THE gulf appears to be widening between the charity which was set up to support the West Somerset Railway and the business that operates the heritage line.

Operator the West Somerset Railway plc has refused an offer to join the board of the West Somerset Railway Association (WSRA), saying the charity must first sort out internal turmoils and resolve a number of outstanding issues.

In a statement, the railway plc said it would be pulling the plug on the association's use of a plc shed in Williton and threatened to prevent stone trains using the line to deliver ballast to the association's site at Norton Fitzwarren unless the charity paid more for the service.

The association has retaliated by accusing the plc of meddling with matters which do not concern them, claiming the railway company's stance is just a blatant attempt to influence upcoming elections at the association's AGM.

But Geoff Pateman, director and company secretary of the plc, said the move "reflected serious concerns about the governance of the association".

He said that, by taking a place on the board, the plc could be seen to be backing existing trustees.

He also claimed the association owed the plc money and said it had failed to pay outstanding invoices involving rail ticket costs incurred by WSRA members.

"Given outstanding commercial issues between the companies, the [railway plc] board also felt that there would be a serious conflict of interest for a plc director sitting on the WSRA board," Mr Pateman said.

"The plc board has also indicated to the WSRA chairman that it would not be appropriate for it to engage formally with the WSRA trustees until the WSRA has resolved current internal issues with its membership and demonstrated to the satisfaction of its members how these issues are to be addressed and a new way forward defined and agreed."

He added: "The board believes it is important for the plc, its employees and volunteers and all the other groups operating on the railway, to see that constructive and positive action is being taken by the association's trustees for the benefit of the railway as a whole.

"It is not for the plc to interfere in internal WSRA matters. But we do need to bear in mind that we are all only custodians of the railway during our period of