West Somerset Railway General Discussion

That was in the bad old days of the previous regime under the EX6+1 who regarded the whole QB operation as an expensive sacred cow. Hopefully under the new regime the QB will prosper. The early signs are very encouraging in no little part to QB steward.

 

I was delighted to read this news item on wsr.org.uk

Schoolchildren to be invited to ride behind Flying Scotsman

The West Somerset Railway is inviting schools to bring groups of children to ride behind the iconic Flying Scotsman locomotive when it comes to Somerset in September. Letters will be going to primary and first schools in West Somerset and Taunton Deane shortly to offer places to groups of children on trains on Tuesday 5 September 2017. Children will ride on the first of the Flying Scotsman trains on a 40 mile round trip, one way behind Flying Scotsman and one way behind another named visiting locomotive. Each school will simply have to pay a £50 administration charge, and all tickets will be free.


24 March 2017
Details kindly provided by West Somerset Railway Plc

This is a great investment in future potential customers on the WSR. Well done to the organisers.

 

Agreed.

But when suggesting that this would be relevant to the history section of the national curriculum, it might be a good idea for the Press Release to get the opening date of the Railway right.....

Robin

 

Direct links to Flying Scotsman files:

http://www.wsr.org.uk/news.htm - news

http://www.wsr.org.uk/fs24mar2017-2.pdf - news & timetable

http://www.wsr.org.uk/fs24mar2017.pdf - press release

 

And for today's WSR then and now...

A very well known shot of Williton in the floods in 1877, three years after the extension to Minehead had opened and Williton had become a passing place.

How many differences can you spot?

(Beyond the obvious improvement in the weather....)

1877



2017

 

The water's gone.

 

I think you have a long way to go before you qualify for your cub scout 'Photographic Comparison Intelligence' badge....

Robin

 

Did you mean CUBS?
As I missed out on them.

And you did ask for differences.

Besides the water seems to have shrunk the track a bit.

 

The loco's been turned...

 

And made a bit less broad across the beam as well, I think...

Tom

 

The ground signal has a snorkel now.

 

Quite remarkably few:
the footbridge has changed, of course
the SB has a new window
the lamp on the UP platform has grown a few inches
& I sort of hate to mention this, but is the roof pitch on the new waiting room different?
(I think it might be a perspective trick)

 

16:30 minehead not double headed, any reason for this please.

 

Is the hall still at minehead? Will it go light engine to BL later. Will it still be on the first dep from BL in the morning?

 

The platforms are wooden.

 

Only the (then new) up platform.

Robin

 

1877 ! 140 years ago! Quite impressed with how little has changed.
If I was to be picky, there's a hedge in the field thats not there now!

 

Stuff on FB today about 51xx being dragged to MH, the in light steam at MH. Nuff
said

 

Photos on the WSR unofficial site show 5199 returning later BL bound solo on a passenger train. Roster shows 6960 off MHD tomorrow.

 

It's one of the joys of a proper West Country branchline that closed before the bulldozers got too active.

We do have some wonderful heritage.

Robin