WSR Autumn Steam Gala, Thu 6 to Sun 9 October 2016

I shall be on it. Sounds a nice way to round off the day.

 

If the shuttle is well used, will this mean shuttles being repeated for future galas? Will this then mean that locos are not turned on the triangle during these galas? As a longstanding lineside pass holder, that is something I definitely do not want to see. Therefore how can I wish the shuttles well?

 

You make a good point.

I understand GWR offered this particular shuttle service, so I reckon it may be connected to the discussions between GWR, WSR and others about regular services on/off the Minehead Branch. That's why I'm keen to see the shuttle do well.

As for future shuttles preventing loco turning on the Triangle, perhaps the second track needs to re-instated between Lydeard and Norton

Steve

 

Another answer is to run less shuttles. There seem to be a lot of shuttles filling the section and shutting out turning on the triangle. I'm sure the ones in the late morning and early afternoon won't be well filled. Two early morning and two late afternoon would suffice, leaving paths for the triangle to be utilised properly and for all the investment in it not to be wasted.
As for regular services between Taunton and Minehead, an experiment to gauge interest would be more accurate if done on normal service days. I would have thought the WSR would be very wary of inaccurate passenger numbers influencing traffic decisions.

 

I guess no-one would miss a couple of midday shuttles.

I don't think the passenger numbers - which I hope will be good - over the weekend will be used by anyone as a major indicator of possible future daily loadings. More that the shuttles might further inform the partners about how things might work and what changes might need to be made. My suggestion of putting back the double track might be something that would provide more flexible workings and a cost that the partners would need to factor in.

However, there's no doubt the WSR's USP of turning locos at each end is now an important attraction for enthusiasts (who form the majority of visitors at special events) whilst the shuttle also provides rare mileage, helps ease parking issues and gives easier transfer visitors coming to Taunton by rail. It's not an easy decision for the WSR.

Steve

 

No need to apologise , pannier tanks all look alike and it's easy to mix them up.
Besides, it's only one digit different!

 

There would be very considerable cost to double tracking BL to NFW. The least of the cost would be the track replacement. Far more expensive would be the additional signalling controls at either end of the 'new' single line, or double track. And then there would be the loss of the up sidings at BL.

All this would have to be set against how (very occasionally) such extra facilities would be required.

Experience from previous Gala shuttles is that the first two and last two are well loaded and the 'middle' are sparsely loaded.

Single line railways are always an exercise in the 'art of the possible'. Difficult to please all of the people all of the time.

Regards

Robin White

 

Absolutely. The cost considerations would include everything. I don't think we need to lose the Up Sidings.

Steve

 

Loss of the BL up sidings would be pretty much inevitable if the old up road is reinstated as siding 1 was crated from the old up road and the connections into it needed to maintain siding 2 would complicate the signalling even further.

Nothing impossible, just very expensive in money and (scarce) S&T qualified volunteer time.

Hidden away in the BL locking is the facility to alter the connection to the QB siding at BL so that it crosses the platform 2 to up sidings line and is accessed by a lead in the BL to NFW single line, so turning it into a south-facing Bay which could accept arrivals from and departures to NFW.

Robin

 

So what about making the halt at NFz longer and wider on the west side with a line on the west side put in to join up with the east cord further down (the point at the north end of this line was put in place a good 18 months ago) with the Taunton shuttle stopping there on the current platform side, and all the passenger trains from BL running to here on the other side so to be treated as an exchange halt and then the engines turning.

There could be still be problems with NR signals as I think they could be in charge up to BL home signal, and therefore be two trains on the same section. Costs of altering this will be far too much for the use of this work taking place due to the few times a year it will get used.

 

That would require the single line section to be split, so considerable cost involved.

Robin

 

One possibility for double track would be to start it with a turn-out to the south of BL101, thus retaining the up sidings. Are the very-long-term plans for carriage sidings on the down side, south of the cottage, still alive?

 

That's what I was thinking, Ian. It preserves the Up Sidings. The "new" Down line then becomes a long siding. Allerford Junction could be removed.

There's several options - not that the need is particularly urgent! Unlike the need to trim the lineside...

Steve

 

....and tackle the weeds in the track which seem to be especially rampant this year! (have a look at the up line on the CH webcam!)

 

Is there a timetable with loco allocations anywhere to download/buy? (Sorry if I have missed the obvious!)

 

See my post #94!

 

Unlike the Great Central and KWVR galas this weekend and the NYMR last weekend, the West Somerset still feels the need to charge for basic rostering information, even if you buy a day rover. The sooner it is realised that this puts people off attending the better.

 

Is the WSR the only railway to charge for a Gala programme? Does anyone know of other railways which also charge for the same?

 

I don't mind buying a gala programme as long as it tells you which engines are on which train and which way round they are. Recent WSR programmes do not have to tell you - they are all right way around. However this one firstly doesn't tell you there is tender first running on Saturday and Sunday and secondly which way round they are. Having been told "the direction they are facing on Friday night is how they will be for the rest of the gala" we are left to work that out for ourselves. Still the WSR has not seen fit to anounce the lack of the triangle, probably fearing that it will put people off, which it will.

The SVR sells a comprehensive working timetable for the usual ASG which is well worth having, even at £5.00. It is the same document that staff use. It would be nice if the WSR did something similar.

 

Could someone scan / copy / send me an SVR programme to compare?

Thanks

Robin