West Somerset Railway General Discussion

He is right about the choice of words.

'Disinterested' means not having a partisan interest (like a judge).

You do mean 'uninterested'.

Robin

 

Yorkshireman is regrettably correct, this is yet another WIBN project.

The WSR, as I understand the position (one similar, inter alia, to the Bluebell & NYMR) must very soon spend significant monies on essential infrastructure ie track and some bridges.

The WSR has not recently been a significant raiser in this area. If it is to make up for the shortfalls in track replacement this Century (the commitment of a decade or so past to relay at least half a mile p.a has not been realised) it must raise some funds asap (The visit of 60103 was a step forward. The net revenues from this funding some vital work.

The Plc will I submit always face a challenge to generate sufficient funds to maintain the track etc. ( I think it is recognised by many that long term we will always have to fund any locos and or carriage stock, other than the minimum basic requirement, via the begging bowl or special activities. Not something that we have as of now been conspicuously successful at, the begging bowl that is. Think the popularly known "chicken sheds" For the uninitiated the various ex GWR carriages acquired some years past in an outbreak of enthusiasm that unfortunately lacked a sense of realism.). The proud boast that the WSR gives its passengers more miles per ticket £ encapsulates the challenge. We have 22.5 miles of Railway, the ticket price is governed by primarily how much will a family pay for a day out. There has been over the years much discussion, including on Nat Pres as to the economics of Heritage Railways wrt route length. I submit the WSR 22.5 miles is an asset worth fighting to keep but something has to give.

Returning to Dunster. Yes the yard should be tidied up. A call to Arms for volunteers has been suggested.

Yes it would be good if the PW could be relocated but this will require new trackwork somewhere. A priority over sorting out the existing track ?

There has been a suggestion that a renewed Heritage Committee should take on Dunster as a project. Surely the Heritage Committee's first priority is to ensure what monies that are being spent are spent appropriately eg the recent signage issue ?

Whatever people think of Washford, every time I drive past the station I thank the S&DJt Trust for presenting to the Public an interesting tidy face. (Think if the Dunster yard faced onto the A39 !)

I note a return amongst some contributors to the theme of the Plc growing fat running trains, if only ! As I have remarked before the Plc in BCG terms is no 'Star!, certainly not a 'Cash Cow' and might by some criteria be classified a 'Dog'. That is I suggest the nature of the Heritage Railway business.

What the WSR needs IMHO is a major fund raising initiative (s) directed at to-days essentials. How about emulating the Bluebell and NYMR. "A million £ for our Railway track" strap line: "Help keep the Trains running" Now here's something to pick up and run with

Who knows further down the 'line' we might have "help us recreate a small country station". strap line "bringing recent history to life"

But meanwhile let's recognise what the priorities are. For whatever reason we seem to have lost our way over the last few years, whether it be different parts of the greater WSR squabbling or falling to the ever present delusion of grandeur (think Southern Gateway) Nero would have been proud !

 

Yep. No vision.

Robin

 

You assume that the costs of Dunster - including the consequential costs of moving the PW team - would deprive the WSR (NB - I do not specify which particular organisation) of money that could be used elsewhere. I question how valid that assumption is.

 

Hehe. One part of the 1662 rite in the Book of Common Prayer, which is still in use in the alternative, prays that those in authority under the Queen "may truly and indifferently minister justice". As in my experience barristers rarely have a good word about judges ("buffoon" is one of the kinder ones), you may think that prayer has been answered.

 

Invalid.

We have shown that already.

Particularly offensive is the suggestion that volunteers should be used to 'clear up' after the employed gang. The implications of such an approach need to be very carefully thought through.

Robin

 

My experience (largely in the employment tribunals) is that we are very fortunate in our judges...

Robin

 

Stogumber??

 

Having been a presenting officer at Housing Benefit cases at the First Tier Tribunal, I can second that

 

Touché!

Williton (Sheerings Yard) and Norton Fitzwarren, probably the latter, are the obvious choices.

Both offer significant advantages over Dunster for the P.Way Department on their own merits, leaving aside 'Dunster Goods'.

Robin

 

I think the either/or choice between heritage and track renewal is not necessarily so clear-cut.

You mention the Bluebell's infrastructure needs. I note that they've raised nearly £100K in a week towards their track renewal fund and wonder what it is about that particular railway that inspires such affection and generosity among enthusiasts. I suspect that its commitment to heritage is a big factor.

If the WSR is going to be more effective in this kind of fund-raising in future (an oft-stated goal), then I suspect its mindset needs to change where heritage is concerned. The Dunster goods project could act as the starting gun.

 

This is NOT a grammar test , we all understood what 1472 was talking about .

 

I agree. But we were considering etymology rather than grammar...

Robin

 

Not a helpful response I fear.

The concept of vision surely encapsulates a professional business approach. It is not enough to have a good idea and not assign it a priority with others. To risk, even encourage, many to go off in several un co-ordinated directions is not visionary it is amateurish.

The Railway requires, and I think this is realised and being acted on in pragmatic quarters, a coherent, realistic and costed business plan.

This surely is what vision is about ? Where do we want to be ? what do we have now ? what do we have to do to move from now to then ?

Michael Rowe

 

A very percipient point.

The WSR Infrastructure Department has been poor in recent years in engaging with the rest of the Railway, and the Railway's supporters.

If it is to reverse that trend and to generate the investment that is undoubtedly needed, then supporters need to understand that inspiring and attractive things are going to be done with that Infrastructure.

Statements like 'managing decline' are not helpful or likely to generate the enthusiasm that will bring the results we all desire.

Robin

 

We need to bring some joy to what we do.

As most successful businesses do.

Robin

 

I agree there needs to be a mindset change. I am for instance a believer in a WRC Heritage Committee with teeth. However there must be priorities and I am convinced our track and related structures are a priority. (Stating the obvious no operating Railway no Heritage)

I have always been impressed by the Bluebell's fund raising ability. I have been a member for many years, for the last two decades and a bit an observer from afar. I have observed the best of times and the worst of times. I have also noted at times firm management with priorities established. My understanding is the EG extension lost its driving figure, stagnated and then was given absolute priority and commitment. Inevitably short term some things fell back but the completion has produced not just increased pax but vastly increased public awareness. I do not know what internal stresses and strains this may or may not have produced but viewed from outside a towering achievement !

Michael Rowe

 

I don't think anyone would disagree that you need a holistic vision encapsulating the points you mention.

However ... there are various subtleties to that that I think are probably axiomatic.

The first is that not all funding is fungible: money available for project A doesn't automatically become available for project B if project A is put on hold. In other words, some people will donate for a locomotive; others for a carriage; others for a heritage building, but if you just say "this year we are only going to concentrate on such and such a loco", you may well find those interested in carriages or buildings just sit on their hands. I've never seen a successful fundraising strategy that says "if you promise to fund my engine for the next five years, I'll fund your carriage in years six to ten". It just doesn't work that way. You can probably extend that to say not all volunteer labour is fungible - I think the heroic early days of preservation when the same small group of volunteers spruced up the stations in the spring, ran the trains in the summer and fixed the track in the winter are mostly long gone.

The second is that a railway is big place, both in numbers and geography. So you probably have to think of a range of projects, some of which are "whole line"; some of which are location specific.

The third is that your volunteers are a key demographic. On a large railway, the value of unpaid labour runs almost certainly to millions of pounds. (I did some fag-packet calculations in my head walking home and reckon that on the Bluebell, to have even a lowly-paid driver and fireman for every service would be at least £250k p.a.; and that is before guards, porters, signalmen or the people doing maintenance and repairs. I'd wager the figure of unpaid labour on the WSR may well be higher). So sometimes you have to find projects that specifically motivate volunteers, because without them you are financially sunk anyway, and enhancing the heritage feel is a good one.

Within those constraints, clearly there needs to be overall plan so you don't go off in a thousand directions at once (and even worse, start a thousand projects that never get finished). But it ought to be possible on a railway the size of the WSR to probably have one really big loco, c&w and infrastructure project running (and raising funds) simultaneously, with probably smaller enhancements to the built environment running in a more low-key way co-ordinated at each station. (In my mind, the infrastructure project would be something of line-wide benefit, for example, carriage shed; improved messing facilities; improved loco facilities etc - but one at a time, not all three at once!)

And, within all that - governance. There has to be a line-wide governance process to ensure that the chosen projects get line-wide buy-in, and then the plan is seen through to completion.

Tom

 

Bloodsports is the wrong approach, IMHO. Respect and commitment (especially from above) are much more important.

I hold no position other than guard / signalman but through quiet diplomacy and buy-in from all stations we now have 18 more GWR benches than we had 3 years ago and have swapped them round so that stations have consistent sets.

Folks know they need help in understanding GWR heritage and have accepted help gratefully.

Robin

 

However, he does have a much bigger grasp of reality than those advocating the dream of Dunster. I certainly don't doubt their sincerity just that they are being seriously over optimistic. Getting the infrastructure fully sorted is the number one, two and three priorities.