West Somerset Railway General Discussion

With Continuously Welded Rail could a groove be ground into the running surface to retain the 'Clickety Clack' and would this be desirable?

 

In my opinion yes, possible, but no, not desirable. Decidedly "pseud": a bit like the road trains for kids with a vehicle at the front that is made to look vaguely like a steam loco.

Edit: also of course a potential weakness, as pointed out in subsequent posts.

 

Not a good idea to deliberately introduce a potential weakness.

Robin

 

I did suggest a while ago to some folk who complained about the slow speed of heritage railways and the feeling of speed with the clickety clacks that perhaps in each panel a groove could be cut so it felt like 50mph not 25.

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Absolutely agree. You are effectivly manufacturing a crack which might propogate through the rail

 

Crack propagation is a whole topic on it's own. However I agree that introducing a "false joint" in a rail to give an authentic noise would be counter productive. I personally see nothing wrong with using welded rail and flat bottom rail if it keeps the infrastructure in good condition and helps to contain repair and maintenance costs. The alternative is for enthusiasts to dig more deeply into their pockets. As with so many things in life, a case of putting your money where your mouth is. No point in asking the tourists because I doubt they would care one way or the other.

 

Quite a number of lines I can think of seem to have either a formal or a de facto policy of using flat bottom rail away from station areas as relaying becomes required, but maintaining bullhead in station areas where the visual impact of flat bottom would be more detrimental to the period ambience that is part of the selling point of all heritage railways.

Tom

 

Have you tried working out a long Hallade scheme by hand then?
They can be very infuriating.

 

While it remained steam worked to the end, the photos show significant stretches of flat bottomed track on the S&D in the post war era

 

I was just thinking of the heritage aspect for all of us of a certain age , after all it is all about memories . This does NOT mean I advocate the reintroduction of jointed rails . I understand there would be a considerable financial cost plus a substantial amount of labour to install and maintain , I'm sure these resources could be better employed elsewhere .
At a Gala 4 or 5 years ago I was harangued by a past member in one of the sheds in Williton , he was a short term trustee of the previous administration how appalled he was of the continuous rails that were being installed on the WSR , I thought then welded rail was the way forward and maybe he was a little obsessed . This was the first time of meeting and since then I've learnt a lot more .
I still miss the clickity clack !

Paul . K.

 

Didn't 'Not The 9 O'clock News' once have Rowan Atkinson in BR Uniform bashing out the 'clickety clacks' on a drum set?

 

I understand. Best left to the experts. But I love to see the results.....

Robin

 

Talking of Manors, does anyone know when 7820 is due to leave? Will it still be around for the ASG?

Thanks
DaveB

 

On the NYMR we do get a number of comments about Why aren't we using Ash Ballast, Timber sleepers at 24 per length and BH jointed rail.
Then we ask do you want to see large engines or small ones?
Because the Axle load is getting too much for the older styles of track.
As someone else said We do try and install BH and Timber in public areas but we will use brand new or nearly new Sleepers and New Rails even there.
Like Pickering when it was rerailed a few years back.

 

Whats the availability of new bullhead like?

 

I do believe the WSR was only able to take lighter locos in the past but has since been upgraded , it is now able to accommodate most demanding locos with regards axle weights including the Kings .

 

I don't think we have had any problems with placing orders for new BH.
Obviously, though, demand is lower so not as many batches are produced.

 

The plan is for Dinmore Manor to remain on the line until mid October. The owning group, Dinmore Manor Locomotive Ltd, intend to hold their Annual General Meeting in the area on Saturday 14th October and would like to include a ride behind their engine as part of the days activities and so have requested that 7820 be rostered that day (always assuming that plans don't change...). So yes, should be there for the Gala

 

London Transport is still a big user of BH rail, and NR still replaces appreciable quantities each year.

Robin

 

While I understand that LT has a lot of check railed track which I understand is easier with BH & I can understand NR making spot repairs with new BH, I understood that Flat Bottomed rail was better in most applications