S&DRT told to quit Washford by WSR

[Zomboid]

It seems like the WSR has got itself into something of a pickle, and it's likely that getting out will involve stepping on some toes.

[JimC]

2 hours ago, Zomboid said:

It seems like the WSR has got itself into something of a pickle, and it's likely that getting out will involve stepping on some toes.

 

Well that's fine, but its not immediately obvious that:

 - reducing your income from the site, no matter how inadequate you might consider it

 - increasing your overheads, because the station will still need to be maintained and probably insured

 - removing a visitor attraction (even if you hope to expand it later creating a new museum from scratch requires investment)

 - using the site as a PW depot

are actually going to do anything much to reduce the pickle situation, even if one doesn't consider the implications on the reputation of the organisation.
 

[woodenhead]

30 minutes ago, JimC said:

 

Well that's fine, but its not immediately obvious that:

 - reducing your income from the site, no matter how inadequate you might consider it

 - increasing your overheads, because the station will still need to be maintained and probably insured

 - removing a visitor attraction (even if you hope to expand it later creating a new museum from scratch requires investment)

 - using the site as a PW depot

are actually going to do anything much to reduce the pickle situation, even if one doesn't consider the implications on the reputation of the organisation.
 

Is it possible that the people currently in charge, who found the 800K hole and have been working to keep the line open for the past 12 months might actually be competent enough to understand this.

 

Perhaps it is more than just a financial matter and maybe the long term plans the management have drawn up for the whole line means that Washford could not stay as it was.

 

I think we need to give credit to the current team to have kept the line going when clearly it was almost time to throw in the towel.

[Zomboid]

All I'd add is that the whole plan is not in the public domain. There are good reasons not to take the course that they have, but since we don't know what they're intending to do with the site then it's not really possible to form a reasoned judgment yet.

 

I have great sympathy for the S&D people, but it wouldn't have been in their interest for the WSR to fold either. And perhaps they'll have some legal recourse following their eviction.

[KeithHC]

I hope the S&D take this as an opportunity and move forward in there aims. I would love to see them based on the old S&D somewhere. Maybe eventually we see more of the route bought back in to life.

 

Keith

[Dinmore Manor]

53808 off to the Mid Hants: https://www.sdrt.org/…/news/joint_press_release_240720_fina…

[H2O]

3 hours ago, Dinmore Manor said:

53808 off to the Mid Hants: https://www.sdrt.org/…/news/joint_press_release_240720_fina…

 

The above link didn't work (for me) the following may be better?

 

https://www.sdrt.org/images/files/news/joint_press_release_240720_final.pdf

 

Seems to say the previous agreement is suspended with 'winter maintenance' to be completed by WSR before its off on hire.  53808 hire fees going to the S&DRT with costings for a new boiler certificate in 2023 to be agreed.  Hopefully with all the work that has been done on the loco since being restored the next boiler certificate / overhaul will not be too costly.

 

No news on the site, but now '88's immediate future is sorted hope the other issues can now soon be resolved amicably.

Edited July 25, 2020 by H2O
Sense

[PenrithBeacon]

I see the WSR is the subject of another controversy, this time because the WSRA is attempting to get its list of trustees on the WSSRT.

When will these unnecessary politics stop?

[H2O]

1 hour ago, PenrithBeacon said:

I see the WSR is the subject of another controversy, this time because the WSRA is attempting to get its list of trustees on the WSSRT.

When will these unnecessary politics stop?

Do you have a link for that story? I did a quick search but no joy. I did find a WSR official info release that Andy Forster has been temporarily (re)appointed CME, for the upcoming xmas season and reopening next year. WSR also seem to have been granted 880k from the government but not sure of the terms.

Edited October 18, 2020 by H2O
Better info found

[chris p bacon]

There are reports in Steam railway & Heritage Railway.

[ikcdab]

47 minutes ago, H2O said:

Do you have a link for that story? I did a quick search but no joy. I did find a WSR official info release that Andy Forster has been temporarily (re)appointed CME, for the upcoming xmas season and reopening next year. WSR also seem to have been granted 880k from the government but not sure of the terms.

Lots of stuff on the WSSRT website.

In simple terms:

Both the WSRA and the WSSRT  each hold approx 10% shares in the WSR PLC. A certain faction wishes to control the plc and sees that having a 20% shareholding would do that, given that the rest of the shares are held in small packets.

Accordingly, the faction is seeking to force themselves onto the two boards. 4 were elected at the recent WSRA AGM. 14 rebels then nominated themselves for election to the WSSRT. This number then reduced to 10, but still a number that has potential to swamp the existing trustees.

It's all a great pity. Just as things were settling down and we were beginning to work together to overcome the covid crisis, then this faction comes forward to disrupt it all again. Sigh.

Ian

[m0rris]

On 18/10/2020 at 22:20, PenrithBeacon said:

I see the WSR is the subject of another controversy, this time because the WSRA is attempting to get its list of trustees on the WSSRT.

When will these unnecessary politics stop?

When the entire WSR project disappears into oblivion... Some things seem to come around time and time again, unfortunately WSR internal politics madness seems to be one of those and every time it comes up they'll be pushing themselves closer to the brink. It'd be great if they could get the cameras in, just as another group did in this precuationary documentary, that is worth looking out for in case it returns https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00scr08

 

[Gilbert]

2 Trustees have resigned....

 

https://www.facebook.com/TheSteamTrust/

[PenrithBeacon]

Seems to be over a data privacy issue and threats of police action. Things just getting worse

https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/west-somerset-railway-general-discussion.508987/page-1697

 

Edited October 24, 2020 by PenrithBeacon

[fezza]

I don't know about the recent politics but I do know Washford is the station most worth visiting due to the S and D Trust. I have also found those guys the very friendly and accommodating, especially to kids. A model others could follow. 

 

I also know the WSR management almost got their own line closed down through mismanagement and it is still in big financial trouble, despite having the best location of any heritage railway and consistently high summer loadings. 

 

The WSR desperately needs a new start and new leadership but how that happens I don't know. I've been paying them money since I was a kid (and absolutely love the line) , but most of the cash seems to go up the wall on staff costs and unwise side projects. 

[adb968008]

Can anyone explain whats actually going on at the WSR ?

 

To a novice outsider, it seems like a lot of older folk who've spent their lives building the line are now busy ripping it up, for no obvious gain or benefit ?

 

Whats the long term aim ? (I’m assuming there are competing aims which are causing this squabble).. what are the options being  “debated” ?

 

 

 

 

[chris p bacon]

1 hour ago, adb968008 said:

Can anyone explain whats actually going on at the WSR ?

 

I doubt it...

 

There are so many stories, accusations, resignations and insults flying around that there is mistrust everywhere. 

 

 As I understand it, The recent report into the affairs of the WSR concluded that there should be one charity and one PLC but it's how you get to that.  The  WSSRT has some shares in the PLC and a group of members have put themselves up as trustees at the next AGM, they want to unify the 2 charities and control the PLC utilising those shares. This is not how others want it done. 

Of the names put up as trustees I recognise one, Steve Doughty is a member of the Swanage Railway and helped steer it through some very bad times when it overstretched itself. As a life member of the SR I think he did a good job and probably thinks he can help the WSR.

When the WSR is turned into a guided busway some might realise what a monumental c*ck up this has all been.

[pheaton]

Everyone on a preserved railway has an agenda....you all get along well until your agenda interferes with theres.

Edited October 26, 2020 by pheaton

[Steamport Southport]

1 hour ago, pheaton said:

Everyone on a preserved railway has an agenda....you all get along well until your agenda interferes with theres.

 

Not really.

 

I would think that 99% of people are there for a bit of fun or something to do. Many of those are enthusiasts, not all though.

 

Do you really think the old lady that makes tea in the cafe has an agenda?

 

 

Jason

Edited October 26, 2020 by Steamport Southport

[Zomboid]

I don't know about everyone having an agenda, but my experience has been that like so many other things, railway preservation is rife with cliques, fiefdoms, egos and unhelpful internal politics.

 

I think it's just human behaviour.

[adb968008]

3 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

Do you really think the old lady that makes tea in the cafe has an agenda?

I suspect one or two are given more bacon on their butties than others.

i have been watching.

 

Best mornings Ive had at a gala have been those where you get bacon, sausage on a buttered muffin with brown sauce... I can go all day on that, but when they skimp.. it means you have to go back for more...

 

Edited October 26, 2020 by adb968008

[Northmoor]

On 26/10/2020 at 12:20, pheaton said:

Everyone on a preserved railway has an agenda....you all get along well until your agenda interferes with theirs.

This is true and people shouldn't see the word "agenda" as a negative.  It is a big help if everyone working at the railway agrees with the agenda to grow passenger traffic, income and help pay for the planned extension for example, by only working on activities that contribute to that.  It is impressive what the movement has achieved largely through volunteer labour, but I often think it would have achieved a lot more if some schemes were a lot stricter on groups based on their sites, who often have a particular interest in the loco or stock they are restoring (sometimes very slowly), but little affiliation to the railway except that it gives them cheap or free space to indulge their hobby.  Too often the railway wakes up too late, insists on a contract with the group who take umbrage at being asked to pay towards the space they are taking up (I'm not saying this is the situation at the WSR, but it has occurred numerous times elsewhere), so re-locate to another site which, craving the publicity of new stock arriving, admits the group on a verbal agreement. Ten years later they're in the same position.

 

Fezza above says that the WSR has the best location of any preserved railway; I disagree, from a business point of view.  There is one in the UK that in it's complete form, would be within a day trip of nearly half the UK population and could reasonably be expected to have passenger numbers exceeding the NYMR.  I'm not going to name it but in over forty years, it has achieved barely a quarter of what it set out to do and that reflects very badly on some of it's leaders, it comes down to politics that they haven't been asked to step aside.

[25901]

On 26/10/2020 at 16:34, adb968008 said:

I suspect one or two are given more bacon on their butties than others.

i have been watching.

 

Best mornings Ive had at a gala have been those where you get bacon, sausage on a buttered muffin with brown sauce... I can go all day on that, but when they skimp.. it means you have to go back for more...

 

My other (better) half used to be in charge of catering for a few years on a railway we both know, and I never get bacon butties even now lol

[298]

On 30/10/2020 at 17:56, Northmoor said:

I'm not going to name it but in over forty years, it has achieved barely a quarter of what it set out to do and that reflects very badly on some of it's leaders, it comes down to politics that they haven't been asked to step aside.

 

...or because preservation efforts have gone towards creating a number of "little empires" nearby instead of the larger project. Those on the other side of the pond are jealous of the sheer number of preservation schemes we have, but sometimes less is more. 

[fezza]

My own view is that heritage railways are best run as single  cooperatives or community interest trusts. There is one organisation and everyone gets one vote. It tends to keep out the big time Charlies, those who think their money makes them important and those on a power rush.