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West Somerset Railway General Discussion

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

  1. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

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    An individuals reputation builds up over a period of time and is influenced by their actions , for good or for bad . in an environment like ours separating the fact from the conjecture can be a challenge , however that people are openly suggesting such a course perhaps says much about how said persons behaviour in both the WSR and broader transportation environment is influencing opinion.

    I agree. But I also believe that extravagant claims about individuals can distract from more substantive concerns about them, to the extent of being able to be claimed as disproving all concerns.



    The various new companies that said individual keeps forming do not dispel the suspicions that he has a personal agenda waiting in the wings.
     
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  2. iowcr3429

    iowcr3429 New Member

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    I believe that Ryan air had a route to Stockholm that landed in not the main local airport but at a airport in Denmark. Now that is a taxi ride.
     
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  3. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    I think it’s clear that there has been a long term ambition for 4936 to be based at the WSR after it’s overhaul, it was mentioned in 2019 - http://www.kinlethall.com/news/post.php?s=kinlet-hall-long-term-commitment-to-wsr-reaffirmed This was pre covid of course, however that intention is repeated here in March 2021 - https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2021/0...inline-operation-using-tyseley-equipment.html

    While the world has changed in that time, and the WSR situation has also changed with new challenges brought about in part due to Covid (as did every heritage railway), this part of the plan seems unchanged.

    Surely, the best course of action is to ensure the survival of the WSR.

    However, a priority seems to be upgrading to red route status, that makes no business sense given the struggle for survival, it does however allow 4936 to be based there. as was the stated long term intention. Remember, this won’t be for free, steaming fees mean income. Given the ownership of 4936 and their position on the WSR board, it would appear there is a conflict of interests, what might be best for 4936 (regular income via steaming fees) isn’t necessarily the best for the WSR. Their courses however appear to be intertwined.
     
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  4. Snifter

    Snifter Well-Known Member

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    Where would the said loco be kept over the winter months ? A nice dry shed at Washford perhaps ?
     
  5. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Never on my own money. "Shabby all round" is the kindest way I could summarise my work-related experiences of that outfit. Let's just say, making Wetherspoons look like a classy operation can't be an easy act to pull off so consistently. :Meh:
     
  6. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

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    I've flown on Ryanair twice now, once in their early days when their planes were flying adverts for a certain newspaper, and the second time 2-3 years back. Like Easyjet, both airlines have a rather distasteful individuals associated with them but the actual flying experience was fine - an experience rather like the WSR, I suspect!
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2021
  7. gwilialan

    gwilialan Well-Known Member

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    If it does come to the line I'd suggest no running fees, just a 10 year run and then overhaul agreement. WSR seems good at them.
     
  8. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    There is a temptation to play the individual on this one which may of course not be fair . Two GWR and potentially suitable locomotives that would be based on the line and as long as they are agreed by the board as an arms length commercial agreement commensurate with other running agreements it is not inappropriate

    the $10000 issue in this instance of course is that in order to run them a considerable and expensive upgrade is needed to the railway infrastructure and when the railway is in financial straights to contemplate such expenditure which will benefit an individual far more than the railway will earn from the engines is deeply questionable
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2021
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  9. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    upload_2021-7-16_18-7-47.png

    to cheer every one up at least someone is happy with the WSR achievements
     
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  10. Alan Kebby

    Alan Kebby Well-Known Member

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    Great news. Only £970k to go then.
     
  11. RailWest

    RailWest Part of the furniture

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    Perhaps when they've calmed down from their obvious euphoria they will be able to write a more coherent and understandable message :)
     
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  12. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

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    Almost as bad as the (non-existent) journalism in the original ‘Rail Advent’ article. I presume they are unfamiliar with an ancient journalistic technique called a ‘question’.

    Robin
     
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  13. ghost

    ghost Part of the furniture

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    That's one of the worst written pieces of "journalism" I've ever read. This is bad, even for railadvent...
     
  14. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    It's not rail advent that wrote that, it's just some guy. I've come across a fair number of his postings on all manner of heritage railway topics on Facebook, all sounding very similar. Bit weird, but fairly harmless. No need to gawp I shouldn't think.
     
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  15. D1039

    D1039 Guest

    RailAdvent does have a particular CTRL+C, CTRL+V reputation.

    Patrick
     
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  16. Keith_Gold

    Keith_Gold Guest

    So whats worse free publicity.
    Or attacking a site for giving you free publicity.

    When the railway needs all the help it can gets.
    Helps to accept free publicity, instead of attacking something just cause it doesn't meet your standards.
     
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  17. jma1009

    jma1009 Well-Known Member

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    I should imagine Pete has quite a dossier on all this, as I have, and private confidential stuff that cannot be quoted, and can only be alluded to in the most circumspect way, and most carefully.
     
  18. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

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    As the fundraising lead elsewhere, and one of the decision-makers of a substantial grant-making organisation, truthfulness and honesty with donors counts above short-term jingoism that vanishes the moment informed sunlight touches it.
     
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  19. Bayard

    Bayard Well-Known Member

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    My niece, who works in the grant allocation department in a large national organisation, says that she would be perfectly happy with an applicant who quoted anticipated savings as part of an appeal total.
     
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  20. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

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    Really? I prefer to stay the right side of the looking glass.
     
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