Weymouth Quay Tramway

Havng seen a number of pictures recently of 41298 operating on this line, I wonder if there is anyone "out there" who can say if there are any other survivors (apart from 1369 at Buckfastleigh that is) of locomotives used here?

Paul H

 

ED 73129 at the Glos/Warwickshire

 

Didcot's 1363 also ran there

Steve B

 

Seeing as so many historically appropriate locos still exist, surely it would be nice if it were re-opened?

(Ducks and runs for cover).

Tom

 

Methinks someone doth stir too much! Actually the pictures taken of the L.C.G.B. special fifty years ago confirm it was not really "on" to run trains down the Quay then, yet alone today.

The 2MT 2-6-2T is supposed to be the largest steam locomotive to have been used on the tramway and, looking at the curvature, it is surprising it managed. These machines have very civilised cabs at the price of being quite long for their size.

This is a good opportunity to thank those who contributed to this thread.

Paul H

 

Class 73s have ran down the line. Plus a class 101 unit went down the line on a rail tour.

 

Oh you're in so much trouble now Tom....!!!


Keith

 

The people who do want to re-open this line are also looking at the old Bridport line....... :-(

 

I don't know, but it occurs to me that one or more of the 03's might still be around - that's the era of the tramway that I remember.

Steve B

 

Remember going on a SVR - organised visit many years ago behind a Class 25 (I think). Main memory - realising that the coach windows were at bedroom window height!!

 

Really, any chance of a link? Just for comedic purposes of course.

 

https://www.facebook.com/WeymouthHeritage/?fref=ts

Referenced in the 28th July posting


Keith

 

What about the DMU service from Bristol in the early 80's

 

You are dead right about the comedy. There is a bit of Youtube footage of excursions in the 1990's which illustrate the lack of clearances and the sharpness of the curvature. How on earth did 41298 ever get round without the leading truck coming off, followed by the driving wheels and then the consequent "plop"!

Paul H

 

They got Ivatt tanks to Lyme Regis (2 chains radius in places) so they must have been pretty forgiving things - either that, or by that time, BR didn't really care too much about what long-term damage they were doing to the locos selected.

Fred Ivey filmed this from a 1994 excursion - notable mostly on account of the mechanism by which "obstructions" are cleared from the route. These days no doubt NR would simply declare that the chosen motive power was no longer sufficiently gauge friendly! (See e.g. sequences starting at 1'45" and 4'00")



Tom

 

Yep - shades of the 'Magic Roundabout':

BOINNGG!! BOINNGGG!! - "Time for bed!", said Zebedee . . .

And equally, by that time, the poor souls who were given the thankless job of clearing the 'obstructions' didn't give a damn about the damage they were doing to the suspension of the cars - - and I don't blame them!

Jack

 

If you get a few car removal trucks you could fund the rail service by the fines to get the cars back

 

The video is most informative. Very few motorists will know about "loading gauge" and a proportion of those who obstructed will have thought they not obstructing at all as they were clear of the rails and the sort of vehicles they were used to could move out of the way in any case! The time of the tramway had passed, indeed it was surprising it carried on as long as it did.

Paul H

 

I remember seeing the tramway in the early 1970s when it was still in regular daily use (both passenger and freight) with the 03s - even then there were occasional cars that had to be bounced/lifted aside. Most cars then had hefty steel bumpers that made good handles. I'm not sure either of my present cars could be moved that easily without bits coming off in large handfuls!

Steve B