West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Until recently that was the Town Council offices, now replaced by the black Visitor Centre, I believe.
The dormer was added in 1953 & contains a clock commemorating the Coronation.
There are few remaining thatched houses in Watchet, but little else seems to have changed significantly.

Edited to add: This may be of interest:

https://www.facebook.com/watchetconservationsociety/

or this:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/255700244617647/

 

Interesting the railway are running to Watchet only until Easter, but steam hauled from BL and then diesel dragged all the way back to BL.

Given the shorter trip, and refreshments and DEPG at Williton, surprised running around at Williton and just using the diesel to drag back from Watchet hasn't been used? Water a consideration possibly?

 

Ok as it's raised it's head again, the term "train station", I hadn't realised it was an old term like many though it is to my ear toe curling too. Having said though it appears to have been an interchangeable expression, just like Railway and Railroad. Both terms were used either side of the Atlantic indiscriminately quite a lot in the early days, before dividing with the term railway being used here in the UK / Europe and areas under UK / European influence. With the term railroad being used in the Americas' and areas under their influence

 

Long ago and far far away, I was in a meeting in Bristol and Exeter House at Temple Meads with the (Yorkshire-origin) Area Manager and the (very Brissle) Area Inspector Jim Barnes. Throughout the meeting he constantly referred to my boss as the ‘Aerial Manager’ and I failed to resist the temptation to sketch my boss as a Martian with two TV aerials sprouting from his bonce and sliding it across the table to the big chief.

Jim couldn’t understand why the meeting ended a touch abruptly and he was shovelled out into the corridor. Fortunately the Brunellian doors were thick enough to hide my boss letting out the suppressed amusement...

I hope Jim (a good chap) never knew...

Robin

 

All the intermediate stations could certainly capitalise on the restricted service, but with 1, 2 or 3 hours between trains, Watchet has rather more to offer.

 

Richard - that's a great map & one I've been searching for.
Is it possible you can provide the earlier map alone? ie: prior to the extension WT-MD.

 

Still have them somewhere.

 

NLS is always good for old maps (but nothing for Watchet earlier than 1886 that I can find):

25 inch to the mile:
1886 - https://maps.nls.uk/view/106020779
1902 - https://maps.nls.uk/view/106020782
1928 - https://maps.nls.uk/view/106020785
1936 - https://maps.nls.uk/view/106020788

Other scales (and towns) are available:
https://maps.nls.uk/

Tom

 

Watchet has a turn around of 10mins, hardly there long enough for people to do anything without missing the return trip.

 

Sorry you misunderstond me, I was in a plane station adjacent to Bournemouth airport whiling away the time looking at woodworking equipment.

 

The option of the diesel loco working as you describe was considered but was rejected due to the extra time and shunting required.
There is also the issue of GWR locos working at 25" of vacuum braking whereas the diesel works at the standard 21" vacuum.
So if the train came hauled by either 7828 or 6960 the brake cylinder strings on each coach would have to be pulled to release the higher vacuum each time otherwise the diesel could not get the brakes off!
Theoretically ok if 53808 was in use though.

Ian R

 

Wow just looked at 1936. I never know the paper mill had tracks too it.

 

Sorry I am confused.

Is it steam and diesel T+T all the way.

Or does diesel get addded to rear at Williton

 

Prefer a pattern myself...

Robin

 

Surely you mean “whittling away the time...”

Tom

 

Yes, top n' tail all the way.

 

As I said this was one I prepared a while back and I cannot recall now where I found it. Not so much dementia as scouring too many maps and map sites.

This is the image that I used and I apologise to the original poster that I cannot acknowledge him/her.

 

I would love to see a "Time Team" type archaeological dig on the site of that Broad Gauge loco shed.

 

The site of the original was dug sometime in the 1990's by an archaeological group, it may have been the local archaeological society. I was not involved and had no time spare to investigate so I cannot add any details. Perhaps Steve at wsr.org knows something of it.

The track work and pit would have been broad gauge as the shed only lasted 12 years on site before getting moved to Minehead. (I believe the pit was not re-located but stayed at Watchet!)

Andy.

 

Saving bandwidth - multiple responses!

Richard - terrific map - thank you!

Tom - yes, I had the same experience.

Andy - I think I asked once before - do you know if any of the harbour wagon turn-tables survived? or are they buried under the tarmac?

Anthony - that's why it would make a good location for a Permanent Way Depot, particularly as the east end of the site had few if any buildings on it.

(I'm off to the car station for some gasoleum).