West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Yes, the shop at BL is a credit to the railway. I have never left it empty-handed, and it guarantees a teasing from my wife!

John

 

Like you I think FS is overr-rated, but it is a "famous" loco and I did expend a bit of effort to find out where I could see it earlier in the year (the NR/BTP info blackout almost defeated me, but I did see it twice). My memory of FS is when I rode behind it years ago as 4472 in LNER livery and somehow it doesn't look as impressive in BR livery . But I still plan to go the Bluebell and West Somerset and hopefully get a ticket on both. Actually, I'll probably go even if I can't get a ticket! But I need to resolve a couple of personal logistic problems for the WSR visit, if it had been the following week it would have been better for me.

 

The QB Experience.....

I am helping out with the Quantock Belle on Friday 2nd, for 'Dunster by Candlelight' which marks the awakening of WSR operations from their November slumber.

We have a full complement if diners and could really do with the help of one more person to wine wait on the train. No specialist knowledge required, just the ability to carry a tray of glasses.

If you join at the Bishops Lydeard end, you need to be on the train around 4.30 and will be back at 23:30. However, there is another way to do it....

The need for assistance is really in the Bishops Lydeard to Minehead direction. So you could start at Minehead. Ride the ECS due to leave MD at 1345, and be back in MD for 1835 (and still be able to go to 'Dunster by Candlelight' if that was your preferred evening.

Anyone able to help, please PM me or contact via robin215white@btinternet.com

Kind regards

Robin

 

New talk about bringing regular trains from NR into BL Station commencing in 2018 for a trial, and if works forming a part of the next operating franchise on the national network. http://westsomersetrailway.vticket....t-by-wsr-plc-and-minehead-chamber-of-commerce

 

This is good to see from several perspectives. In particular the co-operation between the Chamber of Commerce and the Railway. Those in charge need to be keeping a broad focus though as there are constant rumours of other proposals such as Park and Ride facilities at NF. It would be a shame to miss out on what looks like a great chance to strengthen the connection from BL to the network.

 

Makes sense to extend Cardiff tauntons,
then again it could mess up use of the triangle permanent if it does happen, its a glass half empty half full situation,

 

There is a separate thread for this topic. Please could the mods move this discussion to it? TIA

 

Don't assume the mods will see a request like that in a timely fashion - best way to ensure they see it quickly is to report the first post on the subject (#2464) and ask that it and subsequent posts gets moved.

Tom

 

How would it "mess up use of the triangle permanent"? AFAIK the Railway Inspectorate insisted that the triangle was separate from the NR-BL running line.

 

Its the single line from NF to BL that's the issue

IMHO why not have two single lines, one for the 'big railway' the other for the WSR trains?

 

You do realise that in materials cost alone, the capital cost of track is somewhere in the region of £500k per mile? Pointwork is even more eye-watering, and the costs go up further if, for example, you have any significant repairs to structures or drainage to do before re-laying. That's a hell of a lot of money to spend doubling 3 miles of formation just for the benefit of a few days a year when the single track proves to be operationally limiting. Who do you propose should pay, and if the WSR, which £1.5m+ worth of current projects do you suggest are delayed or dropped?

Tom

 

While you are quite right if you had two lines, it would mean that you could possibly avoid having to open the Signal Box at BL for non WSR services - OK its a lot of money for that but..............

 

All very 'pie in the sky'.

The likely service would be a couple of incoming services in the morning and a couple of outgoing in the afternoon.

Much work to do to promote these and have folk from Cardiff, Bristol, Weston and intermediates using them before anything else gets thought about.

On that basis, the gaps in line occupancy would allow many opportunities for loco turning on a Gala day.

Robin

Please note: This comment is made as an interested observer and should not be taken as WSR Plc policy or intention.

 

AFAIK, NR has never demanded sole use of the track in the past, so I cannot see how access to the triangle would be permanently blocked by having a few NR trains running from NR to NF, but perhaps others with more signalling knowledge are aware of snags that I'm not.
Edit: pipped by Robin

 

As well as the non-enthusiast travelling public from between BL and MD.

 

Hope being pipped by me not too painful.

Access to (either of) the triangle(s) at Norton is via the BL to NFW single line, so anything between Taunton station (usual pick up / set down point for the token) and BL station means anything in the triangle is locked in.

There is an intermediate instrument there, so a loco can turn and wait for the single line to clear at the triangle exit ground frame.

Robin

 

Begs the question,
If this happens and trains run to BL in morning and evening peak times,
Meaning there's room in a WTT for that section of the line , to turn locos at galas,

How come this wasn't thought about for the last gala ?

This surely can't be the first time both organizations ,have thought about services from the mainline terminating at BL,

I know in the gala thread , apparently this is being looked at ,re frequently of shuttles during galas,

It does make it seem like the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing,

This is purely observation from the outside.
Of how it looks to myself and others.

 

Wrong question.

It's rather different when a TOC offer a train to provide a shuttle for the whole day as part of a Gala, as opposed to extending selected trains to BL from TN.

Robin

 

The shuttle at the Gala was slightly different to the possible extension of services to BL.
The shuttle was a special sent up ECS from Exeter and ECS home again at the end of the day, GWR could not have it sat in Taunton for most of the day and I expect did not want the extra mileage costs or crew costs for having a split shift.
This of course is my own thoughts on why it was a all day shuttle.
Robin F.

I see that Robin W beat me to it!

 

Word reaches me that there is a nonsense advert on the TV for Xmas suggesting that two Robins could share a mince pie.

It would never happen in the animal kingdom, with these most territorial of birds.

But I am pleased to note how much alike Robin F and I think....

Robin W