West Somerset Railway General Discussion

So which one was it that "launched a £1m emergency appeal" pleading imminent collapse a couple of years ago ? An appeal that seems to have faded away from lack of support. Was it a mistake, or were alternative funds found ?
That question has been asked on here before by other members but no explanation has been received.

 

I’ll just leave this here from last week’s West Somerset Free Press.

I would draw attention to the end of the first column and the start of the second in the WSR article.

 

We will see if anything comes of the bid comes to fruition. Hopefully it will have beneficial results for the county, WSR and others involved. Better to be optimistic than wishing for failures.

 

Agreed that grumbles posted on here will achieve almost nothing, but Robin is asking about an appeal for money. The lack of any replies suggest that either there is no progress to the appeal or that there is progress, but whoever is in charge of the appeal does not want that to be known. The first is concerning and the second is bizarre. What's the point of having an appeal if it is not given the maximum publicity?

 

I am sure that both management and volunteers are making every effort to keep the railway running and running well, however, sadly, effort on its own is no guarantee of success.
The WSR may be doing better than many heritage railways, but it is still losing money and thus relies on funding from donations and grants. As such, the way that the railway "comes across" not to the fare-paying customers, but to those who are prepared to give money to keep it going, who are, by and large railway enthusiasts, is very important. Yet, once again we get the WSR official line: "It's our company, we will run it as we like and, unless you are a shareholder or working for the company, you can keep your nose out of our business. We will tell you what we think you ought to know, just pay up and shut up". It's not exactly encouraging to potential donors, is it?

 

Alternative Xmas QB Menu
8 December 2024

To begin:
Gaspatcheo maison or Blue Anchor Bay Prawns

Mains
Chef’s Cold Collation or Crudités a la Exmoor

Dessert
Glace

 

The only result would be to waste £137,000 that could be better spent elsewhere.

We have been round this so many times. The likely ridership is at least one order of magnitude, if not two below the (easily identifiable costs). A couple of sheets of paper will identify that in moments.

There are no viable sources of funding to close that gap. West Somerset and Bishops Lydeard in particular have a far better bus service than many similar areas.

Taunton station is a long way from the town centre and major areas of employment, such as the industrial estates and hospital.

Remember that pensioners use the bus for free and other for £2, soon to rise to £3.

We had years of unrealistic nonsense from Minehead Rail Link Group and others. Let’s not spend public money on similar delusions.

 

For the third and final time, Robin may have a valid question. But asking this and other questions on here is not going to generate the information they require - if indeed they are really looking for an answer.

If these comments achieve anything, it is generating an increasingly negative view about the WSR among forum members who may then decide not to support the railway in other ways.

 

My decisions about the WSR were taken some time ago.

The disconnect between official messaging and what is evident from published results increasingly stretches credulity. I would suggest that those concerned about damage to the WSR look at that before looking at what one individual posts on one online forum.

If @Robin Moira White is being cast in the role of Cassandra, it is worth remembering that Cassandra's fate was to be able to see the future and not be believed. Even non-classicists know what eventually happened to Troy.

 

As I demonstrated with my letter to the WSRA Trustees, this is not my only channel of communication, indeed the many WSR folk whom I am in daily contact despair of the future just as I do.

The present WSR model is broken (£8,000 lost per week!!!!), but could limp on for a few more years, bleeding its life blood into the red West Somerset soil and sucking hard-won resources out of the charities that should be used for development, not revenue support. The effect will only be to make the inevitable rescue more difficult.

My intention is to keep speaking truth to power, not least to show that vile discriminatory treatment and sham disciplinary procedures, Nazi-themed parodies by Directors and blackmail of the lily-livered HRA will achieve exactly the opposite of what was intended.

And I hope that I might live to see reform of the WSR into the charitable structure it should have, with the responsible and respectable senior management it deserves.

In the meanwhile my help does seem to be valued here and there - helping to get Drummond locos and the Swanage Railway back on speaking terms this time last year was a highlight and I am currently assisting two heritage railways and one volunteer with internal processes to see fairness done.

If there is an increasingly negative view of the WSR, it is deserved.

 

You don't see anything wrong in that? There is a public appeal and information as to how it is progressing is not available on one of the major forums read by potential donors, i.e. railway enthusiasts with an interest in the WSR, and this is not a bad thing? If people are irritated by her continually asking, wouldn't the easiest way to remove that irritation be to provide her with the information she seeks? It's not exactly governed by the Official Secrets Act, is it?

 

No, it’s not how it should be, but the WSR don’t publicly comment on here. This is well known.
So what’s the point in keeping asking?

 

Who said that the WSR officials are irritated?

Once again, there is an assumption of the (self) importance of this forum. Just because someone wants to know something (fundraising progress, amount of diesel shoveage on a railtour, whatever), that doesn't mean that it has to be provided.

There may have been some serious issues in the past relating to Moira and the WSR. But the way this is continuing to play out in these posts is rather sad. There comes a time when people need to move on, if only for their own wellbeing. Becoming embittered and seeking to spread this negativity amongst others isn't going to do anyone any good.

 

If only they had a website where such things were reported

In the meantime, Companies House will do. For example......

WEST SOMERSET RAILWAY ASSOCIATION filing history - Find and update company information - GOV.UK

 

Blimey - they get through Directors well, don't they?!

 

And good ones too. The most recent name is a very capable and sensible chap, an opportunity squandered.

 

My thoughts as well

Clearly there may be a reasonable explanation - or not

 

Well, I am sure the WSR folk would interview any new Directors. Rule me out, too old and no transport, but there seems to be old lot of interest on NP.

 

You would be forgiven for pondering what it is that they discover in a few months that inspires a need to move on.

Of course being a director of any heritage railway is not for the faint of heart at the best of times, and the level of personal risk is higher than with most businesses. Some people join and are surprised by this and have to step away. It’s interesting how often that’s happening though. Probably an unfortunate series of events - but inevitably people will wonder if it is more than that, and the article Robin posted perhaps needs reading in parallel.