West Somerset Railway General Discussion

What an interesting story!

Read the comments folks and draw your own conclusions

 

All please note that this advice is WRONG with respect to Wig-Wag style lights found at Level Crossings, Swing Bridges, etc.

The law governing such wig-wag road traffic signals IS NOT THE SAME AS FOR STANDARD TRAFFIC LIGHTS*!

The main differences are:-


(1) It is a statutory offence for ANYBODY / ANYTHING - Including all 'blue light' emergency services (e.g. a Fire engine, Police car, ambulance, etc answering an emergency call), pedestrians, horse riders, cyclists to pass a red flashing wig wag type road traffic signal - not just motor vehicles. There are ZERO EXCEPTIONS! The law does this because it recognises a flashing blue light isn't going to stop death or injury if you get smashed into by a train or drop into a river! By contrast the law governing ordinary traffic lights allows them to be treated by 'Blue light' emergency vehicles as 'Give Way' signs.

(2) It is a statutory offence for ANYONE - and that specifically includes Police officers - to authorise any person / vehicle to pass a flashing wig wag. The provision for a PC to 'authorise past' was removed several decades ago when it was realised that your average PC is not going to know why the lights are flashing - and there is a very real prospect that they could tell someone to proceed into a dangerous situation. By contrast at an ordinary road junction the legislation assumes the Police can establish control over the situation and make it safe for you to proceed.

Thus if you come to a set of red wig-wags flashing away at a level crossing say, then you have two choices. (1) WAIT till they go out (either because some technicians have come along and turned them off / covered them up / fixed the fault) or (2) Find an alternative route.

Should a Police officer turn up then the ONLY thing they are actually authorised to do is repeat those statements. Anything else (i.e. telling you to cross) means they themselves are breaking the law and also inviting you to do the same. Should you get caught by a red light camera then they (and you) will both be in trouble for having broken the law.

If you ring up the signalman from the crossing then the only thing they are permitted to do is to repeat those same two options (wait or divert). Even if they know there are no trains due and have protected the crossing the LAW mandates they shall not do anything which could be understood to invite the caller to break the law and move past the flashing wig-wags.


*https://assets.publishing.service.g...851465/dft-traffic-signs-manual-chapter-6.pdf

 

Haha yes, made me laugh

Some changes happening on that Facebook page apparently. Including all comments being vetted by the admin team before they get posted (or not!)

 

Going private from July 31st with new members to be 'approved' by the administrators, but then as I am one now I guess I can stay?

 

As long as you dont make any controversial comments, I guess so.

 

You can’t. All posts to be reviewed by admins and approved before they can be seen.

Apparently this is to reduce off topic postings.

 

I believe the PM has popularised the idea of "whack a mole"; I'd have thought the management of the WSR would have better things to do with their time.

They may also want to consider the role of safety valves in allowing the release of pressure - my sense is that locking down on that particular valve will just cause the pressures to try to vent elsewhere, hopefully not explosively.

 

Cancel culture? Poor little snowflakes of Facebook can't handle debate or criticism? Fingers in ears and strengthen the door to that echo chamber.....

 

As if I would Roger - I know my place!!

 

on the other hand, i visited a certain other railway not too far from the WSR on Sunday. The train we were on was four coaches and I think there were about 20 passengers in total. The whole railway was very quiet and (to be honest) looked very shabby and run down. The WSR looks far better even now with the restricted attention it has had over the last 6 months.
Ian Coleby

 

What it looks like Ian is irrelevant - the acid test is it Commercial and will it meet its Liabilities?

If not it is Bust - Fact and it Cannot Earn Any Money if it is not running! Unless you know any millionaires who want to fund it from a bottomless pit, of course?

 

So is that to imply that’s it better to have a well-maintained closed railway than a revenue-earning but slightly shabby one? Interesting logic at work there I feel. Anyway I thought you liked to recreate as accurately as possible the feel of days gone by? What could be more authentic than that just-before-Beeching look?

 

That wasnt really the point i was making. I was replying to suggestions that lines which are open are thronging with visitors. I relayed my experience which was the opposite.
Ian C

 

Ah I see

 

“Everybody thinks they have the prettiest wife at home.”

Arsene Wenger

As we are on the subject of Premier League, people are always declaring the WSR to be a Premier League line. So how does it compare to Premier league lines the SVR, Bluebell, MHR, NYMR, NNR, ELR, KWVR? Compare like with like.

Comparing yourself to a ‘quiet run down’ local line is akin to Bristol City, popping down to Weston Super Mare AFC and saying aren’t we great compared to how the Seagulls are doing.

 

Still less enterprising I fear

 

On the subject of the Premier League, maybe there is a railway enthusiast star player with a soft spot for the WSR? We can but hope.

 

If the line is not far from the WSR it suggests that the area it is not a honeypot of tourists that Devon, Cornwall and the Cotswolds are. But a line that is operating is in the publics eye and will be remembered by them. I note a comment here that many attending the recent week-end were unaware of what was happening, suggesting they they just strolled in looking for something to do.

 

What makes a heritage railway a “premier league line”?

Is it number of passengers per year?
Is it length of line?
Is it £turnover?
Is it £ profit?

Is it self declared??

 

Perception by the general public maybe? After all they are the paymasters most of the time.