West Somerset Railway General Discussion

I am in agreement with Maunsell 907 view that we are arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. The Southern Gateway project is a typical disconnected from reality view from what we have to deal with on a daily operational basis. Where is the debate regarding the GWR trains running regularly to BL in 2018? What alterations to the BL track layout (at minimal cost) has been considered? No conflicting moves with WSR operations? It can be done and relativeley cost effective. We have the majority of our coaching stock which looks shabby externally, need painting, and not a good sight for visitors. We have speed restrictions due to track problems, when does a temporary speed restriction become a permanent speed restriction? We need to maintain our fleet of steam locomotives to the high standards that we normally do all at an ever increasing cost. The successful day to day operations are our bread and butter and the need to increase the passenger numbers essential. So I find the discussion about futuristic toilets totally irrelevent to what needs to be done to maintain our railway to-day.
Colin

 

How many people can 'use the facilities' at a small station in the six minutes or so from first train in arriving to that same train departing after opposing train has passed through?

Michael

 

p

Crossing of trains generally works on the LIFO principle so the second train in is usually away pretty quickly. NYMR down trains are only allowed two minutes at Levisham and, if they are late, it is in and out as soon as all the doors are closed. No time to nip to the toilet and get back on the same train, even though they are only a few yards away from the leading coach. If you can manage a pee in that time, you must be superman.

 

Well I'm not but I have.

PH

 

One person might be able to, but a coach's worth of people?

 

Perhaps it might also be that you are not adverse to "Tugging someones chain" occasionally....

For narrow platforms could new loos be 'flush fitting'?

Seems like the WSRA response will be 'bursting' with ideas about all sorts of 'passing places'

sorry, someone had to!


Regarding toilets on or off the platform it would be wise to remember that a lot of the coach parties that visit (certainly here at the Gwili and presumably others are the same) are filled with passengers of, being polite, the more mature age group. The usual first question to the greeter is... "Where are the loos..." If the bus has been delayed for any reason you are already close to (or even past) departure time but no one wants to a) leave 52 paying passengers behind or b) upset the touring bus company who bring in a bus load every week in season, so the closer to the train the toilets are the sooner you will get them boarded and the train away (Unless you want to be really nasty and say the platform toilets are out of order but there are plenty on the train... just to get them boarded quicker...)

 

Watchet harbour used to import tons of Pampers grass for the paper mill.

 

RAOTFLOL! I did not realise that disposable nappies had been invented that long ago.

 

Very good.

Humour can sometimes reveal a truth.

The present toilet facilities at Bishops Lydeard are about 50 yards from the platform, adjacent to both the car park and the coach dropping off / picking up point.

So not on the platform.

They appear to be considered perfectly 'convenient' by the public. I have never heard a complaint, and as the signal box is by the platform exit and I have heard the station staff directing 'anxious' members of the public that way many times, I believe I would have done.

Robin

 

I am considering my submission but IMHO the BL Bog Block is a bit Spartan, while the one at Norden is delightful.

I suggest that rather like Norden, BL is except perhaps at Galas more of a 'Parkway' station where passengers simply join the train and perhaps needs to be thought of in that light

 

Please explain the circumstances when a whole coachload would be desperate to 'go' at an intermediate stop on the WSR. The mind is already boggling.

 

I disagree - an eight coach train of Mk 1's could have 300+ passengers on board. Are you seriously suggesting that two toilets is sufficient for these numbers?

 

... or indeed at BL; it would take a while for all 52 to use the facilities. Having organised coach trips for elderly/ late middle age parties, I can say that not everyone needs to go at the same time and there is no need to build a motorway services size toilet block. It is necessary that such facilities should be pleasant and not allowed to get 'dated' as per estate agents' parlance.

 

Have you sent in a response on Southern Gateway yet by chance?

If some of you are still considering your response and thinking of submitting via the WSRA my plan is to have the first draft WSRA response out by early April.
I want to submit the final WSRA response by about the 20th April.

 

here is an example:

 

Not quite. A more appropriate metaphor is that we are currently looking at an empty dry dock with the possibility of funding (as yet unknown in every sense) to build a ship. We may choose to build a container ship, a pleasure cruiser or most likely, something in between. What we must do is build a ship that will pay it's way and be seaworthy. What we must not do is to build a submarine with outdoor seating or something more suited to a kiddies playpark.

 

I would agree with that. The painted breeze block internal walls and stainless steel plumbing are rather 'Cell Block H' in design accent.

To avoid us having to 'Q' to 'P' we Signalmen have a key to the disabled which has rather nicer porcelain but the handbasin set rather low....obviously.

And that is the principal thing that 'Southern Gateway' laudably, seeks to change.

Robin

 

[QUOTE="Snifter, post: 1762034, member:25479'']........a submarine with outdoor seating........[/QUOTE]

Delightful image / metaphor

Robin

 

Or staff? Bless, many years ago the down had to hold up at BA for the delayed up, off toddled the TTI to the gents. Surfacing some while later the face on said gent was a picture, "where is my train?", 'just rounding the curve heading for Dunster'. With 4 in each direction on the TT it was a long wait

 

I agree. The WSR's USP (as I suggest with all Heritage Railways) is it affords an oppurtunity to travel by train in a manner no longer available on the National Network ( steam locos, Heritage coaches, Heritage diesels, Pullman coaches, dining facilities, on train staff who smile at the passengers, etc are all additions to the USP)

The WSR terminal stations are gateways to this travelling experience, they should be welcoming, afford good facilities for waiting passengers if there is no train in the platform. They should not risk becoming a destination in their own right. People who visit the station, look around and leave are in sales terms a failure; if you have large interesting museums etc at 'open terminal stations' I suggest you increase the likelihood of non travellers. The concept of the WSR operating BL and MD as closed stations seems difficult. We do not I think have the facility to control 'platform visitors' as for instance the Bluebell does at Sheffield Park.

The SVR has its splendid museum half way along the line. I am aware the Steam Trust is intent on developing the educational aspects of the existing BL museum but if we are seeking something grander I suggest it should be at Williton. Williton offers the oppurtunity to plan a major Heritage site/museum ('Brunel' Goods shed, Swindon shed, broad gauge station including platform tracks spaced far apart and a Bristol and Exeter signal box etc.) I think the site can be developed as a major educational facility, including sponsored apprentices. Williton should be somewhere our passengers will wish to stop off at

If the existing BL station cannot be improved (e.g. A covered entrance twixt the SB and the booking office, perhaps a footbridge to platform 1 and if not a 'Brunel' type shed at least some more covered areas on platform 2,) such that an annual pax of 250,000 can be handled then a new station to the East of the existing station (i.e. Somewhere from the Cotford St. Luke road bridge to the Norton platform) provides the answer. The Kidderminster arrangement seems to offer an excellent guide to what might be sensible. (With current pax <200K and the resultant timetable BL can cope, with Clive's floral arrangements at their best it is even in August a joy, it just needs some fairly minor additions)

Some 18 months past a Bishops Lydeard STation Users Group was set up. It met once and decided a covered entrance to the Station as suggested above was a must (it would have started where the Guards/TTI signing on point is and extended to the ticket office. Not an expensive concept but offering a simple welcoming point to our passengers.) The BLUG never met again, swamped by the Southern Gateway project. Need I say more !

If you did all of these things, including a new two road terminal station with shop/buffet/waiting room and loos, you would be no where near the £20 million figure bandied about for the Southern Gateway and you would avoid station disruption during the passenger train operating period. ( the various actions can be either carried out piece meal i.e. during the non running season or in the case of a completely new station, BL as a terminal can close 1/1/2022 and Taunton West (WSR) open 7/3/2023. But it will only be built if 2020 pax > 240K per annum.)

Michael Rowe