West Somerset Railway General Discussion

As a current WSR guard let me just say that normally in the height of summer our 10:15BL and 11:05BL are normally busy and 12:35BL not so busy but sometimes has coach parties. 14:40BL usually fairly quiet, 16:20BL normally dead. From Minehead passengers returning is often rather weather dependent. If it is pouring down, often the 14:30 back is busy, if it is sunny the 16:30 is busier. The majority of these are casual travellers not enthusiasts.
This is what I believe would make a 1 round trip set itinerary difficult, people may have differing ideas on what they would do in Minehead, some may visit shops, some the beach etc. Not an insurmountable problem though.

Recently visited the SVR and enjoyed the repeat itinerary of the 'Explorer' with the middle trip to Highley and back. Something WSR may need to look at next year for Watchet perhaps?

In the way of compartment stock we have SKs 25308 and 25323 (8 compartments each), BSK 35257 with 4 compartments and BCK 21174 with 5 compartments. With GWR 6705 awaiting an FTR there is another potential 5 compartments to sell. Plus perhaps 2 or 3 open carriages with perspex installed for single travellers? I believe could be done and would pay for itself.

 

I also visited the SVR and travelled on the 'Explorer' very recently. I can concur that it is an extremely well-run operation, and the Covid-19 precautions that have been put in place are simple yet effective and barely distract from what was still an excellent day out (though the compartment stock definitely helps). The same can be said for operations at the Ffestiniog and Llangollen, which I have also sampled of late. All of them have taken sensible precautions without distracting from the overall experience. It would seem, by contrast, that the management of the WSR are not blessed with a similar 'can-do' spirit.

On a related note, what an excellent facility is the 'Engine House' at Highley. The WSR should....could......have done something similar at Bishops Lydeard about 10 years ago. Or maybe at Williton. And what an exquisite set of stations the SVR has - truly a 'string of pearls'. Each one well marketed, clean, mostly correct in period details, and superbly maintained. If the WSR ever hopes to achieve 'premier league' status again, this is the bare minimum standard that it should be aiming for. I'm afraid it is light years away at present. And it is far from obvious that the present leadership is capable of even formulating such a vision, let alone achieving it.

*Footnote. Interestingly, by chance I overhead two volunteers at the SVR discussing the WSR. It was not exactly complimentary. Those who say that negativity towards the WSR is just a 'NatPres' thing, are seriously deluding themselves.

 

Well, that's the way the PLC rolls... They can hardly complain if people do it back to them.

Noel

 

Sleeping giant ? , when you compare the overall situation compared to other railways, its in a coma, with no signs of waking, and once it does, it has major problems to sort out, The track, Seaward crossing, backlog of maintaince, FTR'S to do before coaches can turn a wheel, and all the time costs are rising, bills have too be paid, with little or no income, how are they going to do it? then theres the winter shut down, again how does the WSR intend to be able to reopen in March ? when for the past what will be 12 months by then, they would have had no income to talk of,

 

So you think it is like Sunderland. OK... you aren't really helping.

Sleeping Giants usuallly have incompetent boards who continue to make bad decision after bad decision. So, yes, the WSR is a sleeping giant.

Whataboutery.

The Norton Triangle was finished 11 years ago. Not exactly an example of recent lateral thinking.

 

Blackmail -
the action, treated as a criminal offence, of demanding payment or another benefit from someone in return for not revealing compromising or damaging information about them.

So, no not blackmail - nor demanding money with menaces either. Just maximising the benefits to each participant in a business negotiation - something any competent businessman would be farmiliar with....



Blackmail is such a misused word these days.

 

The posts by those young enough, confident enough or close enough to visit the SVR make good points. Certainly to be successful heritage lines need to capitalise on their best selling features. Each line has a different focus, which depends on their location and sideline facilities.
The WSR has tried to do that in the past but failed it appears, preferring to rest upon its laurels and ignoring major maintenance. No amount of 'things as they used to be' will draw the majority of paying passengers, whilst a nice ambience to look at it is only really appreciated by enthusiasts. The end product now is a closed railway.
The Norton Triangle was/is a WSRA project and though interesting to see ballast train photos it was not a true view of how is currently is on the WSR. A recent photo showing sleeper replacement was followed by one showing the line in an appalling overgrown state. That gave the impression of a post Beeching abandoned railway.
The WSR has achieved little operationally recently, but has managed to attract much bad publicity, nationally as well as locally, almost becoming a sad joke.
Maybe, in the light of a recent statement, someone along the line has set off alarm bells!

 

And those nice people at the PLC have really played by the book haven’t they?

 

Rather comatose at the moment

 

No signs? Minehead station open days, locomotives running about, deweeding by hand taking place, talk of trains at Christmas. More signs here than at Buckfastleigh.

FTR because the carriage last ran in passenger service in Britain in BR days.

They are looking to run in December as stated by the railway recently.

 

2012 the traingle was completed, or at least being able to turn locomotives regularly, so certainly not 2009. This is a fact.

 

Emotional blackmail then.. "it's 53808 or the Washford yard."

 

To be fair he is referring to all the MK1s which do need FTRs before being used. Not sure how many had Buckeye exams before lockdown either.

 

Well we only have your word for SVR volunteers comments.

What would the WSR put in an 'Engine House' if they had one? Rarely have they had locomotives stored awaiting overhaul. I can only think of 7820 and 4561 both on display at the same time awaiting overhaul. The railway is usually home to locomotives in traffic or being overhauled. The SVR constructed it to keep locomotives awaiting overhaul undercover, rather than out in the open in a sorry state (which they were!).

I remember in SVR leaflets circa 2003 when I first began visiting the railway that only KR, BY and BH were in the public timetable, so that's not really well marketing them at a time when the railway promoted itself as the 'Premier Steam Railway'. That's no disrespect to the SVR as it is a railway I enjoy visiting but a fact of what their leaflets were. I can scan some in if anybody thinks I am lying.

The WSR has really nice stations too, particularly Blue Anchor and Crowcombe. Each of the 10 has their own flavour. They want to enhance Dunster's appeal by freeing up space there.

Light years away from that? Have a word.

 

Yes but that's standard across all railways. I believe he was taking direction from where you said 6705 requires one.

 

You should go back and read the context of Martin's comment then. It's very obvious he was talking about the general coaching stock since he referred to coaches. Plural.

Keith

 

Whatever, Keithster.

 

Buckfastleigh station site open every Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday (suggested donation £5). Info from https://www.southdevonrailway.co.uk/events/

This weekend there is a mini beer festival at Buckfastleigh. Including miniature railway and heritage bus rides. https://www.facebook.com/southdevonrailway/posts/2710426965897891

Tickets for SDR's Polar Express trains are on sale. https://www.southdevonrailway.co.uk/events/polar-express/

Plus the Facebook live video updates.

I'd say there is more signs at Buckfastleigh.

 

Minehead is open with moving locomotives and £5 is the donation. Bus rides are/were part of this I believe? WSR have said they are looking to run in December.

 

Why on earth is everyone still engaging with this Evans guy? It's a waste of time, save your blood pressure pills and don't bother.