West Somerset Railway General Discussion

It looks like they can,
Especially if you dare not to be in full agreement with everyone you come into contact with.
Even if you are willing to give up your free time, knuckle down get your hands dirty and get on with the task in hand,
You aren't welcome because you don't share the same sentiments.

 

I think you're being a bit absolutist here. Of course people can volunteer together who disagree on various things, disagreements on what to restore next, what colour to paint something, how best to acheive a particular outcome are, I'm sure, common accross all heritage railways and beyond. But if someone joins an organisation fundamentally disagreeing with the way it is run and the way it goes about doing things and isn't afraid to "stir things up" for want of a less pejorative term then it's quite possible that the individual won't feel satisfied and the railway won't gain anything either.

 

Theres that but as well there were posts on another forum offering to be a go-between, between the diesel cranks dissatisfied by the gala offerings , running days and the railway/gala planning team. 2 posts and that was given up on.

Some people don't realise how much damage they have done to the railway with a half-arsed approach, Just trying to get their name out there, all out for glory. There's a reason why people leave the railway, either volunteers, passengers and in an extreme case a loco which I doubt we will see come back to the line.

The new broom didn't sweep out enough and we will just see the same problems continuing to happen till they do a proper sweep of the line so to speak. Cause some people won't be happy with little victories till they rise to getting put in place as gm after failing when they managed to help force out the last.

 

So just because you disagree you can't help out the S&D at Washford with another pair of hands, the same with the DEPG at Wilton ? All because some people thing cause you disagree with how the railway is run as a whole, you are just there to stir things up?

Cause I'd be happy to lend my time to either if I had the spare time and I'm sure both would be grateful and it wouldn't bother them what you think of how the WSR is run. long as they get that extra pair of hands to help shave a day or so off a project.

 

You rather miss the point about how this conversation arose. I presume deliberately in an attempt to prove a point


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Did you actually read what I wrote?

 

I don't understand why you bother to post on here - or perhaps I'm just naive. You have no apparent connection with the WSR, and all that you (and a couple of others) seem to want to do is to criticise every aspect of the WSR management and operations. Why? Perhaps, if you let us know about current and previous involvement with the heritage railway movement we might then bow to your obvious superior experience and wisdom.

 

Fair enough, although that wasn't what the post you quoted said. If I didn't live too far away then it would probably be worthwhile pitching up to see how far along the process you can get, but if I lived further away I wouldn't be so inclined, as it would be pot luck as to who you'd find. If someone did that on the GWSR and I was around, I'd probably be happy to have a good conversation with them about what they could offer and provide some email addresses to formally start the process despite not being a member of the recruitment team, and if I was lucky potentially track down a membership form see we could at least get the ball rolling. If I knew a member of our recruitment team was around somewhere that day I'd endeavour to get them to meet and have a chat. On the other hand, some other volunteers might not be able to do as much and merely point you back to the website or an email address and then you've had a bit of a wasted journey and end up feeling a bit miffed at the whole experience.
Possibly another idea for the WSR, our recruitment team hold regular "open days" for want of a better word. I can't remember what they call them or quite how they work, but basically, the team set up camp in a room on the railway and advertise it in advance as a pop-in session for prospective volunteers. You can have all those useful conversations about what you can offer the railway and what the railway can offer you, and fill in all the forms there and then so you're well on your way to being a fully fledged volunteer, rather than a chain of emails which might take ages, then trying to arrange a day to come in to come and arrange an induction or whatever.
I have no direct experience of any of this by the way, as the changes leading to this all took place just after I did my induction course, but from what I've seen of how it works, it does work well.

 

Totally agree with this post. I have read the posts by Dan Taylor and wondered what the agenda is. Having a go for no apparent reason at an organisation that is facing difficulties just makes me suspicious.
Volunteers like myself recognise that all is not well, and might have an idea of improvements that could be made. Equally we might not agree with everything that goes on at present, and in that context I feel uneasy about what, based on other postings on here, apparently happened to Andy Norman. But at the end of the day we are volunteers, we can walk away if we don't like the situation. Its a judgment we make, and mine is that I will continue volunteering.

 

Not just the many booking office clerks. At Minehead there are five or more volunteers doing the evening cashing up each week, and another has been collating and recording all the income from TTIs and booking offices, and other sources, besides programming ticket machines. Another well known volunteer has been working on the day to day accounting of monies from all sources, and has been doing it day in and day out for very many years. Volunteers work in shops and catering. Its not all about getting dirty or sweaty, vital though that work might be. I imagine that the PLC would be pleased to have further help with admin if someone can fit in, take on a particular role for which they are responsible, and stick with it. How about offering to take a publicity stand to trade shows for example? Ideally someone who finds it natural to be conciliatory rather than aggressive.

 

Anyone know if Readers Halt sells book collections and kept part profits

 

..... and there's the rub: "if I had the spare time" - so you're not intending to volunteer and your comments on here are s**t-stirring from someone who has only joined the forum a month ago. I'm no apologist for the WSR but I suggest that you go away and come back only when you have worked as a volunteer there and can comment authoritatively on your actual experience there.

 

In pedant mode - it is not the WSR which presents itself as you describe it but it is a few contributors who for various reasons both real & in some cases mischievous, perpetuate their own crusades on here. Some appear to have no connection with the WSR whatsoever.

Wisely the official WSR does not respond here.

Time for the crusading to stop. If there are any real issues then these should be directed to the appropriate places not here.

This thread is supposed to be about WSR Operations.

 

Oh I did look into it very thoroughly. I spoke with both the individuals Julian has mentioned at length. I have the whole story and I'm quite satisfied. (I'm not the nominated trustee either, but I was trying to assist Julian at the time.)

You have this the wrong way around. WSR plc tried for a few years to run volunteer recruitment. It will revert in 2020 to be a WSRA responsibility. I am expecting to launch the venture formally in March.

 

Playing devils advocate, almost by definition, the vast majority of people on Nat Pres are not going to be involved in the WSR so the majority of postings are not going to be by those involved. That should be no reason to stop them posting although I agree that some are purely making mischief.

 

...official WSR does not reply very often. Probably because most of us are too busy trying to run the railway or fundraise the vast amounts needed to sustain it.
I'll confess I don't understand the mischief making either. I's simple for me as a volunteer, either your helping or you're not. My challenge to those who snipe from the armchair remains the same. Step up and offer to help. I'm not wedded to being a trustee and soon I'll be too old to do it properly. I long for the year when we have contested trustee elections at an AGM, something we've not managed for a few years now.

 

Sorry - kept quiet long enough but I cannot let this go unanswered.....the Plc did more than 'try' to run volunteer recruitment. From May 2009 to June 2016 (with the help of Claire Randell) as the New Volunteer Co-ordinator, we dealt with over 1,600 volunteer enquiries and recruited, inducted and placed 832 new volunteers into the system. The problem then was 'retention' with little or no training support in certain departments. This and a cancer diagnosis for my late wife was the reason I walked away at that point.

The one link for enquiries via the Plc website was checked by one of us at least daily. I even dealt with two enquiries on Christmas Day one year, much to the surprise and praise of those concerned! I have a copy of an email from Mr Sherwood from early in 2019 when there were conflicts between the Plc and WSRA over who should run recruitment stating that dealing with enquiries at home was 'amateurish'.....hardly!!
Something is not right - I did visit BL in November when former colleagues on the station expressed concern about the lack of new volunteers coming through. I also have an email from Ian Harrison confirming that the WSRA is exceeding all recruitment targets. When I attended the recent Plc AGM I again had many people express concerns about a lack of new volunteers. I could not stay until the Q & A session to raise this. What is the correct (not bull...) situation? If the new launch is not until March 2020 - what's been going on since March 2019 when the conflict/confusion came to a head?

Oh - by the way - I will be making a re-appearance as a volunteer later in the year - as a Learning Assistant for the Steam Trust. I am a retired teacher and have a Masters Degree in Curriculum Development - so I might know what I'm on about. This will be far away from the politics still being played by some.
Mel Hillman