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West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by gwr4090, Nov 15, 2007.

  1. 21B

    21B Part of the furniture

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    Steam Railway .... The Daily Mail of rail publications
     
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  2. mvpeters

    mvpeters Member

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    The Daily Rail ?
     
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  3. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

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    West Somerset Railway - Then and Now #86

    Williton 1979 / 2017

    Looking at the Up Platform from the Down Platform. Points of reference are the station building the left and the signal post on the Down platform to the right.

    The eagle-eyed will be able to detect that on the 1979 shot the home and starting signals are off to and from the Up platform for the Park Royal DMU. At this time an off peak service regularly ran MD to WN and return.

    Thanks are due to Emma Haywood for the 'Now' view.

    Copyright S Nash / Emma Haywood

    1979
    IMG_9252.JPG

    2017
    _7004577.jpg
     
    Last edited: Oct 7, 2017
  4. Snifter

    Snifter Well-Known Member

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    That's not down to me but in answer to your question, why should they be ? Where should availability of information end ? Would you like to see the condition of all fusible plugs on the 28 day washout ? What about wear rates on brake shoes ?

    The people who know the answers to the above tend to be those who turn up in all weathers to service the locos in their free time.
     
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  5. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    The flip side to that is that if the issue with springs is generic (for example, related to perhaps some hitherto unappreciated change in metallurgy or construction methods from the supplier) rather than specific to the WSR, then it would be an interesting learning point for other railways. So hopefully it could be shared with other workshops, even if not publicly. There is a long tradition of such information sharing between railways on matters that are of general relevance.

    Tom
     
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  6. 1472

    1472 Well-Known Member

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    Yes info does get shared but thankfully not here!
     
  7. Ploughman

    Ploughman Part of the furniture

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    Which is the situation I was thinking of.
     
  8. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

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    Minehead Signal Box Name Plate - Front page news in West Somerset.

    See photo right. Plate on display at Blue Anchor Railway Museum today and tomorrow 10:30 to 4.
    IMG_0272.JPG
     
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  9. Snifter

    Snifter Well-Known Member

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    There are numerous offline discussion groups where items of importance are shared. I am on the WSR Safety Audit team and have seen this operating first hand. Similarly, the engineering community talk regularly on problems and opportunities. For example, one group may order a set of firebars which require a special metal mix or mould. The sensible approach is to ask around if anyone else wants similar items as the unit cost may be lower with a higher order volume.
     
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  10. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    In any industry managersspend a lot of time talking to their peers and passing on information. The Heritage railway industry is no different. If the Spring Supply Co. Unlimited is turning out (s)crap springs you can bet it won't be posted on any forum but a lot of people who need to know will soon know about it.
     
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  11. Yorkshireman

    Yorkshireman Part of the furniture

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    I had a great day out on the QB today. After a damp and dreary 900 start at BL the weather gradually brightened up. The QB all day breakfasts were a sell out by the time the second round trip started from BL However a choice of three main lunch dishes was provided along with apple pie and custard. Well up to the usual standard. Well done all concerned.
     
    Last edited: Oct 7, 2017
  12. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

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    West Somerset Railway - Then and Now #87

    Williton from Down Platform Starting Signal 1972 / 2017

    Sometimes it has taken me a few minutes to work out precisely where the photographer stood for their shot. This one was rather simpler!

    After closure by BR the adjacent builder's merchants rented the station site for storage of materials as can be seen on the right. The yard has different occupants these days.

    Copyright Nick Jones / Robin White

    1972
    IMG_0231.JPG

    2017
    IMG_0276.JPG
     
    Last edited: Oct 8, 2017
  13. Dinmore Manor Ltd.

    Dinmore Manor Ltd. New Member

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    I must say that we do take a little issue with that article....!

    7820 after overhaul was equipped with new springs, her new tender which entered traffic in May received the same. Using the railhead based load cells at Toddington we have ensured that the loco and tender are set up to documented axle weights and a copy of the most recent readings is supplied to all hirers of the loco wherever she goes. 7820 has now covered in the region of 90 days use on the WSR this summer without breaking a single spring and has been pressed in to service many times in place of other locos that have encountered issues for whatever reason. Certainly don't want to appear like we are gloating, far from it, such things can happen at any time, but just wanted to try and set the record straight. Typing this whilst sat on the 10:30 ex Minehead service to join 7820 at Bishops Lydeard and hoping I haven't jinxed anything....!!!!

    Mike Solloway,

    DMLL
     
  14. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

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    I'm just finishing my last cup of coffee on the QB breakfast service !

    Long ago and far far away I was privileged to go on what was known as the 'Derby Derailment Course' but in fact trained railway officers to deal with enquiries into incidents of all kinds.

    We operators chaired joint enquiries and received extra training to do so. As a scientist by original training, the training on track and rolling stock matters was excellent, fascinating and had stood me in good stead ever since.

    It was very rare to find that difficulties have a single cause - bad track could be tolerated by good rolling stock and slow speed and vice, vice versa.

    So I am entirely unsurprised to hear that a newly outshopped and well set up loco has tolerated matters better than other locos longer since shopping.

    We must await the results of the enquiry. No doubt the WSR management will update staff, volunteers and supporters who have had to deal with the consequences of these difficulties this year. We must not repeat the awful period of the WSR wheel-rail problems some years ago when management said nothing and left the field free for wild speculation.

    Robin
     
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2017
  15. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

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    West Somerset Railway - Then and Now #88

    Williton 1972 / 2017

    A companion shot to that from yesterday. This is what two years' closure looks like.

    The signal box has lost its name plate and the weeds are in the ascendency.

    Copyright Nick Jones / Robin White

    1972
    IMG_0232.JPG

    2017
    IMG_0391.JPG
     
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2017
  16. Colin Allcars

    Colin Allcars Member

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    These photos beg the question, is the signalbox nameplate original and, if not, where is it now?
     
  17. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

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    I am certain that none of the plates on WSR boxes these days are original - far too risky / valuable.

    I believe the location of all WSR plates is 'known' to the serious GWR collecting fraternity.

    Robin
     
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  18. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Our second family holiday to the Minehead was the year Williton reopened. The early WSR evidently hadn't hung around as the station looked immeasureably better than the sorry state shown in the 1972 photo.

    It was one of the drought summers. The sacred annual 5 Day Rain Dances, involving 22 men dressed in white at The Oval and Lords, had failed us again. Dennis Howell (remember him?), who was Sunny Jim Callaghan's Minister for Drought and Floods was being kept half busy (!) and on the WSR, a steam ban was in force, as practically the whole country was like a tinder box for the second year in a row. The Dunster Show (yes ... we did travel to and from by train) was held on a meadow of anaemic yellow and dead grass.

    I would add that the local agreement with the bus drivers' union (as it was told), preventing Taunton services, meant we had to drag luggage for the whole family onto the Minehead bus, which was inconvenient to put it mildly. I also recall it being my first experience of a "125" .... after years of heading west behind "Whizzos" trailing MKI's, the new train was a revelation, but boy did those original brakes stink!

    I rather liked the WSR's class 103 units, which I still think looked better than the 101. Shame about the manky bodywork and all that asbestos! After the ubiquitous woad adorning practically everything else back then, the WSR 'house livery' was a very welcome change.
     
  19. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

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    WSR to Feature on 'Taunton' Monopoly

    Artwork now released for the eagerly anticipated 'Taunton' edition of the family favourite game of Monopoly reveals that Bishops Lydeard will be one of the four Railway Stations featured.

    Other local landmarks such as Taunton Cricket Ground and Vivary Park will replace the usual Monopoly locations.

    The official launch is due to take place at Taunton Cricket Ground on 19 October.

    A West Somerset Railway spokesman denied rumours that the next WSR plc Board meeting would be working out the 2018 financial strategy over a game but plc Directors have allegedly been overheard discussing who should have the dog, battleship, car, flat iron or top hat....

    A local correspondent

    IMG_0409.JPG
     
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2017
  20. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

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    October off peak arrangements at Stogumber.

    A number of perfect opportunities for a leisurely cream tea....

    IMG_0415.JPG
     
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