in place by the new Chairman stated to me that all HR Policies do not apply to Volunteers only to paid staff (the Policies specifically do state that they do, but were withdrawn for ‘rewrite’ the day after I questioned this) so I was told I was lucky that I even had a route to complain . Do you honestly expect anybody else to step up in that environment?

    I have also been contacted by a lot of previous people who also stepped up and were treated the same. The things that were done to me in the last few months mean I can never return to the WSR as a volunteer, I do not feel comfortable or safe to volunteer in that environment, as you know I've taken knifes out of my back on many occasions.

    #Jamessquuared above hits the nail on the head, a widespread cultural change is needed. I have had that conversation with you , your Board and the PLC Board, many times on this, yet here we are. I get it that people hate change but change is needed. Without cultural change, good management (or at least management who follow the rules) nothing will never change, the can do people get driven out and the same old faces re-invent themselves and keep anybody else at bay in their little world of ego’s and self-interest (you yourself told me that).

    We will both agree that the WSR is a great place full of great people who want a great future for it and just coming along doing a volunteering turn is a great, happy and stress free place to be involved on a daily operational level. The ingredients for a great future are all there but it needs a major change in management and leadership and a new culture. That is the only one problem the WSR has, the rest can be sorted. Back to the Coombes Review, none of this is new but nothing has changed. As has been said many times, time for people to step up or step out.
     
    Last edited: May 2, 2019
  5. Andy Norman

    Andy Norman Member

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    Yes I agree (see last comment in my last post) The WSR is a great and friendly place to volunteer on daily turns. You will not see any of the polities I'm being negative about in my other posts. I as a Fireman had nothing but good times with great, dedicated people who taught me lots and I socialise with many still as friends. Come along and try it, just stay out of the politics at the top.
     
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  6. Ian Monkton

    Ian Monkton Member

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    There are a number of signalmen who live further afield so that is not a hard and fast rule. That was probably mentioned as sometimes there are early and late shifts which may be difficult to cover for someone living some distance away.
     
  7. Yorkshireman

    Yorkshireman Part of the furniture

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    The Chairman is quite wrong. ALL workers on the railway are subject to exactly the same rules aid or volunteer. That is the law. JJP has no right to deal with this in such a cavalier manner. I strongly advise you to contact Robin White who’s day job is a barrister specialising in employment law. She will act for you pro bono.
     
    Last edited: May 2, 2019
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  8. simon

    simon Resident of Nat Pres

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    * She
     
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  9. Forestpines

    Forestpines Well-Known Member

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    I feel I should clarify, I would never accuse any heritage railway of having an easy life! Just that their issues are different - or, rather, vary in degree.
     
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  10. 35B

    35B Nat Pres stalwart

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    Leaving aside whether this is correct - I am fairly sure that I've seen something to the effect that grievance procedures and status do vary depending on whether an individual is employee or volunteer, whereas H&S do not - I will observe that the pursuit of legal grievances in these circumstances may be of limited use either for individuals or organisation. It rakes over the coals of the grievance, and creates a distraction for the organisation; the circumstances are such that healing must be difficult.

    I make no observation - indeed can make no observation - on the policy direction that has been taken and whether it is good, bad or indifferent. However, there are times when it is necessary that decisions are taken and, once taken, followed through. Given what has emerged in recent months, this is one such time for the WSR. As such, I believe the leadership of the railway - plc, Association, Trust or any other part of the alphabet soup - need both to be supported in their strategy, and held to account for the success of that strategy.

    At the same time, I maintain my view previously expressed that @Andy Norman makes important points in his post that the WSR leadership would be wise to keep in mind, as neglect of these may make their already tough job even harder.
     
  11. Forestpines

    Forestpines Well-Known Member

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    Fair enough, it's not a hard-and-fast rule. Moreover I can see I'm in a privileged situation - I have qualified as a signalman on other railways previously and I'm still qualified on one, so the WSR could be confident I have the right skills, ability, and meet all the medical requirements of the job.

    My point - which I forgot to actually write in the first version of this post - is that if a random person in the nearest large city looks up information about volunteering and finds out they're outside the preferred catchment they're going to think "ah, they won't want me then". Or "they'll put me at the bottom of the training queue". It's inevitable that people will be put off - and if it's not a hard and fast rule then why mention it?

    Before any more of you say: "well why aren't you emailing your application in right now" I should add that right now in my life, family, career and my other railway commitments prevent me from adding a fourth railway to my CV.

    Moreover I'm not sure I would want to join an organisation which says its HR policies only apply to paid staff - regardless of legality it raises questions about how advisable it is to have separate tiers of staff like that.

    (Being charitable could it have been a misunderstanding - the HR consultants could have been contracted to provide services for X paid staff and therefore would understandably not want to extend those services to X*100 - at least - volunteer staff without reconsidering the numbers on their invoices)
     
    Last edited: May 2, 2019
  12. Yorkshireman

    Yorkshireman Part of the furniture

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    noted. Post amended.
     
  13. Andy Norman

    Andy Norman Member

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    I agree, whilst people need to be held to account for their actions and the comment “tip of the Iceburg” comes to mind with a number of other similar things there is no mileage in me going any further in that direction as it would only ever drain badly needed financial and people resources away from the WSR if I went down a legal path. As far as I’m concerned the WSR Leadership as a whole have decided not to talk to me and remove me from volunteering so I will step away.
     
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  14. Andy Norman

    Andy Norman Member

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    Fair comment. No misunderstanding, in writing, questioned by me (with the relevant wording from the policies saying that Volunteers are included) but confirmed by HR that I was wrong and that the policies would be re-written to exclude. Again questioned by me that that effects the safety case as no volunteer could be disciplined if they are not within HR policies and then the policies were removed from the system by HR. No room for any misunderstanding.
     
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  15. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

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    Visiting class 37 diesel D6948 is now due to work throughout the Bank Holiday weekend from Saturday to Monday. News thanks to wsr.org <BJ>

    Previous roster details:
    The Railway is also pleased to welcome the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railways Green Class
    37, D6948 for a visit and the loco is planned to work as follows:-

    May. Mon 6th BH Blue Timetable one round trip.

    May Sun. 19th Blue Timetable one round trip.
    July 5th Class 37 members day
    July 6th Blue Timetable one round trip.
    The loco is also planned to be used at both the 40th Anniversary event and the Diesel Gala.
     
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  16. Forestpines

    Forestpines Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for clarifying that Andy - personally I don't think it sounds acceptable in any way, from what you have added there
     
  17. burmister

    burmister Member

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    Some back ground info
    Apart from the contacts in the Sunflower dial and Reset Buttons we find the BR AWS is pretty robust. Regular use keeps them reliable and it works on our 420,207, 33 and 73 which keeps the Drivers alert over the Warning Ramp as the 207 especially operates in a couple of seconds.
    We single man our 207 and 73/420 push pull combo plus guard, they are an ideal off peak train as regards fuel economy and manning requirement.
    The TPWS on the 207 and 420 is a bit more sensitive to set up tolerances but we have not fitted any of these grids.
    Are you intending to repair the AWS on your other 33 Ian?

    Brian
     
  18. KA-2B

    KA-2B New Member

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    Yes, we are also intending to reinstate the AWS on 33057/D6575 but it is going to involve a lot more work than it did on 33048/D6566. There is a fair bit of rewiring needed to replace that destroyed by the fire that caused 057's withdrawal from BR service. We didn't renew the AWS wiring at the same time that the control wiring was replaced as there was then no requirement for AWS on the WSR.
    Maybe next Winter if resource available.

    Ian R.
     
  19. aldfort

    aldfort Well-Known Member

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    Very odd as we have a signalman who lives in Bristol. Please note we have volunteers from all over the UK on the railway. Those further away, (like me) tend to make sure we are rostered for a few days at a time. That keeps the travel in check as it's one trip down and one trip home. A word with the roster clerk is all that is needed.
    Very different while you are training of course. If you are offered a turn then it's always best to grab it. That said there is volunteer accommodation at MD and some very good B&B's all along the line, many of who will offer a discount to WSR volunteers.
     
  20. Yorkshireman

    Yorkshireman Part of the furniture

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    They are simply wrong. It is another time bomb ticking away. Whilst I understand your reluctance if people will not stand up to this them ultimately the railway will. fail. I give it no more that a year before the administrators are called in.
     
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