West Somerset Railway General Discussion

An example of good pastiche is the up side shelter at Ropley on the M.H.R. Very accomplished indeed.

PH

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-eng...1/flying-scotsman-gets-stuck-on-somerset-hill

 

I didn't tell them... Honest

 

Video of Flying Scotsman on The WSR on the 5th and 6th September 2017.

 

In this instance it is not only the concept that is so wrong but that it has been so badly designed. As a piece of architecture, if it can be dignified with such a term, it really is a complete failure. Like Prince Charles' comment in 1984 it is just an ugly and inappropriate growth grafted onto a historic building. A good looking modern addition attached by a glazed walkway might have worked but the site is very constrained. I really can't see a single redeeming feature.

 

It's going to be interesting to see the PLC review of this event.

The fact that the article: appears on the BBC News front page; only mentions FS in the headline; the WSR gets a mention, which one could read in isolated context as a "hero" organisation leading one of its locomotives to help out FS - all seems at least OK in a wider PR context for the WSR.

However, the event itself - hoping the tickets on the FS train specials met all of the FS hire/running costs - seems not to have been a wider success as hoped for. The car parks I passed on Saturday were virtually empty, and the cost of platform tickets has also suppressed demand/resulted in lower revenues - perhaps a decision could have been taken to have reduced the costs in light of the weather, or controlled numbers on platforms through issued free-ticketing.

The view from those that I met on Saturday was not all good.... as I say, I await with interest the PLC feedback, especially the numbers.

 

With all the trains sold out at £38 per ticket (with I suspect few reductions!), then I think, with no knowledge of the actual finances of this event, I would readily agree were the West Somerset to say it has been a major financial success!

Where were these alleged 'virtually empty' car parks? If at intermediate stations, I am not surprised - the Flying Scotsman tickets all started at Bishops Lydeard (with some connections from Minehead), so that is where the majority of people might be expected to be parking!

(I suspect the non-FS trains would not be that busy).

Steven

 

There once was an engine attached to a train
Afraid of a few drops of rain
Through an absence of will
It got stuck on a hill
And to the top it was pushed. Oh the shame!

Tom (with apologies to the Reverend Awdry)

 

My experience of the event, based on two days taking videos and two days volunteering at a crossing, was that there was not a large number of people at intemediate places on the line. Certainly at the crossing I was working at there were never more there than at a gala event. And that was only when Flying Scotsman was due. Talking to visitors they seemed to baulk at paying £5 to park and then pay £2 to get on the station. Especially when they only wanted to spend a penny!

When at Blue Anchor on the Wednesday there was only one car in the car park. There is plenty of parking around Blue Anchor and most people there made use of this. I suspect there were not many takers to spend £2 to go on the station at Blue Anchor with so much free viewing in that location. The weekend may have been different though.

But I don't think the WSR should take any criticism for laying on extra facilities for those wanting to see Flying Scotsman and for the parking restrictions around the stations. If they hadn't and there were many visitors then they would have been heavily criticised. No doubt information was obtained on experiences at other heritage railways. The WSR is, though, probably further away from large conurbations than other heritage railways that have had Flying Scotsman visit. The weather may also have had an impact on casual visitors.

 

I like it! (Sounds like a foretaste of things go come at a tourist railway considerably to the east - he says mischievously)

Paul H

 

A couple of Swindon fans also enjoyed watching 6960 giving the A3 a helping hand! (not my video):

 

Others seem to have fallen into the trap of measuring "linesiding" as some sort of measurement of success.

As Bean Counter perhaps suggested the real measure of success of an event of this type is whether the prebooked seats all were sold, those participants enjoyed the day and many were seriously interested in revisiting the WSR.

On that basis the event certainly appears successful.

 

You can rely on Swindon products to get you out of trouble in the South West.

 

Unashamedly , I'm going to say I enjoyed watching that , poor FS .

 

I am looking forward to seeing how good 30506 will sound whilst propelling 6 and a LNER pacific!

 

Is that a hint of where the A3 is visiting next year?

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

 

Gosh! Am I the only one who thinks she looked a awful lot prettier in apple green?

 

Argh! Here we go again!

 

Better than Tyrolite Green!

 

Does it come with chips or salad?

Robin