West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Oh, im sure something will crop up it often does Down zummerset way

 

Hi, it was'nt only wet bits that caused it.....but excess grease got on the high rail due to a problem with the flange greaser
& some wind blowing it about a lot ! 2 of us on PW duty hand cleaned the high rail & removed the flange greaser....

 

How's about not

 

Never in the history of Nat Pres have so few words said so much

 

Is there any mud you won't throw?

My recollection of the FS event is rather different.

I have a very long-standing connection with a small town in the Var Valley in south-east France dating back over 40 years. I normally book 3-weeks or so there in September / October and had done so long before the FS event dates were set.

On the morning of the day before I was due to fly out on an early flight from Bristol I was contacted by the then WSR GM Paul Conibeare and asked to act as 'travelling signalman' for FS's gauging run that evening along the line from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead. Those with such a qualification (based on the ability to work all WSR signal boxes) are quite rare these days. Anyone who has been involved in such gauging work will know that it can be long and slow with an uncertain finish time as the loco is run very slowly past any where there might be a problem. And so it proved, although it was an enjoyable evening for we railway operations folk. Also the word had got out that FS was to be along the line and a good number of locals turned out for a look-see In the end I had 4 hours sleep between finishing my packing and heading to Bristol for my flight.

I was priviledged to capture the first shot below when giving the driver the BA-MD token and his instructions for the next move. A number of copies of this image were sold to the public as postcards.

But that wasnt the end. I took a copy of that week's WS Free Press (featuring FS’s visit) with me to France and had my friend the 'Chef de Gare' at Puget-Theniers take the attached shot of my reading it with the local steam service in the background. As anticipated, the Free Press found that irresistable and some more publicity was generated for the Railway - rather more positive than we have seen in recent days. The sharp-eyed amongst you will see that High-Vis clothing is not such a fashion amongst railway photographers on metre-gauge systems in France...

Apologies that this post mentions WSR Operations in a positive light.

Robin

 

There’s always 37707 being rescued by 4160 on a stone train way back in 1997...

 

Providing there is only one correct version it would be fine. As far as FS is concerned we now have three differing reports.

 

That's the thing about Flying Scotsman, everyone has some tale to tell. Every visitor says my dad/grandad/brother/uncle* drove the Flying Scotsman, we are now getting everyone involved with its visit saying I was the controller/driver/fireman/cleaner/wheeltapper* when it came to the WSR.

*Delete as appropriate

 

As seen by non enthusiasts. I like the reference to the hill.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-somerset-41229861

 

It did happen, I’ve seen the photos at the time, although I can’t seem to find them on the net, so was this just ‘fake news’?

 

I think we've had quite enough excitement for the week already, but no doubt something will be along soon.

 

It’s only Monday...

 

Is that the next complaint then ?

 

"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.”
― Winston S. Churchill

 

Yes, truth, is quite elusive as far as some WSR things are concerned.

 

More than likely in Somerset I can’t wait til Britpop gets down there, Blur or Oasis?

 

I have a book of cricketing stories. One of them concerns the teams of Stogumber and Crowcombe. Apparently, the milk man in one village turned out to play for the other village. This caused huge ructions and rows. The result was that he went on strike and refused to deliver the milk to the village anymore.

The ability to start a fight in an empty room appears to be local specialism.

 

Don't tell 'em Stogumber station is actually nearer Crowcombe village than Crowcombe Heathfield station is!

 

And Stogumber Station and SM’s House is in Crowcombe Parish...

Robin