West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Perhaps not run the military train but use the wagons for shunting in the yard

 

One of the things I've noticed about heritage railways is that their stations can be quite dull places to be between trains, even at galas.

 

Thought for the future - load/shunt the military in the goods yard at Dunster, fetch it down to Minehead (much as the auto used to do a quick MD-DR out and back between full line services) shunt it around at Minehead a bit, then take it back to Dunster in a suitable gap in revenue earning traffic.

Repeat ad nauseam.

Then there's something to see at some point in the day at both places, and the complete train can be photographed, possibly with more variety of motive power, between the two.

 

I'm just wondering if it is possible to pay the QB breakfast train (09.05 ex BL) supplement on the train or is it pre-book only during the gala? TIA.

 

IIRC in past galas for the first QB you can if there is space space available.

 

I would recommend pre-booking.

Robin

 

I don't think there's a facility to run round trains at Dunster is there? May scupper that idea.

 

There isn't, but similar trains have run in the past and a shunter used at DR to get the train engine at the right end. A job for 1219 perhaps?

 

Running to Dunster does complicate things with section tokens. A train can't leave Blue Anchor until the Dunster train is fully inside, similarly it can't run back until an up train is out of section. Simply shunting at Minehead has no such constraint.

 

And it is great fun for the crew!

 

Running anything close to an hourly service on the WSR requires full sections and trains passing at Blue Anchor, Williton and Crowcombe - so no additional paths for goods trains.

However, with Kentsford and Stogumber loops installed...

Robin

 

Good to read via WSR.Org that Crowcombe Station is to become Snowcombe Station for The Christmas period!
Looking forward to see and experience the animatronic reindeer, elves workshop and the Winter Wonderland atmosphere! In Dorset we have had some excellent Winter Wonderlands over the past ten years! I am saving my pennies for this! !

 

Good pic of presumably 1940s confectionery. Did you actually check for sell-by dates? (Not that there would have been any. They came later...... )

 

Stogumber?
It's the 30 minute WN - BA section that needs attention.

 

No good dealing with that section without breaking the WN to CH section as well.

Robin

 

Ah. The good old days where we eat it if is it smelt and looked good. My daughter still does but hers throws perfectly good food out at 2359 on the expiry date thanks to her home economics teacher .

 

Superficially yes, actually no.

Typical start to stop schedules including intermittent stops :

BL- CH Down 13 minutes, UP 10
CH - WN Down 18 UP 20
WN - BA Down 25 UP 25
BA - MD Down 15 UP 15 ( currently lengthy tsr over Avil bridge causes delays )

In practice an hourly interval service works, an attempt at 50 minutes interval
at a Gala some years past led to lengthy delays. 55 mins represents the
absolute minimum.

The reinstallation of Kentsford would permit 45 -50 minutes, ie in an 8 hour
day, a 10 train service rather than 8.

If Leigh reinstated ( or Stogumber ) then BA- MD becomes the pinch point.
Allowing for complexity of MD terminal operation then in practice this
would allow for no improvement. Leigh would only benefit if double
track Dunster West to MD reinstated.

Under GWR ( post mid Thirties ) and BR (W): Leigh, Kentsford and
Dunster West were all in place. The Leigh box ( ie the loop ) was only in
operation summer Saturdays. I have always understood the main
advantage was that SO non stop ( and semi fast ) services could be
crossed at Leigh rather than CH or WN hence overcoming any
passenger confusion if train stopped at a platform.

However any thoughts wrt line improvements under the
current financial strictures are luxurious indeed.

Michael Rowe

 

Companies house has new documents!!

 

Too early for a WTT for autumn gala?

 

http://www.wsr.org.uk/cgi-bin/snap.cgi?h=Snapshot&p=2019/09/18

Fantastic job