West Somerset Railway General Discussion

All the online timetables have the station names in full. 2017's printed tts had the codes in the actual tables, probably to save space, but they were explained immediately below. I haven't seen the 2018 printed one yet, but I can't see any problem with them following the same pattern.

 

I don't have access to the official radius values but using available large scale mapping at c12 chains it certainly looks that way for the WSR main line. The West Chord and East Chord at Norton each work out at about 9 chain radius (c180m). Some WSR volunteers believe the West Chord will get a check rail before too long. The pic of the Steam Rally is looking roughly north. For those unfamiliar with the WSR's Norton Triangles, the pic shows the West Chord (left), the East Chord (centre), the Barnstaple line (towards bottom), WSR main line (right). The Bristol-Exeter line just showing bottom left.



Steve

 

Check rail limits on freight lines are slightly different.
I think that 8 chain radius rather than 10ch or 200m is the limit.

Slightly wrong.

Just checked in the 1956 PWI handbook and it states in there.
"A Ministry of Transport rule requires that all curves with a radius of less than 10 chains must be provided with a check rail.
In some cases curves with a greater radius are provided with check rails.

 

I have had several conversations with my oldest son (15) explaining how modern technology makes some of the rather complex ticketing arrangements you get these days possible. Imagine doing all those savers, singles, reservations etc with pen & paper.................

I know though that by the early 90's you could book sleepers & Couchettes from the International Travel office at Temple Meads even if the FS (Italian) system had been down for months - and a request for Couchettes to Dresden was greeted with 'Why do you want to go there its supposed to be bloody awful'

 

Thanks Steve.

 

The check rail at Watchet may offer some relief from flange and rail head side wear plus the extra rail may also offer a track that is more resistant to the effects of expansion.

An upside may be a reduction of track and rolling stock maintenance costs.

A possible downside may be that the effects of expansion will be moved elsewhere.

Please note the words "may" and "possible" - I would have used uppercase to provide stress but of course some people may miss the message while focusing on the presentation.

Jeff

 

West Somerset Railway - Then and Now #138

(What a difference a day makes)

Stogumber 25 Nov 2017 / 26 Nov 2017

Robin

25 Nov 2017


26 Nov 2017

 

Given that the new track is bullhead held in conventional chairs with steel keys, it has relatively little resistance to expansion in comparison with more modern track fixing systems.

Robin

 

As long as correct gapping of the joints is present and all sleeper bays are full of ballast to required profile, then there should be no great problems due to expansion under normal conditions.

 

It's one of those "spot the difference" puzzles. Let's see, the 'after' photo is missing 2 tall lamp posts, has gained a small lamp post by the 'to the village' sign, a red car in the car park, and it looks like one of the fence panels is broken.

 

You are unfortunate in Somerset then. Here in Worcestershire theHighways Authorities act very quickly upon reports.

 

As I say tthey just plead poverty. It has almost got to the point bwhere they have to be served with a statutory notice to get road repairs done.

 

The pictures show that the WSR have a lot of problems with people dumping old cars at their stations.

DJB.

 

My Partner once went into Sunderland Travel Centre and asked for a single to Athens - and got it!

Dresden may not have been wonderful back then (although many wonderful buildings survived) but now it is one of my very favourite cities, as it is for a friend who owns a Railway travel company.

Steven

 

What is the gradient where the check-rail has been fitted?

My past experience as a guard was there was much less walking back and laying detonators when a check rail had been removed! Slipping to a stand was not uncommon at one location when it had a check rail but more or less unheard off when it had gone.

Steven

 

Not bad at all.

The fence panel at an angle to the left of the red car has been a ‘temporary’ infill for many years. Over the winter it is due to be replaced by gates as there used to be here.

Robin

 

John,
With knowledge using a TT and a fares manual is much easier than relying on the internet. Websites give you what they think you need and not necessarily what you need.
Whilst internet is very useful you cant beat having a TT in your hand.

 

Very. A local lady reported to the Highways that a large directional sign at a particular junction was totally obscured after months of inaction on previous complaints. In the end she and her husband took loppers and spent nearly an hour clearing it. The result was a very stern warning that it should not have been done and they are not to do so in the future.
Said lady also berated the council over the fact that the new Minehead Hospital had no directional signs in the area and no indication from Seaward Way to its location at the back of waste and scrubland. The reply was 'we do not want to overload the roads with signage'. Another result of her dogged determination, with the grand opening imminent by the Duke of Gloucester due to arrive via the WSR, was a small red H attached to a lampost! (we do now have a decent sign in the grass verge).

 

1 in 76 up when leaving Watchet for Washford
http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-gradients.htm

Steve

 

Gradient is 1 in 76 up towards Washford at this point.

A number of WSR folk (myself included) are rather mystified by this installation, given that the curve is not so sharp that a check Rail seems indicated, there has been no apparent indication of problems at this location (in 144 years) and there are clear operating negatives to a check Rail on a steep grade on a curve.

It would be nice to have an authoritive and informative answer.

Robin