West Somerset Railway General Discussion

I've just looked at the Bishops Lydeard webcam. It's absolutely pouring with rain at present but despite the weather I would dearly love to be there awaiting a steam trip to Minehead.

Let's hope that my dream will come true in the near future. <BJ>

 

Fully agreed, its a real steam age proper length journey that so many have never experienced !...even locals ! & newer folk to Norton Fitzwarren area, who dont know its even there ....

 

I think staleness is a good description Martin...as an outsider all I can say is that if this thread is anything to go by, over the past few years huge amounts of time and energy have been expended in factional in-fighting, factional out-fighting, navel gazing and general "noise" - all of which has detracted from the actual task of running a railway and entertaining the public (entertaining those of us who loiter on this forum doesn't count.) Now when change is needed because of the national situation, there seems to be a weariness, or staleness as you put it, preventing the urgent action that has happened elsewhere, where other railways, both management and volunteers, have, whether the've liked it or not, had to modify the way they do things. Even (slightly off-topic) comments in this thread about galas have seemed to miss the point that any gala running in the near future will not be like a gala run last year. Hopefully still enjoyable, but emphatically in a different format.

 

I wasn't going to comment any further on this thread, but the above sums it up, If the members of the various factions had expended more energy on whats best for the railway, and less on internal fights, power struggles, etc, been more selective on appointments to the board etc, they would not be in the state they are in now.
Ps, if Alex wants to send me details of his favourite charity, i will gladly donate £10.00 to it.

 

Whilst all that journey experience maybe welcome, the telling comment is about many locals being unaware of the line. It is all very well having the most well 'preserved in aspic' heritage line, but it needs, in the first instance, to be a commercial success, which, it most certainly seems not to be.
Targeting the paying public, rather than a much smaller devotee clientele, should be a priority if the line is to increase its passenger count.

 

This is one of the factors that gives me HOPE for the future. 'Market penetration' of the WSR in terms of even the good people of Taunton, followed by the wider Somerset diaspora and then such distant satellites as Weston and Bristol, both in terms of paying visitors and volunteers is really quite low. (A feature of many heritage railways) so that WHEN we get this right there is a considerable market to tap.

Robin

 

Of course, you could always donate £10 to the WSR.

Cat, allow me to introduce you to pigeons...

 

Aren't there any trains running this weekend?

 

Is this a windup.

 

The lines in that area that are running : Lynton & Barnstaple, The East Somerset and further afield there is the Dartmouth, Glos & Warks and Swanage. Lots of options.

 

Can I help?

 

You could argue that there are many lines that are no-where to no-where but are still able to draw in the punters with a range things that appeal. IoW for example of no where to no where.

(This next bit is not intended to insult where anyone comes from so I apologise in advance for saying that some places are unlovely)

It is hard to argue that Kiddie or Bridgnorth are tourist honeypots, East Grinstead, Alton are fairly unlovely commuter towns, Leicester and Loughborough, Bury, and so on. However, all the lines running to and from there are able to create offerings that pull a range of punters.

In short, various lines have found ways to sell themselves to people even those that are not blessed with superb scenery, or a tourist honeypot.

I don't buy the BL is no good, etc etc arguments.

Bristol and Taunton, are good, but I suggest there is somewhere near where in 2018 £470 million was spent by tourists

 

...even the S&DRHT at MSN are running trains tomorrow and they don't go very far at all

But at least you see, smell and ride on passenger trains while you are there.

 

Won't disagree with the thrust of your post, but actually Bridgnorth is quite a tourist spot in its own right. Agree about Alton I live very near!

 

Try living in it. Eastbourne without the beach.
Pat

 

Luckily, this thread is not anything to go by. Real life in the WSR is nothing like this thread which seems to look at everything through the wrong end of a telescope.
Ian Coleby

 

Probably because, rightly or wrongly, there's more focus on management decisions here than the every day experience of a volunteer on the ground, as the former tends to provide more to discuss amongst us.

 

...although some at MD seem to be using the Nelsonian method