TERS GO ‘MISSING’ RA SACKS TRUSTEES

Even as the meeting was being conducted, locks on the doors of the WSRA offices at Brunel House, Bishops Lydeard, and at the station itself were mysteriously changed. It was, the reform group claimed, followed early on Monday February 29 by the removal of all five of the association’s computers. Information stored on them has, however, been accessed by the new WSRA trustees because a server containing a full back-up of the information appeared to have been overlooked. For the time being, the association will be managed by recently co-opted chairman Frank Courtney, co-opted trustee Michael Rowe, and a group of WSRA volunteers. They include Nigel Adams, Barrie Childs, Rodney Greenway, Martyn Snell, Simon Stretton and Roger Thompson. There were warm words from John Irven, chairman of WSR plc. “It is a very positive first step in rebuilding relationships with the whole West Somerset family. We now expect the ex-trustees to allow a smooth transition.” The removed trustees - none of whom attended the EGM - have seemingly not taken their dismissal graciously. On a new website - www. wsra-railwayhistory.co.uk - an uncredited item Steam proclaimed: “The invalid group have taken over the official WSRA website and are purporting to be the elected trustees. As the WSRA’s solicitors have confirmed, the meeting on February 27 was invalid. Therefore the election of new trustees was also invalid.” The item warns that members “will lose their democratic right to vote on what happens within the association”, and fears that “the West Somerset Railway Steam Trust, who have aligned themselves with the plc, will be the beneficiary of all of the WSRA’s £4 million assets.” WSRA Chairman Frank Courtney commented: “It is very disappointing that some of the former trustees do not seem able to accept the views of the membership. We have a lot to do to rebuild the association, to make it financially robust and proud to be associated with.”