WSR Spring Steam Gala - Thu 27 to Sun 30 April 2017

Does anyone know when they'll be posting out the WTTs, I ordered one when I purchased my ticket.

 

Hear, hear! Railway preservation costs money, and that doesn't grow on trees, not even in sunny Somerset!

I take it, JBT Evans, that you are a Newport County supporter? I lived in Newport for a couple of years in the mid 70s; life isn't easy for a Newport County fan but I hope that they can stay up in the League. Not at Plymouth Argyle's expense today, though - I'm a loyal Devonian!

Back to topic - superb line up and rover ticket for Thursday bought and B&B booked.

John

 

Swansea City, although I live in Newport (and hope the County stay up!).

 

I'm a Stoke fan so I sincerely hope you don't enjoy next weekend!

I think all railways should offer free loco rosters but especially the WSR with their propensity to have visiting locos sat idle all day. If I want to travel behind a particular loco I like to know what it's doing, I don't want to pay £3 to find out it's not running one day meaning I don't visit! Anyway, I make this point every year and nothing changes so I will visit the WSR on a few normal running days when the roster is freely available.

 

I'll pay for the roster at the WSR and not begrudge it as such for all the reasons above, but it does seem a bit of an aberration now in still charging for details of what's hauling what. It feels to me like several lines that used to charge for such info now don't, or release passenger diagrams even if they withhold full WTTs for an extra charge or rover ticket holders only. I accept the old logic that this was a way to make sure people taking pictures still contributed but I wonder what financial impact lines that did charge for rosters and now don't have noticed. No £3 isn't a lot of money, but now it's £3 that a lot of other lines with similar events don't charge it... stands out, I guess is the best way of putting it. It's a little like if 9 railways charged £25 for a rover and another with a similar length and line-up charged £28. It's not a deal-breaker but you'd raise an eyebrow.

For me the planning is an essential and enjoyable part of the experience, I love the logic puzzle of working out an itinerary for my day* that gets a ride up that line's best hill with whatever my favourite locos at the event are, and a good photo opportunity with everything that's working (currently tinkering with my EOR and Swanage diesel gala plans, for instance). At many railways that ability to plan accurately comes via a free download well in advance, at two of the WSR's galas it doesn't. In fact I suspect of all the railway events I attend this year, this and the WSR autumn steam gala will be the only ones where that's the case.

(And when the occasionally inevitable failures or changes occur, I get the fun of coming up with a revised plan!)

 

As long as Bony doesn't score against us again.

Why not just buy the program then and if you really want to go, buy a rover on the day? Okay it may cost you a few more quid but at least you wouldn't have a wasted trip.

 

Mine arrived in this mornings post, so they must have been sent before Easter

 

More than happy to buy a full WTT. As always my money will go into the railway coffers. Can I ask if anyone else has had their LSP informational letter and booklet? Looking at the restricted areas for LS some of it seems a bit ambiguous and I dont want to fall foul of the rules. The restrictions areound sheds, yards, triangle etc are self explanatory but I'm looking at CH towards MH. The grass bank on the station side looks like it is now inacessible? Same for the camping coaches location the MH side of BA. The restriction goes right up to the signal. So what do we have to do, climb through the fence at that point?

 

Thank you for that info. Hopefully mine will be dropping through my letter box soon.

 

Yes, the attached information is a bit unclear. I can see the logic of banning a photographer from standing in some of the red areas but that has unfortunately removed a couple of regular spots - for example, on the grass bank by Puff cottage at CH and on the bank on the CH side of Nornvis crossing - from use. That isn't important, though.

The main problem that I can see is that stations are the preferred access point to the lineside and we would have to pass through these restricted areas on most stations to do so. This is especially true at stations with signalboxes - BA, CH and BL. For example, anyone arriving at BL would show their pass at the signalbox (and again to whoever is on duty at the crossing) and proceed down the line towards Minehead. In order to do that they would have to pass through a small part of the restricted area. If access to this area is banned the alternative is a very hairy walk along the main road to Whisky Trail crossing. I tried it last gala and believe me, it was very hairy.

Similarly at CH. Having shown their pass at the signalbox the alternatives are to walk up to Nornvis crossing and access there or to show the pass to platform staff and walk off the platform end down the line. Both of these would pass through red areas on the map.

What does "restricted" actually mean? Yes, standing there for photography is banned.

The question is - are we able to pass through these areas or not? If not, where do we access the lineside close to stations? I am sure that the WSR would not condone "climbing over fences". It seems a bit confused.

 

76017 been added to the line up now. How does that work with the WTT already being published? Just about to order mine so hopefully they will add a cover letter in?

 

Are they sending the tickets out with them or do we have to use the e-ticket?

 

A replacement for something else?

Adding a loco at this late stage seems to be a little strange as, even with the internet meaning that a reasonable number of people will find out, how many many will be able to make arrangements to visit in just over a week if they weren't already doing so?

Steven

 

There was talk on here about a guest loco replacing 53809 if she wasn't ready.

 

Well when I saw it yesterday it looked a long way from being ready

 

Excellent choice. I saw the loco at the Mid-Hants Railway a short time ago and was very impressed. <BJ>

 

Broadly the roster now shows 76017 in place of 53809 but with supplementary info adding 53809 ad a d/h on some workings in case it is ready on time.

 

Yes it is very unclear. I think for the Gala at least I shall avoid LS near stations until I find out exactly what is possible and what is not as I don't wish to fall foul of the restrictions, but things need to be made clearer than an ambiguous drawing.

 

My tickets arrived a couple of weeks ago, just after I ordered them and the WTT. WTT arrived yesterday Tuesday