Without change, the West Somerset Railway will fossilise and die.

It’s a pity that the debate about the rail link to Taunton is in danger of descending into point-scoring and personal innuendo, obscuring the real issues.

Perhaps this is because the missing voice has been the WSR itself. I would like to see some leadership from the WSR board - even as an active volunteer I have no idea what they think.

Meanwhile, perhaps we can agree on the following:

n Nothing should be done to harm the WSR as a prime tourist attraction and income-generator for the whole of west Somerset.

n Nobody should underestimate the complexity of operating a 20-mile steam railway, especially in today’s safety-conscious environment; the present operation has evolved over 40 years and is not readily tampered with.

n If you want a commuter service to Taunton, then forget it - for people going to work the journey times are too long and Taunton station is not near major workplaces, the college or the hospital.

n Equally, a shopper service is also a non-starter, at least while retired folk hang on to their free bus travel.

Despite this, a regular rail link to Taunton and beyond could bring real benefits, so what about the following proposals, which could be implemented in stages?

n Continue to press for an extension of the Cardiff-Taunton shuttle service onwards to Bishops Lydeard during the operating season.

n Look to see if the Bristol-Minehead through trains of a few years ago can be resurrected;

n Undertake a fully-costed feasibility study on the possibilities of upgrading the WSR line to take faster trains;

n Consider whether the WSR itself should purchase a diesel unit equipped to mainline standards and operate its own services in and out of Taunton;

n And - to reach for the stars - extend the WSR’s own track along the old track bed from Norton Fitzwarren into the disused bay platform in Taunton, thus removing all the difficulties of operating on Network Rail tracks, and also allowing cross-platform connections to mainline trains for residents and visitors alike.

As has been pointed out, Isambard Kingdom Brunel and the great railway pioneers of the 19th century showed vision, as did the preservationists of the 1970s who rescued the line from oblivion.

Now is the time for a 21st-century vision. Many of us are looking to the leadership of our wonderful railway to step onto the footplate and drive us onwards to a glorious future. Let them speak out!

Geoff Lloyd, Quay Street, Minehead.