If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by gwr4090, Nov 15, 2007.

  1. Monkey Magic

    Monkey Magic Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2018
    Messages:
    3,498
    Likes Received:
    6,845
    Location:
    Here, there, everywhere
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I think that Albert Hirschman's 'Exit, Voice, Loyalty' provides a useful framework for thinking about the WSR. A concise explanation here

    I think the options for exit are maybe more limited than they were 40 years ago. There are fewer nascent schemes - alienated WSR supporters can't decamp to a new Ilfracombe, Highbridge, Clevedon or Wells restoration scheme. If you are into the GWR then it is to Cheltenham, Shepton Mallet, Totnes or Forest of Dean.

    For right or wrong, there are a lot of people who are very very loyal to the WSR (more so than say PR) - that is a strength and also a weakness. A strength because it means that there are lots of people who will stick with the railway through thin times and who will go the extra mile and who will put up with more nonsense and bs than anyone deserves. TBH if I had been treated how some volunteers have been treated I would have said 'f you guys' a long time ago, but that people are prepared to go through that and still want to fight for the line, tells you something about the commitment people have. Sadly that loyalty to the WSR is also often misplaced, misused or abused.

    As for the future, I suspect that the WSR, like PR will continue a North Korean like existence, everyone knows they can't carry on as they are, but somehow they stagger on.
     
    Last edited: Jan 25, 2021
    MellishR and johnofwessex like this.
  2. Bayard

    Bayard Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 26, 2015
    Messages:
    1,826
    Likes Received:
    3,871
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    My uncle used to say that one of the problems that British Leyland faced in the 60s and 70s was customer loyalty.
     
    Sheff, ross, jnc and 3 others like this.
  3. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2014
    Messages:
    15,327
    Likes Received:
    11,665
    Occupation:
    Nosy aren’t you?
    Location:
    Nowhere
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I think we’re going to go round in circles in again, I’m really past caring.
     
  4. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2015
    Messages:
    9,185
    Likes Received:
    7,226
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Thorn in my managers side
    Location:
    72
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I find it difficult to think of anything new to say.
     
    Monkey Magic and jnc like this.
  5. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

    Joined:
    May 30, 2009
    Messages:
    21,064
    Likes Received:
    20,773
    Location:
    1016
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Silence is golden. :)
     
  6. malcolm imps

    malcolm imps New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2016
    Messages:
    175
    Likes Received:
    504
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Hillman Imp Specialist
    Location:
    norton fitzwarren
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Need to get back on track on here then ?...............with a few older pics to see & remember ........ :)

    P1011580.JPG P1011518.JPG P1011554.JPG P1011557.JPG
     
  7. Bayard

    Bayard Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 26, 2015
    Messages:
    1,826
    Likes Received:
    3,871
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    malcolm imps likes this.
  8. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2006
    Messages:
    11,930
    Likes Received:
    10,088
    Occupation:
    Gentleman of leisure, nowadays
    Location:
    Near Leeds
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Why?
     
    Aberdare likes this.
  9. Ploughman

    Ploughman Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2008
    Messages:
    5,806
    Likes Received:
    2,649
    Occupation:
    Ex a lot of things.
    Location:
    Near where the 3 Ridings meet
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Why ? It's Somerset.
     
  10. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2014
    Messages:
    17,609
    Likes Received:
    11,222
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    St Leonards
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Would sanders have been any good on that railhead? As i see it, damp snow would have probally blocked the delivery pipes, if the railhead underneath was not covered in ice, i wouldnt think the driver would have used sand,
     
  11. echap

    echap New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2009
    Messages:
    168
    Likes Received:
    396
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Church Volunteer
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Are you sure? Looks half asleep to me. Sorry.
    upload_2021-1-30_17-27-17.png
     
    Sheff, Steamage, flyingcow and 13 others like this.
  12. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2014
    Messages:
    11,247
    Likes Received:
    17,947
    Gender:
    Female
    Occupation:
    Barrister
    Location:
    Stogumber
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Not sure we have anyone of that name in either the Loco or P.Way Departments?
     
  13. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2014
    Messages:
    17,609
    Likes Received:
    11,222
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    St Leonards
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Grand dads wandered off again :)
     
  14. howard

    howard Member

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2006
    Messages:
    306
    Likes Received:
    270
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired Ship's Engineer
    Location:
    Sandwich Kent
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    At least she would have probably had decent sanders, not like those awful GWR gravity things.
     
  15. bishdunster

    bishdunster New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Messages:
    134
    Likes Received:
    103
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired, but still far too busy !
    Location:
    dunster somerset
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Snowing heavily in Minehead, Dunster & Blue Anchor at the moment, take a look at the WSR webcams :eek:
     
    Lenny and bluetrain like this.
  16. Bayard

    Bayard Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 26, 2015
    Messages:
    1,826
    Likes Received:
    3,871
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Icy rails?
     
  17. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2014
    Messages:
    17,609
    Likes Received:
    11,222
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    St Leonards
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    More important though, does he hold a current PTS card to be there in the first place.
     
    Steve, johnofwessex and echap like this.
  18. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2006
    Messages:
    11,930
    Likes Received:
    10,088
    Occupation:
    Gentleman of leisure, nowadays
    Location:
    Near Leeds
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I don't know. You said that the sanders would be working overtime and I asked why because I don't understand why you made the comment. They don't appear to be being used and I doubt that they would have been needed but I wasn't there.
     
    malcolm imps, MellishR and Aberdare like this.
  19. 1472

    1472 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2008
    Messages:
    1,898
    Likes Received:
    2,517
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Interested to learn of your experience leading to that conclusion.
     
    malcolm imps and WSR_6960 like this.
  20. howard

    howard Member

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2006
    Messages:
    306
    Likes Received:
    270
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired Ship's Engineer
    Location:
    Sandwich Kent
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    The sanders on some but possibly not all (I can’t remember) of the GWR locos that I have fired or driven were gravity fed, via a tube within a tube, both with a hole in the bottom that let sand pass when they lined up. The operating handle was situated low enough down in the cab to require the Driver to bend down and thus not be able to keep a good lookout. The Driver had a choice, yank the handle to open and close the supply so that you didn’t use too much sand or open it and run out of sand very quickly. All that yanking of a handle while trying to control a loco in slippery conditions and keep a lookout was not an easy task. The vast majority of the non GWR locos that I have fired or driven had steam or air assisted sanders that sprayed a fine ‘mist’ of sand, were very economical and were operated by a small handle in easy reach of the Driver.
     
    Steve likes this.

Share This Page