West Somerset Railway General Discussion

I don't know, but I speculate it's the former. A repair bay for quick jobs was set up in the carriage shed in 2017 (SVR News 202, Summer 2018). There has been approval for a change if use in the shed, with scaffolding in a certain part of the shed to allow limited forms of coach repairs and painting to take place. The platform has been relocated from 4 and 5 roads to 2 and 3 (206, Summer 2019). There is comment that the SVR is still short of the eight repaints a year it needs, and some coaches being brought in are ten years past repainting dates.

(Apologies for O/T)

Patrick

 

9351 seen leaving Minehead at 13:04 and running light engine towards Dunster. At Blue Anchor home signal at 13:14. Didn't venture into station loop but at 13:15 returned light engine towards Dunster.

 

The movement from Minehead up to the home signal at Blue Anchor was repeated at 15:19, with 9351 returning light engine to Minehead again. Running in.

 

The latest news item states the wsr is aiming for red route status, they haven't been able to run a number of loco's as they are classified red route, yet 9351 has turned out running with 2 red stickers on the cab sides. What am I not understanding with single/double stickers and colours?

 

Haven't noticed it on any of the pictures posted here or on the blog? A picture a couple of pages ago showed the cabside (illustrating the number plate) with a blue circle before its previous overhaul. I can't see any reinstatement of any route indication on the latest photos. Just curious though, is the blue route status merely inherited from its former tank engine self or was it recalculated in light of no water tanks and bunker but one less axle?...

 

A Facebook posting on the West Somerset Railway friends page by Jason Neal has photos and video taken today. A screenshot of her on the turntable shows new stickers.

 

One photo has the cab side 'D' but I have not seen any colour classifications. 5193 would have been blue but as 9351 is a hybrid I guess there might have beeen a change.

 

Have they used a King's cab by mistake !

Bob.

 

I fully expect this is a joke by the shed staff during running in!

Marcus S

 

Or has someone a s

Or has someone a sense of the absurd?

 

I'm pleased to forward some positive news from the WSR plc.

''The West Somerset Railway has commissioned a full independent track survey of the complete line between Bishops Lydeard and Minehead, to be carried out by a fully qualified heritage railway civil engineer.

Jonathan Jones-Pratt, the WSR Plc Chairman commented:

This is to ensure that a proper audit and independent evaluation is made of the work currently being carried out on our track infrastructure, so as to provide absolute assurance and transparency for those people who kindly support us with donations. The survey will also enable us to clarify all of the core assets involved along the track in a greater level of detail than we have today.

The evaluation will be carried out using a traffic light system to identify which of the assets require most immediate attention versus those that can be maintained over a longer term basis. It will also help ensure the West Somerset Railway is maintained to fully meet the requirements of the Light Railway Order, both now and into the future.

One of the key objectives for the railway has been to restore the previous 'red route' status which allows the heavier and celebrity locomotives, such as Flying Scotsman, to use the line, giving the railway much needed publicity and additional revenues. This survey will enable the Board to accurately assess the work needed to restore red status to the line. Jonathan Jones-Pratt adds:

The output from this survey is expected to be a 5-10 year plan that can be delivered by teams of volunteers and a core group of paid staff working together to raise overall standards on the railway. The Board will empower these people to 'get on with the job' by giving them sensible budgetary guidance and being prepared to listen and react to support the various initiatives arising from this survey

This initiative is part of a much wider strategy to raise standards across all areas of the railway; to achieve best practice in all areas of maintenance and repair; and to restore pride in the overall operation of the Railway by bringing in fresh new people who are best qualified to provide the railway with the right level of detail and assessment''.

Many thanks to Steve Edge at wsr.org. <BJ>

 

Given @Robin Moira White 's Soviet army uniform, she's probably upset they're not using MOSCOW prioritisation!

(note for people who do not have to suffer project managers: MOSCOW is short for "Must do / Should do / Could do / Won't do". I'm not sure what the Os do other than make it pronounceable)

 

The 43xx moguls were blue (except for the ones with weighted front ends) and they had the no.4 boiler so 9351 with the no.2 boiler would certainly fall ino that category. It might even squeeze into yellow route availability.

 

Is upgrading back to red route status cost effective? Will the additional costs be fully covered by additional fare paying passenger? Is there a financial justification for this? If the additional costs were diverted elsewhere would they improve the financial viability of the railway?

 

So what is the alternative, continue running with known defects that limit the weight of locos that can use the line?

I don't think what they are doing is an upgrade, but simply restoring the track to its best condition. By remedying those defects regardless (as they are presumably only going to get worse if they don't) I expect the red route status will be regained with no extra costs as such.

 

9351 with foxcote manor left minehead 15 mins ago

 

The return of 9351, a moment ago, courtesy WSR.org/railcam uk

 

Yes I would tend to agree with your logic there Al. Inbound charters can be handled by the 7F (or 2 Manors based on the 14 coach train the other month) so if getting it back to red between BL and MD costs more why bother spend the money elsewhere.

 

Some while ago, before the latest crisis of the line, it was suggested that as charter trains were lucrative so they should be encouraged. However, as we have read, events overtook that wish. Maybe that is why the 'red' status is sought. There will, I am sure, be many reasons why it should be pursued and equally as many why it should not.