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"Saving the West Somerset Railway" by John Parsons
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| The Branch Line that refused to die...
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The story of how trains somehow continued to run on the Minehead Branch is told in this absorbing book by John Parsons.
The author - himself a long serving volunteer on the Railway - has drawn heavily on the papers of the West Somerset Railway Company, documents from the local authorities, a wide range of newspaper archives and publications by the supporting organisations.
The tale is in chronological order covering the turbulent years 1970 to 1989 - covering a time of run-down; closure; re-birth; re-openings; numerous financial crises; threats of closures and severance; and then the painstaking re-building of the train service, the railway infrastructure and corporate credibility from the bottom up.
At times the reading is rather turgid as John relates the tedious discussions between the Railway and officials and elected representatives from a seemingly endless stream of public authorities, trade unions and local interest groups. Unsurprisingly the use of the £ symbol is liberally scattered on most pages.
A fair number of the WSR people who were deeply involved at board level in those days are mentioned but sadly there is few or no mention of other folks who also worked immensely hard to save, run and protect the Railway during the period of the book.
I am particularly disappointed to find constant mis-spelling of the name of a great servant of the West Somerset Railway and a very good friend of mine since 1977, Chris van den Arend, who died in 2010 just before his last great project, the Williton Footbridge, was re-installed. A case of too few proof readers perhaps? In another, albeit minor, example of lack of checking - the writer of this review was never the "Secretary of the Committee of the Quantock Pullman" as described on p97 but he did manage the publicity and promotion for the Quantock Pullman and the early years of the Quantock Belle.
A lack of narrative of the events around the time just before the appointment of Derek Portman as Chairman of the Company seems rather odd. This was a major pivotal moment in the history of the new West Somerset Railway and the seeds of success, nurtured by very careful management, were sown at this time, notably by the West Somerset Railway Association who by their very actions probably saved the Railway.
I expected to find numerous descriptions throughout the book about the role of the West Somerset Railway Association but sadly found few. In fact throughout the book there seems to have been very little use made of WSRA documentation. The decisions and sacrifices made by the Association immediately before Portman deserve a better airing in a book like this. Without those actions there would not have been a West Somerset Railway upon which Derek Portman, and later Peter Rivett, were able to work their wonderful magic.
In summary, three failings prevent me from recommending this book as a definitive account of the history of the West Somerset Railway during the period covered. Firstly, the disappointing less than full account of the role of the WSRA in saving the Railway; secondly, the surprising lack of consultation with key WSR personalities of the day who are still around; and thirdly, insufficient proof-reading. However, for the information that is included, much of it not made public before now, the book should not be overlooked. Perhaps a revised version with gaps competently filled - and thoroughly proof read - would build on the good work of John Parsons and warrant its place on the bookshelf of the serious railway historian.
Stephen Edge
October 2011
My thanks to The History Press for the opportunity to review the book.
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Saving The West Somerset Railway
The Branch Line That Refused To Die
by John Parsons
Published 29th September 2011
£12.99 paperback original
ISBN: 978-0-7524-6403-9
Available from all good bookshops, Amazon and The History Press. Direct sales - telephone 01235 465577 or www.thehistorypress.co.uk
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John Parsons grew up in East London with a strong interest in the railways and train spotting. Unable to find work on the railways at the end of the war, he pursued his interest through volunteering on heritage railways. He has been a volunteer on the West Somerset Railway for the last 24 years, first as a guard and then as a tour guide. He has previously written two books based on a Victorian stationmaster’s diaries. He lives in Minehead.
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