West Somerset Railway General Discussion

The first electric kettle?

 

If was done because of coal shortages during WW2. The electricity consumption of the world's ;argest electric kettle was frightful!

 

On the other hand, no doubt the capital cost of conversion was minuscule relative to building an entirely new “proper” electric loco of comparable power output. So presumably still made economic sense.

Tom

 

Equally importantly no materials were avalible to build electric locomotives

 

Things you can do with cheap (?) hydro-electricity I suppose.

 

I was very impresssed with the WSR yesterday. 2 Manors barking away, a 57XX pannier tank, the S&D 2-8-0 hauling 10 coaches, and loads of enthusiastic volunteers. And a Duchess.

A very good product from a marketing potential, and 'modern' 150s bringing punters to Bishops Lydeard.

The weather was good too.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

Obviously, the operations side of things is very well run.

Cheers,

Julian

 

57XX??

 

Not sure that I'd like to rely on a statistical calculation of safe working height under HV power lines, especially when their calculations could be based on ground level when we are working from rail head height...

 

Yes, 7752! Of the 57XX class!

 

Strictly a wartime exigency, as all the principal suppliers of electric traction gear were "otherwise occupied" at the time, with the economics of this obviously highly inefficient arrangement very much of secondary importance. Needless to say, locos thus converted were laid aside at the first opportunity. Swiss power generation was, even then, overwhelmingly hydro electric.

 

Sorry, Howard, but this is irrelevant drivel and piffle. Serious thread drift.

Cheers,
Julian

 

Looked at National Grid guidance and at maximum sag there should be 7..3 m clearance TO GROUND under an OHL, at the centre of the sag. Clearance to structures should be 5.3 m

 

ditto

 

It's the diplomacy and tact that makes NatPres such a nice place...

 

We have here a wonderful preserved railway running through beautiful countryside and going to a definite resort namely Minehead.

Very well turned out locos, with excellent footplate crews. Wonderful volunteers at all the stations who are friendly and have excellent 'customer service' skills.

On train staff who clearly take a pride in their job and also have excellent 'customer service' skills.

You obviously choose to join a recently 'shopped' coach turned out very well. Can't comment on the others.

Had a great time yesterday. Watching the Duchess being un-coupled at Bishops Lydeard, and the buckeyes being released, and the buffers being extended with their saddles on the coach brought back a few memories. Thought how is the S&D 2-8-0 going to cope with this!

Absolutely wonderful!

Cheers,
Julian

 

She certainly did, see here...

 

Splendid video, thank you.

Robin

 

Positive news from the West Somerset Steam Railway Trust regarding the Taunton shuttle. <BJ>

''Chris Austin, Chairman of the West Somerset Steam Railway Trust, who has been leading the Taunton shuttle project on behalf of WSR Plc, has kindly provided a summary of early analysis of data collected so far during the Taunton shuttle trains:

The first surveys of passengers on the GWR shuttles show a high proportion of passengers coming to visit from beyond Taunton. Over the three shuttle days, over half the passengers arrived from stations beyond Taunton, with journeys originating from 50 main line stations around the country, from Penzance to Newcastle. On Saturday 17 August 2019 around two thirds travelled on to Minehead. Along with those on Saturday's Paddington - Minehead charter train hauled to Bishops Lydeard by LMS 4-6-2 no 6233 Duchess of Sutherland, it is clear that the Railway continues to boost the Minehead economy.

Around 13% of those surveyed had never been to the WSR before, while almost half (46%) are infrequent visitors. More detail will come as the team continue to monitor passengers travelling to the railway and from Minehead to Taunton''.

 

Good afternoon Julian. I'd ordinarily prefer to respond to so uncharacteristically tetchy a post via a quiet PM, but since the charge was made on the open forum, the principal of equivalence supervenes.

Whilst accepting the charge of thread drift, I do take issue with the inappropriately harsh pejoratives employed, on the grounds that (a) both high tension electricity and fuel emissions were previously mentioned and (b) my digression - despite the image having something of the 'photo shopped' Fleischmann model about it - was factual.

Does it need pointing out that digressions aren't exactly unknown on NP? Or noting that, should any such "grow legs" they invariably become subject to removal, in fairly short order, to a suitable location?

Anyhow, in my books, 'nuff said.

Regards
Howard

 

It's a wonderful facility, great that it's working and I'll use it again but maybe the team could also consider my earlier point, that the only return option from Minehead to Taunton uses the 16.20 ex BL which in order to accommodate the Paddington Charter has, on the two occasions I have used it, been held for half an hour at Williton - so you leave Taunton at 1537 and arrive at Minehead at 1830.

To put that in perspective - You know those times when you come to a 10mph TSR, over a bridge for example, and you sit on the train thinking surely we're past it by now and after what seems ages you finally pick up speed again? Just imagine that you hit that TSR at the end of the platform at Taunton then run non-stop at 10 mph through NF, BL, CH, SR, WN, DD, WT, WD, BA, DR until finally arriving at MD all at 10mph. Then think that you will have arrived at Minehead 20 minutes EARLIER than you would if you had travelled on the 1537 from Taunton on 27th July and 17th August!