West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Re tokens, yes they do take time to organise, especially first train in, but if you are the second train in a token swap can occur which means you can depart straight away if on time.If the station staff and train crew are made aware of passengers wishing to change they can facilitate a longer dwell time

 

Pleased to hear that as the Signal Box at Crowcombe is such a fine and authentic looking building. perhaps someone needs to have a word with the volunteer in question!

 

This is what I was referring to rather than asking permissions .

 

Certainly a non-trumpton one!

 

Not just authentic-looking, but authentic!

The upper wooden box structure was recovered from Ebbw Vale Sidings.

Robin

 

Why? The are seen all over the platforms so it does not seem to be enforced. Just curious.

 

They shouldn't be. I always take mine off when I'm on the platform and the public are around (ie early mornings and evenings excepted!)

 

Thanks for that. However, it does not explain the reason behind such a rule.

 

Because they are not 'heritage' and they ruin folks' photographs.

Robin

P.S. There's an echo in here.....

 

Purely authenticity and keeping with the heritage theme AFAIK, no one likes hi-vises in their photos.

 

Thank you.

 

...There's an echo in here...Echo in here...In here...

 

Not trying to be contentious, just curious. Why should he want to wear a Hi-Viz there?

 

Come on you lot who work on the railway, what good is for you to do the WSR PTS course when you don't know when to have your High visibility clothing on. The important wording is in paragraph one "Only to be worn when you are on or about the line and where members of the public are not allowed to go". So not to be worn on the platform.

 

Try carrying a coat and backpack all hi-viz, and PW tools. Just where do the gang change before walking on a platform. Why not make the job more difficult than it already is.

 

Yes, it's likewise on the Severn Valley. If, say, at Hampton Loade, you are the second train in, you may pick up your token for the next section, but the bobby still has to walk back to his/her box, do the dinging bit, then walk to the engine of the crossing train with the new token, unless a caring crew has sent the fireman back to collect it. This usually gives any crossing apssengers ample time to make the journey. I assume this is the same on the WSR.

Regards,

jtx

 

Some years ago my oldest & I attempted a change at Harmans Cross, while the station staff let us use the barrow crossing and we got our train it seems that it didn't happen often and they were rather surprised by our request

 

I am passed for the Swanage boxes as well as the WSR ones.

The public geography at Harmans Cross is rather different from any of the WSR passing places in that the platform to platform route is via a fairly long walk up to the road bridge. The board crossing is not intended for unsupervised use and so changing crossing trains there is not normally practical.

However, the Swanage stations are much closer together than those on the WSR. And so the easy alternatives of a change at Herston Halt or Corfe Castle station are not far away......

Kind regards

Robin

 

Yes, it is the same on the WSR, especially if the crossing passengers have been advised to be at the crossing end of the train - plenty of time to join the other train also at the crossing end. The only place where it is possible for a train to start away before the other one has come to a stop is Minehead, but that relies on the signalmen here and at Blue Anchor being on the ball and the departing train being ready with all doors closed. However, we are not that cruel - we always allow a couple of minutes for passengers to transfer, even if it means the up train departing a few minutes late.

 

The biggest risk is that if they're getting off a Down train (continuing with Hampton as the example), it arrived second and they were in the middle of the train, by the time they reach the crossing the train they came in on might be departing so they can't cross. By the time the crossing is clear again, the Up train will probably be ready to go. So if the staff are unaware someone is trying to do the change, it's easy to miss.

Presumably this is also potentially an issue at the WSR crossing places.