West Somerset Railway General Discussion

On the NYMR the Sunday Lunch Moorlander is run as a service train in a standard path. This is achieved by having the set with ordinary accommodation as part of the train. There is no shunting of stock to attach and detach coaches as a routine. I'm not too familiar with operations on the WSR but would it not be possible to do this on the WSR if there are sufficient spare coaches available? Minehead has two platform faces with separate run rounds so it should be an easy operation.

 

The Quantock Belle stock is habitually berthed in Bishops Lydeard's up bay platform when not in use. No other siding on the WSR has suitable readily available land service connection facilities. Stores are also kept at BL.

The new attachment arrangements involve a service train that starts and finishes its diagram at Minehead. QB shunts to attach and detach therefore now have to be performed twice each QB operating day. This has previously regularly occurred during gala weekends to allow the set to be connected to services overnight but on those occasions the attachment and detachment has been to coaching sets starting and finishing at BL.

 

Thanks for the explanation. Re-reading your post, I obviously misread originally as I had it in my head that it was starting/finishing from MH.

 

Sounds like the QB will now be a lengthy train and need one of the larger locos?

Jon

 

Timetable states 'limited ordinary seating', so I expect a 3-coach service train to attach the 4-coach QB to.

 

Pleased to be able to tell those of you who donated to the WSR rail appeal via the WSRA that £112,000 has now been committed to the purchase of materials to facilitate the work at Doniford and Alcombe.

The WSRA rail renewal pot is currently almost empty and since it's the season of goodwill I am asking those who have not yet donated to please give generously. https://www.wsra.org.uk (The Steam Trust will be committing the funds they have raised in the new year as I understand it.)

A huge thank you to everybody who has supported the appeal so far.

 

Barrie, posting on this site No.13776, 18/8/2018 :
two coach QB set attached to 7 coach MD1, resultant nine coach consist run from
Bishops Lydeard to Minehead and return behind Manor No.7822 to time.
( not easy for the footplate crew but on a Railway attempting to improve
net income generation probably sensible ?)

Michael Rowe

 

@Andy Norman wrote rather lyrically about the challenge of firing on the WSR, so that looks like something to test the crews skills.

I suggest that it will also be a rather good ride for those in the cheap seats

 

An example of a bigger engine to save costs?

One hopes no news is good news on that front.

 

Delete. Double posting !

Michael Rowe

 

Michael,

Those Wednesday summer lunchtime QB attachments were, as you correctly state, two-coach attachments. Next year the plan is for full QB set attachments, i.e. four additional vehicles (including the heavier generator and kitchen cars).

In the past we sometimes used to return from Minehead attached to a service train set to save a path. On those occasions the resulting 11 or 12 coach sets were double-headed.

Barrie

 

Don't, just don't tempt it!

 

Why double head? 11 or 12 coaches over a heavily graded route is what 53808 did every summer Saturday in the 1950's

 

To get the engine from the QB back to the starting point too?

Noel

 

Max load for a 7F over the Mendips was 310 tons which equates to about 10 coaches. They definately would have had a pilot for 11 or 12 coaches.

Peter

 

Only the 9Fs were allowed 11 or 12 twixt Bath and Evercreech although in
practice for operating reasons ( to return locos.for their next duty ) they
were more often than not were piloted on the "Pines".

Barrie, I realised the full QB consist would be attached at Bishops Lydeard. Running with
'nine on' would enable MD1 to run with five. To maximise bums on seats the five should
consist of 4TSO ( ie 256 seats, not SKs when unless there is a large family we seldom
have more than 5 pax per compartment ) and a Brake ( preferably the BSO. )

Going back to 53808, she has successfully handled 11 coaches between Bishops Lydeard
and Minehead when taking over an incoming ex Main Line charter. ( albeit on a non
stop schedule. There might be merit in not stopping at Stogumber UP. Restarting a 10
or 11 coach train on the 1/68 on a wet day might be problematic. Although the stop
does permit of a discreet 'blow up' )

I think in these stringent times optimisation of stock is paramount. It might be
sensible if a pilot is required following the QB attachment that a diesel be sent
from Williton to BL ( either a Crompton or Hymek). As a died in the wool steam
enthusiast I hate to suggest this but......

One final thought, the idea of only three coaches on MD1 on the 14.30 departure
from Minehead ( with or without a limited accommodation warning) is horrendous.
( pity the poor TTIs who have to deal with that one, let alone dissatisfied passengers)

Hopefully some serious thinking will happen during the winter break !

Michael Rowe

 

I suggest you visit Steve Edges unofficial website and check out the latest news page.

 

We regularly do 10-12 coach charters with the 7F which she takes in her stride. It is certainly a challenge to fire with this sort of load but not impossible. I have been lucky enough to do the whole 23 miles from NF to MD in the past. Essential to keep the loco on the mark on the climbs of course.

Michael - stopping for a blow up - perish the thought!
T.B H I think it's easier not to stop at Stogumber on the UP with a big load from the firing perspective.