West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Hmmmmm.... I wish I could share your confidence for the future. Tactile paving is not decorative it is there for a purpose - H & S. There were perfectly good warning signs at CH station, bearing in mind this is a staffed station on a line with a 25 mph speed limit. I can only assume that the new signs have been installed for H & S considerations, so why not the yellow line and tactile paving? At what point do the powers to be say "enough is enough"? My guess is there will be a creeping "modernisation" not next year or even the year after, but the process is underway.

 

But Broadway will have something more appropriate!

 

Well if it gets that bad a lot of us might as well go home.

Regards

Matt

 

The purpose of tactile paving is to assist the visually impaired. Personally, I think it's one of the better H & S requirements.

 

That is why these things matter.

As a bit of a reality check for me to work out if I have got this wrong, try the foot crossing at Bishops Lydeard photographed today.



This crossing is manned for virtually all movements, with the crossing barriered off with manned barriers at the top of the ramps.

Before the coming of the modern signs, there was a 'Passengers are requested...' cast iron on the left (down side) and a traditional 'screw on letters 'Beware of Trains' on the right (up side). Both, arguably, pretty ineffective given that the crossing is manned.

The recent exercise concluded that a modern reflective sign neede to be fixed to the left hand platform starter, but not the right.

Help me folks, am I bonkers in thinking this is bonkers, or what?

Answers on a (Stogumber cream tea) post (card) please.....

Robin

 

Yes, getting quotes now for cast iron or aluminium copies.

 

I spent 3 days of the ASG at the trackside between BL, CH and Bicknoller and, for the first time in a few galas, I did not encounter one trespasser at the lineside. I wonder if the threat of a £1000 fine has actually deterred would be photographers and that the new signs, for example at Nethercott Bridge, are bearing fruit.
I have told people in the past that they were trespassing and some left but some said "ok, I am trespassing, so what". A threat of a £1000 fine may just change their mind.

 

Have there been any prosecutions for trespass on a heritage line?

 

Is it enforceable?

 

plus

My guess is something to do with line speed. I don't know the WSR very well from an Ops point of view but I assume most arrivals and departures are to the up platform? If so there is a much slower line speed (standing start going north and slow down to negotiate turnout going south into the station). There may also be an "SW" sign behind the bridge from arrivals in this platform.

Conversely on the down side there is the possibility of a through train which may be travelling at a faster speed. Although visibility is better there isn't any opportunity to place an SW board until much further back (past the platform).

This may be rather long winded and wrong but the point is assess all of the following - visibility ; line speed , SW boards and the actual train movements anticipated and allowed for in the rules. That will form the basis of a risk assessment and determine what is needed.

Regards

Matt

 

I am tempted to say Q.E.D. You are either required to use the bridge or you aren't. Completely confusing. Can it be guaranteed somebody will be on duty every minute the station is open? Grub, Water, Relief and all that.

PH (Absolutely my last posting on this topic)

 

I am not sure what the new sign says; it is not readable to me. However it does seem to me that the old cast iron sign (requested use bridge etc.) is not well sited. It s halfway up the staircase and to be easily seen and read by everyone it needs to be nearer the red gate. Does 'manned' mean looking at the photographer rather than the people about to step down onto the barrow crossing? Ideally, as some railways do, is to escort people over the crossing. That sound more like the meaning of being manned to me.

 

Quantock Belle welcomes Railway celebrity.

Today Mary Kelly nee Skelton (also known as Molly) and her family joined the Quantock Belle dining train on the WSR to celebrate her 94th birthday which is tomorrow.

Mary was signalman at Littlethorpe signal box near Ripon from 1939 to 1945. She is pictured in Bishops Lydeard signal
Box on the West Somerset Railway. Mary chatted with duty WSR signalman Peter Smith and remembers her training at York aged 17 after she had chosen that over factory work or being a railway porter. There was another, older girl called Mary on the course, so she had to choose another name and has sometimes been known as Molly ever since. She said that the male signalman accepted her and one, who was a cobbler, made her a pair of shoes - useful in wartime Britain. She was sad to give up signalling in 1945 and has fond memories of her time on the Railway. She now lives in Somerset and her family come to celebrate her birthday on the Quantock Bell each year.

(Does anyone have a photo of Littlethorpe box?)

 

Really, what a weird decision. Can't think of a reason but what do has beens know?

 

Perhaps your relevant Director colleague might know?

Rumour has it that there is a WSR stakeholder meeting sometime soon but I haven't seen it advertised anywhere?

Robin

 

Does the bridge have a pavement, or do pedestrians have to share the space with the traffic?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Meeting is 28th Oct, 14:00 BL VH. I do not have any Director colleagues anymore.

 

Found this.
http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/...hallerton/06littlethorpe_lc_siding_lifted.jpg

 

Thank you.

 

Heavy-ish track aside, that photo reminds me of a Col.Stephens line.