West Somerset Railway General Discussion

A quality picture but I'm afraid the S160 just doesn't appeal to me , too untidy what with that cyclops type view from the front . I know a cyclops only had one eye but it is the lack of symmetry that I don't like about it . All very personal .

 

While it isn't the most attractive - or reliable loco, firstly as a US loco that subsequently worked in Hungary(?) - others worked in China and of course built for service in WW2 its a very historic and interesting machine.

 

An excellent photograph, the S160 is never going to win any beauty contests, but for all that it is an interesting locomotive and to my eye it looked absolutely right hauling the military train at the SSG. It's a no nonsense heavy freight loco and I think part of its appeal for me is that it is so different to the locos I'm used to seeing. Having said all that when I visited the railway a couple of weeks ago I was glad it wasn't in use and I got to ride behind the Hall and the Manor.

 

Maybe a naive question is why do most US locos have so many of the entrails exposed to view compared with U.K. ones where they are mainly hidden. Retires to bunker and goes back to sleep.

 

Perhaps it's because US locos are built by engineers who neither know nor care about style and elegance.

 

The S160 may not be universally popular with enthusiasts, but I have been surprised at the number of people turning up at Crowcombe hoping to see it. (Not quite in Flying Scotsman numbers yet though!)

 

Firstly it made them cheaper to build and cheaper and easier to maintain, which is why British locos from the 1940s onwards started to take styling cues from the Americans.

Secondly, their larger structure gauge meant that things *could* be put on the outside. On a contemporary British loco the boiler will often fill so much of the available space that you couldn't hang much on the outside of it - even the whistle has to be mounted sideways. On an American loco there was still space to, for example, put the sand pots on top of the boiler.

Having said that the only "clutter" I can really see in the above loco is the brake pump, and plenty of British locos had those visible.

 

A video taken on Saturday 28th July 2018 on The West Somerset Railway including The West Somerset Express:

 

More than 24 hours with no WSR excitement on here! Is this a record?

 

And most of the recent posts have been about ... WSR operations!

Noel

 

Beware the coming storm.....................

 

Very well put , I might have been more blunt . TBH , I do think it is for ease of maintenance . With all the very necessary parts needing attention on a daily basis it must have been a bonus for footplate crews . As long as the WSR has Swindon designed locos and in green , I'm happy . I don't need to see any others from the other railways . Call me blinkered and you'd be right .

Must be a record !

 

Two things; 1. good shots, Keith, using a lineside pass, and 2. some of those chocolate and creams are looking a bit faded.

 

Thanks, Colin. Yes I did notice that some of the chocolate and cream coaches are quite faded and looking rather tatty.

 

Looking forward to this weekends steam rally.

Please could someone confirm which loco is doing branch line shuttles.

 

That has been remarked on before, maybe one or two could be a winter project.

 

To avoid any doubt, my remarks weren't meant to be a criticism, merely a fact. I appreciate the effort that must be required to keep the carriages running and in a decent condition for the visitors.

 

No, a record is a round black disk with a hole in the middle.

 

There's hope yet!
There's a photo on http://www.wsr.org.uk/cgi-bin/snap.cgi?h=Snapshot&p=2018/07/124 of a BCK at WN being prepped for a fresh coat of chocolate varnish.

 

That is the ex QB coach Phoenix. The BR coat of arms were applied by last Saturday.