THREE key members of the West Somerset Railway Association - the organisation set up to support the heritage line - are facing calls for them to be removed from their posts.

Chairman David Williams, vice-chairman Peter Chidzey and trustee Nick Nicholls are under pressure from a splinter group within the WSRA.

In addition to calling for the three to stand down, the Reform Group is also demanding an extraordinary general meeting and a thorough review of the purpose and structure of the WRSA, as well as a motion of no confidence in the trustees.

The group says it wants to see significant changes and claims in recent years the WRSA has become increasingly isolated from working members and the WSR plc, which has operated the railway since it reopened in 1976.

Reform Group member David Randles said the necessary forms and letter of request to force the meeting had been submitted.

"It has been many months of hard work to gather over 800 supporters," he said.

"We hope the trustees will now hold the extraordinary general meeting on May 23 as we have suggested, and the air can be cleared for a fresh start at the annual general meeting in July.

"It is time the WRSA started working with the rest of our wonderful railway.

"The present trustees have had many chances to listen to their members and change direction but they have refused to do so and now an extraordinary general meeting is the only way to sort things out for the future."

The WSRA has more than 6,000 members but critics claim the organisation has lost its way.

Matters came to a head when the WRSA launched a bid to buy the freehold of the line last year without notifying its own members or the WSR plc beforehand.

The sale was later abandoned but not before the WSR plc had launched a rival bid, leaving the two sides at loggerheads over the ownership.

The row led to senior Somerset county councillor David Huxtable resigning from his cabinet post last month following claims that he showed favouritism to the WSRA.

A standards committee hearing panel found he had breached the council's code of conduct in his handling of the sell-off during a time when he had the power to make an executive decision on the issue.

WSRA secretary Susan Kaufman confirmed that a members' request to convene a general meeting had been received.

But she said the next step was to fully verify all of the names and membership numbers.

"Once we have done that, the date of the general meeting will be announced," she said.

"The process will be carried out strictly in accordance with the WRSA articles and following advice given by our legal representatives."

Mr Williams told the Free Press that the WRSA had gone to great lengths in attempting to accommodate the Reform Group.

The WRSA manager and trustees had attended three meetings arranged by the group to answer questions and discuss the policies of the board.

One member of the group had even been invited to join the board to represent its point of view but the offer was declined.

"The group has requested a review of the WRSA and the trustees have already offered a review on condition that one antagonistic member of their group is not involved, but again that was rejected," said Mr Williams.

"The trustees have also held three special invitation and two public meetings to answer members' questions.

"Throughout the past 12 months, mediation between the WRSA and the WSR plc has been an ongoing process with some of our members (not attached to this group) acting as mediators.

"This has moved forward positively, though obviously privately, in order to respect all parties involved."

Mr Williams said the WRSA had already joined the Partnership Development Group - formed of the railway's major stakeholders and local council representatives - and had also accepted an invitation to join the Taunton to Bishops Lydeard Rail Group in respect of its ownership of the Norton Fitzwarren site.

He said the WRSA was also represented on the recently reconvened Bishops Lydeard Site Development Group and would be part of the Williton Site Users Group when it was reconvened.

In addition, it would be providing catering for the railway's murder mystery trains after a successful pilot run in December.

"All of these developments are positive and progressive," said Mr Williams.

"We will stand by the actions we are taking to ensure the WRSA plays a full and active part in the West Somerset Railway going forward."