WSR Spring Steam Gala - Thu 27 to Sun 30 April 2017

A few scenes from the gala, thanks to all involved at the WSR. Coverage of the 4F's is at the start of the video

 

Another excellent Gala. Many thanks to everyone in the WSR for all the effort and hard work you put in to make this such an enjoyable event.
This is my video of gala, I hope you enjoy watching it.

 

And jolly fine walks they are too. My lads enjoyed the ice cream at Stogumber a few weeks back.

 

There is a book available from most shops on the line (and on-line from MD shop) describing many walks based around the WSR - only £5!

http://www.shopcreator.net/mall/pro...erset Railway Country Walks From Our Stations

 

A photo of 78018 at Woolston Bridge on the second morning of the gala. A further selection at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pamw/

 

My video showing just freight trains –

 

Lovely stuff, not least that you can actually hear bird song in the background. I guess you could say I'm a railway in the landscape fan, but for me the landscape also includes a soundscape. One of the great joys of spending time at the WSR for me is that it is classic British countryside with all that means in terms of birdsong, farm animals, mist and rain etc etc. I get so much more from a clip that has a bit of context if you know what I mean.

 

When I first came down to the WSR I had no real idea of the countryside it ran through. On that first journey from BL I realised how wonderful it is, not just visually, but also in terms of the history of the place. All those medieval churches, medieval field patterns and then more geometric field patterns out by Washford and Dunster (I guess something to do with reclaiming land from salt marshes, maybe 16th C or later).

When I was in Crowcombe Heathfield I got talking to a couple about why the Heathfield has so many Beech Trees, all of about the same age, and all in such straight lines. I thought it was probably something to do with 18th C enclosures (heathland usually also being common land). When I got home I dug out my Book of Crowcombe Bicknoller and Sampford Brett and hey presto, that area was enclosed in 1760. The couple also told me that that area once housed a WW2 PoW camp full of Italians, and I think I found the boundaries of it somewhere in the wood.

I guess I'm a railway in the landscape type, but what a landscape!

 

Thank you, Simon. The countryside was quite different for the Spring Gala this year I thought. With the Gala being a month later the countryside was greener and the birdlife certainly much noisier.

 

And here is my video of passenger trains.......

 

43924 would be a welcome guest at a future gala

 

A few of my images from the excellent weekend, only slight negative was the delays Friday and Sunday.

 

A fine image of 53808 entering Williton station. Thanks for posting.
Stef.

 

Agreed, excellent images.

But.... it took the best part of five minutes for me to download them. The actual size of the image files is 3820x2922, but my browser (running on a 1680x1050 monitor) is resizing them down to 969x741. That means that I'm having to download approx 15.5 times as much data as I actually need.

Not all of us have access to high speed broadband. I'm sure I'm not the only one who would be grateful if posters resized images first rather than just uploading the files straight from the camera, or alternatively provided links to them.

Thanks, DaveB

 

Good stuff...and all taken from public areas

Steve

 

Thanks for all the positive comments on the photo's, the shot of 53808 almost looks pure S&D, I grabbed it from the over bridge and got back on the awaiting train. ALL shots taken during the weekend from public places, don't possess a lineside pass, but don't want to get into soapboxing my views here.
Point taken about the file size, I'll have a look at that, never had the need to in the past.
Sorry for late reply, had a railway weekend off, been bashing some Lakeland fells, including Class 44 D1!!