West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Well if no reason is given all we can do is guess. I would be really happy if someone could give a sensible reason for turning this camera off.

Given the interest on here about the reopening of the WSR to full length I'd have thought the WSR would have treated this as an ideal opportunity to engage with supporters.

So please, either give me a good reason or stop misinterpreting my words and accusing me of stirring "Cloak and Dagger" theories when all I'm asking for is a decent reason for the senior management, apparently, making an executive decision to conceal these works from the greater WSR community

 

It's quite normal for contractors to insist on such things. It's just the same as not allowing photography on construction sites and requiring any photos that are taken to be approved. You can't control what goes out into the big wide world with a webcam. I did a big crane lift a couple of years ago and the contractor agreed to it being filmed with a time lapse camera provided they approved it first. They refused to approve it in the end because a person without his hard hat on appeared in the camera shot for about 30 seconds real time during a break in the actual work.

 

Yes, I understand. Been in a similar situation myself. As usual I'm just wondering why we have all been left with no explanation on stopping what would be a very interesting event to watch. Probably just the WSR publicity department failing to issue any notice until after the event (as usual) rather than anything untoward.

One point to note is that anyone could film from the public highway and the contractors would have no say whatsoever about controlling the content of any photo's or video published.

 

Personally I think webcams are over rated. The first web cam was set up to monitor the state of a coffee pot in the University of Cambridge computer science department, and I don't think the genre has significantly developed in the thirty years since

What I would like to see is a well-produced report at the end of the project explaining how and what was done - and if it is a long project, maybe an interim report. That could be written, film or time-lapse, or some combination of all three. But I am prepared to wait, I don't feel the need to hang on a web cam to get a minute-by-minute view. Quantity does not trump quality when it comes to communications.

Tom

 

Perhaps an opportunity for the WSRA to revive West Somerset Railway TV?
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZFaYG5_kwQ4rKuSovan9_w

Patrick

 

Seems to depend almost totally on luck i.e. if there is a suitable mounting point in roughly the right place. Thus the Havenstreet camera is great whereas the Wootton one is rather less so. (Taking thread drift to max. levels take a look at the HS camera next Monday to see why C. Hamilton Ellis thought malachite green suited an O2 better than any other colour applied to the class .)

 

Perhaps the PLC comment could have been along the lines of some works related to the crossing means the webcam may be unavailable at periods over the next few months. Then all there would have been is disappointed supporters of the railway rather than people suspicious of the decision. Problem (for some) would have been averted

 

What some would like to see is a summary of the work to be done about the time it starts, rather than having to wait until it has been finished. And are we not still waiting for an explanation of why the planning wasn't completed long ago?

 

Why on earth do you need an explanation? Given that the Automatic Half Barrier crossing has operated without problem up to now and just need's renewing because it has become life expired.
In case you have forgotten, Seaward lane AHB was created in 1992 when the SCC built the link road which had the effect of cutting back siding space.
It is the SCC who are having the crossing renewed, Not the West Somerset Railway. Do you honestly think that details of the planning are going to be published on Nat Pres or any other site?

 

Just some slight corrections to your post - West Somerset Railway are carrying out the crossing renewal, Somerset County Council are funding the crossing renewal.

And in terms of sharing a bit of a timeline of works, why not? A simple bit of information can keep your supporters engaged which is only a good thing. Keeping information closed away on a project which is pretty viewable to the public (if you live or are visiting minehead) is a bit suspicious...

 

ISTR that the increased traffic (both foot and vehicle, IIRC) along the road required a re-design? You're probably correct that wear was a major motivator for the work, but they didn't do a like-like replacement (which is why they had to go through the ORR approval cycle).

In addition to the SCC just doing the funding, the signalling is having to be re-vamped, which the WSR has to do, the SCC can't do that part.

Again, I hope the replacement's going well.

Noel

 

If the Council are paying then it must be their project, even if the WSR is their contractor.
I guess you could try for an FOI request as they are a public body if you are that concerned. I would however expect silence as a reply.

 

With The temporary loss of seaward cam , Crowcombe webcam which has been down for a long time now And No word if it will be restored ,South Williton camera unable to used expect for security purposes . For Many people who are unable to get to the Railway a look at the webcam is a good way of keeping up with what’s going on. Just a bit more information from Wsr Would be helpful on Such things.

 

Im not concerned, i'm just sharing widely known, and widely shared information about the crossing project.

 

I've really seen it all now.

 

I'm fairly sure the crossing became worn out, not just that the design was no longer satisfactory (although that is undoubtedly true too).

Also worth pointing out, again, that our moaning on here does have an impact on WSR comms on occasions. We know that this thread is read by WSR management, even if they don't participate.

 

Not to mention keeping the public and supporters happy to provide funds for future projects...

 

This is a SCC paid project.

 

As I said, for future projects.