If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

West Somerset Railway General Discussion

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

  1. Paulthehitch

    Paulthehitch Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2020
    Messages:
    1,090
    Likes Received:
    1,093
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Hayling Island
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I gather it was the time which the journey took. Not everyone is enthused by moorland.
     
  2. D1039

    D1039 Guest

    Tripartite WSR Fundraising group http://www.wsr.org.uk/fundraising-1.pdf - and @Robin Moira White chairing. Sensible rebooting ideas too. I hope it's a success.

    The group (with Steve Williams representing the PLC) is recommending the PLC considers running trains this summer.

    Patrick
     
  3. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    Messages:
    26,100
    Likes Received:
    57,414
    Location:
    LBSC 215
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Would seem rather perverse therefore to choose to go on that journey! A bit like visiting Buckingham Palace and then saying “to tell you the truth, I’m not really into royal palaces ...”

    I remember doing the Taeri Gorge railway in NZ - the first few miles are not the greatest scenery, but there is a element of building anticipation for the journey ahead. (Not to mention the irritating fact that Dunedin resists all attempts at being moved any closer...)

    My own feeling about length - ignoring the cost equation for a minute - is that you know what you are booking before getting on. If you book on a three hour round trip, you can’t complain if it takes three hours. You can legitimately complain if it takes four hours due to operational issues, or the carriages aren’t clean, or a myriad other things.

    Tom
     
    Last edited: Jun 26, 2020
  4. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2005
    Messages:
    9,634
    Likes Received:
    8,303
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Alderan !
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Sporting analogy the point remains the same

    there are ways to use words that conveys the point and target without resulting into outright naming . i have invested a lot of time both in researching publicly available information and with private conversations . The picture that is built is fascinating, subjective , anecdotal , and could present a very interesting argument . I've said this before and it is worth repeating that nothing should be posted that you would not be willing in the worst case to defend in court and potentially significant personal cost . We as moderators also have to make a decision to protect our risk in that worse case scenario .

    the point of the forum is not as a venue for projecting a vendetta , grievances against an individual , so to the original point , play the ball not the man
     
    Triumph 2500S likes this.
  5. D1039

    D1039 Guest

    To misquote Booth and Cleese: "Well, may I ask what you were expecting to see out of a Yorkshire moorland train window? Sydney Opera House, perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically -?"

    Patrick
     
    Squiffy, Bluenosejohn, 5944 and 10 others like this.
  6. Paulthehitch

    Paulthehitch Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2020
    Messages:
    1,090
    Likes Received:
    1,093
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Hayling Island
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Not my thoughts as you will appreciate but it is easy to have too much of a good thing.
     
    D1039 likes this.
  7. Paulthehitch

    Paulthehitch Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2020
    Messages:
    1,090
    Likes Received:
    1,093
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Hayling Island
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Railway enthusiasts do tend, I am afraid, to assume that non-enthusiasts will have the same priorities. Extend the run and you are stuck with a longer period aboard, regardless. Unless there is more than one set in service there will be no means of making the journey shorter and if you have not been before you can have no idea of what to expect. On one place visited, the scenery was ho-hum at best, the rolling stock grubby and the piece de resistance was a fairly prolonged water stop with a view of the local sewage works through the window. Needless to say I have not been back.
     
  8. RichardBrum

    RichardBrum Member

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2019
    Messages:
    262
    Likes Received:
    335
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Birmingham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    The Chair has been pretty much in control since the end of 2018.

    Since then, a loco has been sold, another has an asset-backed loan against it (which I don't think shows on Companies House...), the S&DRT issued with the Notice to Quit, & non-payment on a contract with the WSRA.

    It's an interesting blueprint, & even an outline of it doesn't seem to have been shared with anyone.

    Our nearest supermarket has changed hands, & the new owners have given out plenty of info, even attended the local Forum & shared the plans, took in suggestions to pass upwards, etc.

    Emergencies are about incident management. Yes, someone needs to take charge, but they need to delegate things to ensure they get done & the incident is managed.
    "You, phone 999"
    "Is anyone medically or first aid trained"
    "You, go there & get the first aid kit"

    If you busy yourself with the first aid, then your not phoning for help or getting the first aid kit.
    If you busy yourself with phoning for help, then your not finding a first aider or getting the kit.
     
  9. RichardBrum

    RichardBrum Member

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2019
    Messages:
    262
    Likes Received:
    335
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Birmingham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I spotted that, & it's good news.

    It does show that now, when there's not much happening, is a good time to get on with structural changes.
    Hopefully the next move/change doesn't take the 3+ years that this one has.
     
    The Dainton Banker likes this.
  10. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2015
    Messages:
    9,185
    Likes Received:
    7,226
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Thorn in my managers side
    Location:
    72
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer

    Sheep on the tracks?
     
  11. Bayard

    Bayard Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 26, 2015
    Messages:
    1,826
    Likes Received:
    3,871
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    To be fair to Paul's friend, it is easy to make the mistake of thinking that the North York Moors Railway will give you sweeping views across the North York Moors, when, in fact, the railway was constructed in a valley. I know at least one person who was unimpressed with their day out on the NYMR for this reason.
     
    Fish Plate, D1039, Wenlock and 3 others like this.
  12. Bayard

    Bayard Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 26, 2015
    Messages:
    1,826
    Likes Received:
    3,871
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I'm sure sheep could sweep majestically given sufficient encouragement.
     
  13. The Dainton Banker

    The Dainton Banker Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2014
    Messages:
    1,720
    Likes Received:
    3,186
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Over the hills and far away
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    You overlook the customer bases of Exeter, Torbay, and coastal towns - about 250,000 inhabitants only about an hour's drive away - and also Plymouth, another 250K, an hour and a half or so. Not as big as Bristol but a good market all the same.
     
    Monkey Magic likes this.
  14. RailWest

    RailWest Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2011
    Messages:
    3,803
    Likes Received:
    7,438
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    West Country
    I am reminded of those who travel on the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway, then complain on TripAdvisor that it goes to neither place. I'm not sure then what they would have made of the Manchester & Milford!

    Does those who travel on the "Great Western Railway" out of Paddington these days complain about the lack of steam engines with nice shiny chimneys? :)
     
    Bluenosejohn and Jim O'Brien like this.
  15. Johann Marsbar

    Johann Marsbar Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2016
    Messages:
    1,588
    Likes Received:
    1,998
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Suffolk
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Totally O.T., but they have ceased operations in the last week. Glad I did it back in 1993.....
    Reference to WSR removed as to elaborate further would contravene the "play the ball rather than the man" rules.........
     
    Last edited: Jun 26, 2020
  16. The Dainton Banker

    The Dainton Banker Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2014
    Messages:
    1,720
    Likes Received:
    3,186
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Over the hills and far away
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Yes, I do !:D:D:D:D
     
    Triumph 2500S and Bluenosejohn like this.
  17. Steve Edge

    Steve Edge Member

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2020
    Messages:
    262
    Likes Received:
    799
    Location:
    Somerset
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Pleased to see the HOBC today made its fourth visit of the week.

    Steve
     
    Triumph 2500S and malcolm imps like this.
  18. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2005
    Messages:
    9,634
    Likes Received:
    8,303
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Alderan !
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    not a helpful comment for either side in fairness , vague , unfounded allegation that people will read between the lines on . Can i suggest you rewrite it
     
  19. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2014
    Messages:
    11,246
    Likes Received:
    17,946
    Gender:
    Female
    Occupation:
    Barrister
    Location:
    Stogumber
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Thank you. This a serious attempt to change the fundraising game in Somerset. Rome wasn’t built in a day. No question is a stupid question, no comment unwelcome, and no offer of help will be ignored.

    Robin
     
    Triumph 2500S, D1039 and Will Foster like this.
  20. malcolm imps

    malcolm imps New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2016
    Messages:
    175
    Likes Received:
    504
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Hillman Imp Specialist
    Location:
    norton fitzwarren
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    2 or 3 of us are working over there tomorrow too ....
     
    Triumph 2500S and Steve Edge like this.

Share This Page