WSR S&D Spring Steam Gala, 5-6 and 10-13 March 2016

With so many photographs taken at the gala last weekend let's hope that 34098 will stay at home until the gala has ended.

For anyone else who has yet to decide if they would like to visit the gala, I can tell you that you will not be disappointed. <BJ>

 

I spent a very pleasant day on Saturday at the S&D Gala. My impression, as a very infrequent visitor, was a well planned and executed tribute to the legendary S&DJR. I particularly appreciated the re-naming of the stations. According to the excellent programme the stations were named carefully, with due regard to each one's similarities with former stations along the S&D.

Well done to the vast army of train crews and others, both staff and volunteers, who have obviously put a lot of effort and passion into the Gala. To spread the event over 2 weekends (not to mention a few days in between) takes a lot of committment and financial risk, too.

My own contribution was to drive the bus which linked Taunton Railway Station with Bishop's Lydeard. I'm doing the same next Saturday and, if what I've read on here about attendance figures is right, I could be carrying full loads!

Here are a few of my pics. Don't examine the quality to closely, I only had my phone with me...





And I couldn't resist slipping in a pic of my chariot for the day:

 

I completely agree with people observing the issues with the timetable on the first weekend. It is very likely Saturday will be busy due to the timetabling on the other days.

However we all need to remember the amount of time, effort and money that has gone into this event. Complaining about the hourly timetable is fine but do you have a solution? They only have 4 sets of carriages and 3 passing loops on a 20 mile line. Compare that to the Swanage Railway who have two passing loops on a line of 6 miles. Whilst the timetable could be improved it is looking like it will be a brilliant, if busy, event.

 

To add to the great videos and photos posted so far, here is my effort from Saturday 5th March and Sunday 6th March 2016…….

 

Renaming locos isnt an issue for me ,

I won't be staying at home and considering I've recently paid for a lineside pass I'm not allowed to comment on the gala am I ? even after that and the return I bought to Crowcombe for £9 on the saturday ? I will be buying a return to wiliton on friday to make use of my lineside pass again, why would I get a lineside pass to get photos where normals cant and not use it,How was I to know what the delay was on the sunday It just seemed to me that the timetable slipped and wasnt really re gained,
I wasnt to know that the 7f needed water was I,
I'm sorry that it seems unless you suck up to the wsr and agree with everything it does your not allowed an opinion if its slightly hypocritical,
not asking anyone to agree with my opinion but I have one and I will continue to voice it weather you like it or not,
I couldnt give a rats arse.

 

Moving on from 34098……. here's another 34098, just after we'd finished the 'transformation' this afternoon. Myself and another member of the 'Friends of Templecombe Station' who have paid for the plates etc will conduct a relatively low-key 'renaming' ceremony at Bishops Lydeard (itself masquerading as Templecombe) tomorrow afternoon at 13.45. "Templecombe" at "Templecombe" - both impostors!!

 

With respect, I think this is all a bit over the top.

Of course you could not know that 53809's unexpected need to take water was the cause of the timetable slipping on Sunday - that is why I explained that in post #685 above.

But you went on to say that no effort appeared to be made to make the time back. In fact, following a 24 min delay to the 1500 down departure from Bishops Lydeard, last arrivals by the end of the service were close to time, so the time was in fact made back.

I asked you if you had observed any slack operating so that lessons could be learned, and asked you to send me a PM if you had. But it does not seem that you did observe any, since you have not sent me a message. Without a solid basis for the comment, it is, perhaps unwise to suggest folk have not been trying especially on a weekend where many folk have put in a lot of work to put on a great show, and I am not surprised that you have been (politely) taken to task for that.

I was not involved in planning the timetables for the two weekends, but there are constraints on line capacity, and if you are going to do something like have two non-passenger trains ('goods' and 'demolition') run during the day for folk to see, crossing at BA IIRC, then you will get significant gaps in the passenger timetable. Its all the art of the possible. The alternative, of course, was to run the 'passenger only' hourly service on both weekends, and. no doubt, the comment would have been that that was 'boring'.

Its the old quote about not being able to please all of the people all of the time.

I hope that helps. Views are very much welcome, and the Special Event Team, I know, took account of views expressed about which visiting locos folks would like to see.

I'll be back at Minehead box for a good slice of the coming weekend, trying to help keep things to time - do enjoy the show and give me a wave when you pass.

kind regards

Robin White

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-35718199

 

What I do like is the cheap childrens tickets on Sundays which is excellent.

Sadly without going into my child rostering arrangements I am not able to take advantage and will be taking them on Saturday but the thought is there.

 

Last word on 34098 (I hope) - I can't help noticing that their location is "somewhere over the Rainbow" and that they do not currently volunteer.

X6 by any chance?

 

You do wonder, given the overall tone and the nasty tone about the WSR (who are not a monolith but a construct of largely hard-working volunteers and a sprinkling of hard-working employed folk).

But that doesn't mean that, if we aspire to set higher standards than the X5, folk shouldn't get polite answers to their questions.

To use @34098 's delightful phrase, I DO give a 'rat's arse' about railway operations, helpfulness, politeness etc etc.

Robin

 

Whilst timetabling of trains is always not going to suit all in fairness to 34098 I will jump to his defence here. I’ve had a good look at his Flicker page (link on his post #682) and he has some great pictures on there, it’s worth a look.

I particularly like the ‘Charge of the Light Bulleid Brigade’ (sorry couldn’t resist the pun) with 34053 & 34070 in the last couple of photos, but then I’m biased as I was on 34070 really enjoying the ride at the time.

Nice photos, I can see some are lineside so thanks for buying a lineside pass and contributing and thanks for the effort in coming and promoting the WSR, the one with 53808 on the goods with 44422 banking at the rear is great and not likely to be seen very often.

 

I would hope that anybody who knew the S&D in it's heyday would understand why the team planning the event would choose to run some goods trains during the day. As has been mentioned with 20 miles and 3 passing loops this does mean there are some restrictions as to what is actually possible. The loco hire bill is eye-watering for this gala. I have my fingers firmly crossed for good weather and record attendances this coming weekend. The commercial risk is massive and we need every heritage rail enthusiast to be attending and spending. As others have mentioned the railway is run, predominantly by volunteers, some of who are up at 4.00am or not in bed until very late in the evening to make a gala like this work. They could not be working any harder to put on a good show for the visitors and like the visitors they do it for the love of steam.

 

Agreed

Very accomplished shots.

Robin

 

Message from the Railway:

"Regrettably due to the ongoing unsettled weather conditions, our overspill field parking at Bishops Lydeard remains waterlogged and out of use for at least Thursday 10th and Friday 11th. We will review the situation on Friday afternoon, but at this stage do not see the situation changing. We therefore request once again that visitors to our Spring Gala consider using public transport wherever possible. Service 28 runs every half hour from Taunton Bus Station and Railway Station [hourly on Sunday], plus we have the Crosville free bus link direct from Taunton Railway Station at 07-45, 08-45, 09-45 on Saturday, and 07-30, 08-30, 09-30 on Sunday, with return link departing Bishops Lydeard at 16-45,17-45, 18-45 on both days."


Steve

 

I haven't read all 36 pages to see if anyone else has noticed but, isn't this the first time since Barry that the 2 7F's have been together?

 

No - they were both starring at the WSR Spring Gala in 2006

 

People can really kick off about that sort of thing on here. I disagree with that but I was surprised at how lightly that you got away with that. You'll learn.

 

Currently enjoying a drink in the bar at the Washford Inn and my hotel room overlooks the station platform. Looking forward to 4 days of cruising up and down the railway.

 

Sounds like fun. I hope that you get the same driver on 53808 that I had. He was a lunatic!