West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Dave,

It is a conventional diamond, the check rails do not show up very well in the picture but they are there. There was a strange arrangement of locking that used a single lever in the box to move both the point blades and the facing point lock "Langley and Prince's economic facing point lock"

Andy.

 

Andy - have had another look at the pic and there appear to not be check rails where the lines cross. There are of course check rails at the heel ends. Compare the diamond I am looking at, closest in the up main and the next diamond where the check rails are clearly visible. Switched diamonds are older than you might think and are mentioned in a book on PW from 1948. Being in a high speed main line with a fairly shallow angle a switched diamond would make sense

 

Thank you for those kind words.

Requests noted. I have a series of 'targets' in mind.

Robin

 

I did a search for Norton Fitzwarren Signal Box Diagram and found this

http://www.s-r-s.org.uk/html/gwe/S735B-2.pdf

lever 53 (edit 54 is the FPL) 53 is most definitely a switched diamond as is 38 for the Barnstaple branch

 

I have to agree. Apart from the transition from the siding on the right, past the trap points, every piece of track is a joy to behold. And, of course, the fact that it is pretty well maintained, with no sign of saplings, weeds, rubbish or graffiti just adds to the scene.

I love studying the details of old shots, especially pre-grouping ones; the care and attention to the permanent way and it's surroundings are a real contrast to the railway scene of today.

 

Dave,

Sorry, I did not pick up that you were referring to the photograph of Norton Fitzwarren, I was looking at the later posting of Leigh Loop and my comments of post 3601 all refer to Leigh Loop. Agree with you regarding the switched diamond.

At Norton Fitzwarren no one has commented on those superb telegraph poles, twenty cross bars with most cross bars carrying 6 insulators, how on earth did the linesman replace a wire near the top when it was on the outside?

Andy.

 

Very carefully?

Robin

 

Wow! 2092 Yards for 10 and 11, I bet that was some pull - or were they motorised I wonder?

 

I was very happy to read that they will hopefully use powercars 43002/43185 and green set of coaches on this. Brilliant.

May 13th 2017


http://www.125group.org.uk/gwr-charity-hst-to-minehead/

 

Mr Aberdare Sir,

You must have the first edition, the page numbers in my second edition are slightly adrift from your version.

I hope that the mods will forgive the shameless plug but Ian Coleby's book is a quality publication that I cannot recommend highly enough. It must have taken thousands of hours to put together. All royalties go to the Steam Trust and copies are available from the bookshops at either end of the line.

 

Nothing wrong with that. My post #3581 gives full details of the book.

Robin

 

Have to agree. Look at the photo of Liegh loop , & apart from the track , notice how neat & tidy the countryside is compered to the modern photo. I've noticed this a lot when looking at old photos , fascinating to see how well things were kept in Victorian / Edwardian times.

 

The absence of spark arrestors and ashpan sprays probably helped a bit too.

Ahhh, so it does. I can honestly say it is one of my favourite browsing books. The section on Watchet is particularly interesting. Who would have guessed that there had been an engine shed there for a brief period.

 

I am told that the reduction in the rabbit population as a result of myxamatosis resulted in a significant increase in tree cover

 

Next project after Kentsford Loop

 

Many a true word spoken in jest....

There have to be challenges for the next generation. The Railway reopened with only WN and BA boxes, and now we have MD. CE and BL as well......

And in the future......?

Robin

 

News regarding the WSR Diesel Gala in June.

''The WSR have confirmed that we can have 'diesel only' days on Friday 9 June and Saturday 10 June this year, with a single steam diagram on the Sunday of the event. This means that we will need a minimum of six diesel locos, four of which the DEPG will supply - Hymek no D7017, Crompton Class 33 no D6575, Class 47 no D1661 and Western no D1010. Thus we have to find two visiting locomotives and the DEPG was authorised to proceed to make enquiries around possible heritage diesel locomotives. Modern mainline locomotives do not fit the bill this year following feedback and the theme of the event. It will be a difficult challenge though as a budget of just £8k has been set at present to cover transport and hire fees. The search is on, we hope to provide an update shortly. Our aim is to still have Hymek no D7018 appear at the June gala double headed with sister locomotive D7017, at this stage though we are not prepared to formally advertise her attendance at the gala and then let down all our hydraulic enthusiasts''.

Thanks to wsr.org for the link. <BJ>

 

Is the theme still 40 years of the DEPG on the WSR'?

Would that mean a class that has been part of the home fleet before?

I'd love a class 20, 25, 50 or 55.

 

A thread for this event was started some time ago in the Galas section. Perhaps it should be moved there?