West Somerset Railway General Discussion

That surprises me!
Does it tell us that visitors can't find enough to 'do' in MD? (& does that, in turn, tell us something else........?)
Or does it mean they stop off somewhere else for a couple of hours? (Probably).

 

Not on sale at MD booking office during last season.

 

Most of our passengers come to Minehead on the first two trains of the day, arriving by lunchtime. Therefore, unless they spend the afternoon on the beach, they will generally be ready to head back on either the 15:15 or the 16:15.

 

Such vehicles would fall foul of the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations and the general exemption order would not apply as they would be built after 1999. It would be possible to apply for a specific exemption but the government's view is that reasonable modifications should be made to make them accessible to all. That is not just making doorways wider but a whole host of other things. If they were built as true replicas they would be limited to 20 days use/annum under the legislation. That's my interpretation of the regs, anyway. Our resident legal expert may have a different opinion.

 

There are certainly replica narrow gauge vehicles built since 1999. I believe but am not absolutely certain, that these gained specific exemptions. Presumably if they had not been replicas this would not have been forthcoming.

PH

 

Certainly the new builds of carriage stock for the F&WHR is given exemption to the level access, powered wide doorways, high visibility grab handles, minimum wheelchair accessible seating and disabled toilet regulations, in the latter case because the toilet cubicle would need to be larger than the carriage loading gauge!

John

 

In recent years the first train has not arrived at Minehead until virtually midday so anyone wanting to spend the day in Minehead would have to come by car/bus. The 2018 timetable has an 0930 departure from BL arriving at 1047. This may (hopefully) be attractive to day trippers and could increase patronage of the last train of the day.

The 1715 in 2018 will be DMU worked except Saturdays so cannot be boosted

 

It is possible to gain exemptions. See this example

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2002/1694/contents/made

Regards

Matt

 

This is an exemption to the 1998 regulations. I'm not sure why it was felt necessary to apply for this as the official guidance to these regs states:
"As the Regulations apply to new vehicles only, heritage railways and tramways are generally not affected as they operate older vehicles. However, where independent and heritage operators build replica rolling stock, such vehicles may not be subject to the RVAR if they are exact copies of an old design. When building any new passenger carrying rolling stock, operators are strongly advised to consult DTLR at an early stage in the design process for guidance on whether they need to comply."
The 2010 regs apply to non-interoperable rail systems and there is a blanket exemption for vehicles first put to use before 1st January 1999 for heritage railways listed in the exemption, which lists all railways in existence at that date. (The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Networks) Exemption Order 2010). The Explanatory memorandum to this order states:
"7.6 Where a new rail vehicle (i.e. one which has been introduced into service after 31 December 1998) is being built to be operated on a network which is otherwise exempt by virtue of the Order, the Department believes it is appropriate for operators to consider accessibility at the planning and design stage. Disabled people have a legitimate expectation that any new rail vehicle should make some provision for their needs and the Department has worked successfully with a number of heritage and tourist operators to make such vehicles as accessible as possible whilst having regard to the atmosphere they wish to create and the resource constraints such networks usually operate under. The Order therefore maintains the current requirement, in place since 1998, for new vehicles introduced since 1 January 1999 to meet RVA Regulations. Where it is not possible, or desirable, for new vehicles to comply fully with accessibility standards, operators will be able to apply for a vehicle-specific exemption order."
So, yes, you can apply for an exemption but the government thinks that you should make reasonable provisions for the disabled in any new build. It can be a bit of a minefield.

 

The hog roast is very popular too.

 

I heard a rumour that a few years ago a railway thought it would be good to have a hog roast at the end of their Peppa Pig day.
The grown-ups apparently thought it a good thing, the children thought otherwise!

 

Perhaps the railway in question should have also organised a Lord of the Flies style pig hunt to take place before the hog roast...?

 

I thought that was a 'Piggy' hunt ..... although the idea does have a certain attraction.

 

It is very tempting to continue to focus on the locomotives and rolling stock, and they are certainly important artifacts (even mk1s) because they create the movement in the museum that has generally been the USP differentiating heritage railways from other museums. However, the living history and movement and experience of the heritage is something that has been widely copied now by other museums of all kinds (from national trust properties to the black country museum). Heritage railways are no longer unique in this respect, and indeed for the most part are no longer as good as the average museum in terms of interpretation and background "scene setting". My own view is that this is the area where a lot of investment needs to be made by heritage railways in general. The trains should pass through a reasonably consistent background that sets a scene capable of transporting the visitor to another time. The interpretation needs to explain what people are seeing both in terms of the history of the equipment, but also the story of its preservation.

Personally there are many replicas I would like to see created, but at present none of them is an item of rolling stock or a locomotive. A recreation of goods traffic and an explanation of how important it was, and how it would have dominated any railway prior to about 1965 has yet to be achieved in any meaningful way, and yet it is precisely the sort of thing we should be doing. I think we need to continue to grow out of the line of metals plus a steam engine and an old carriage. Heritage railways pretty much popularised "living history". Time we took it to the next level.

 

Crack(l)ing Idea Grommet!!!

 

That was the Black Lion pub at Consall on the Churnet Valley Railway I believe...

 

I visited The Severn Valley Railway for the first time on my way home from the WSR , WSF 02/01/ 18 . When I bought my ticket from Highly Station the booking office clerk when telling me he price of the Rover ticket and spotting my WSR cap said something about the WSR not being part of the scheme . I didn't have time to question him any further as the train was just pulling into the platform . I'm guessing this is some reciprocal system with other railways where there might be a price advantage for passengers . Can anyone tell me any more please ?

 

I suspect the booking clerk may have taken you to be a "volunteer" on the WSR - many railways have reciprocal agreements to give volunteers from other lines a discount. The WSR does not have any such reciprocal agreements - instead the WSR takes part in the Heritage Railway Association scheme where working members of any HRA member railway can purchase a pass from the HRA that covers 2 people and gets either free or discounted travel at every member railway. The pass costs £30 for a year - the WSR allows pass holders to travel for a flat fee - currently £10 (ie a 50% discount on adult rover). The income to the HRA helps support that organisation (which acts for the benefit of the whole sector) and gives significant discounts to working volunteers.

The pass is also available to purchase by individual members of the HRA but at a far higher cost and valid for one person only.

 

As an enthusiast I really did appreciate the Teak Set on the SVR , they looked very good from the inside and outside even though the steam heating wasn't as effective as the Mk 1s on the WSR , I expect the Teaks had 20 or 30 years on the Mk 1s .

 

Paul - the SVR has reciprical arrangements with other railways that when a working member visits they get the same travel concessions as a working member at that railway. Working members have a photo ID card and an annual departmental privelige card. there are curently 27 +SVR railways in the system

Dave