Isle of Wight Steam Railway

I think there is a reason that not a lot of railways do this.

 

Unlike some gricers, ''normals'' tend not to be in love with grot. Tourist railways earn most of their money from normals.

 

I'm still fascinated by this idea that "grot" equates to anything that isn't pre-grouping carriages. I sense some childhood trauma involving a very dirty Mk1? I'm sure that even the BHR's open wagons are capable of being spotlessly clean, in their limited way, which is perfectly adequate for what they do.

 

There are lots of small railways that have bad carriages but people might say well actually it is a lot betters to try something different. If they turned up and got to go in a wagon it would be much more fun. For short railways this is like Helston and lavenders line. I think it would be silly on the great central or going up and down on a long one. Maybe Bristol if it’s not opening up could let another railway try there wagon out and they’d be amazed how popular it got. And we all know railway need to make money after the covid. The fresh air also means less germs going about the place

 

Can't think why not ......

[Image courtesy talyllyn.co.uk]

 

I suspect the reference is more to the 'linear scrapyard' than to MKIs in particular. Fascinating to us lot, less so to Mr & Mrs J. Public, who, where we see history and potential, merely see a ruddy mess!

 

And yet a linear scrapyard is a near inevitability if you choose to prioritise rebuilding ancient coaches which necessarily take longer to restore, unless you are lucky enough to have somewhere offsite to store them. If they'd been scrapped to tidy the place up then there's be even less to restore. It's just Paul's particular brand of absolutism and inconsistency that really gets on my wick!

 

Having had my one and, so far, only ride in one of the BHR open wagons in the pouring rain I can see some disadvantages! I also rather enjoyed it, and whenever possible I head for the open coaches on the Welsh Narrow Gauge (which at least do have a roof), whatever the weather. Fresh air, clear views for photography, and interestingly not normally crowded*. And that is an important observation, as most passengers, when given the choice, seem to prefer comfortable seats, something to keep the wind and rain out, and not finding themselves having to deal with soot etc. Not everybody, it seems is as weird as me!

*By the same token if there is no open coach on the F&WHR available but a compartment "lock-up" is, I'll go for the hard wooden seats in one of those as they are often quite empty and you can get a compartment to yourself - again making photography easier, swapping side etc.

Steve B

 

Already happened on the Great Central...

 

they also offered caravans as another variant, Scum class anyone? ( complete with outside toilet)

 

Here you go again, putting words into other peoples mouths . It was the comment to the effect that the use of open wagonry would reduce the need to clean or maintain the rolling stock which concerned me.

 

I remember riding in open wagons at Hollycombe when their standard gauge line was open. Perfect for that purchase, shunting backwards and forwards along a few hundred yards of track. Much like Bristol Harbour. However for a preserved line of any more substantial length, a bit more passenger comfort and protection from the elements is required.

Anyway back to the IOWSR. Are there any plans in place for reopening following this week’s announcements from Boris?

 

The railway will run its first trains on Monday 12th April.

 

Not forgetting when the Rocket replica worked a few years ago - third was distinctly wagon like

 

Call me weird (which I freely admit!), but rooting around yards, in days of yore, was always endlessly fascinating to me - e.g. the scattered remains at Penhall Road tramageddon (Charlton) and a couple of dead industrial lines weren't far from my home turf growing up -but that's just me. Even at Blodge, the days of ferreting around in the long grass of Glan-y-Mor are well and truly over. For better or for worse, that's progress for you.

I think on here, we've reached some sort of consensus that decent storage, at very least tidily tarp'd and off the deck, is infinitely better than left in the open on pretty much any and all available space along the running line. With too many sad cases of vandalism, keeping stored kit secure pending eventual restoration has to be a serious consideration, which also mitigates against leaving assets open to the mindless attentions of what are classed as petty criminals.

On MKIs, to me, whilst lacking the quaint charm of panelled stock, they represent the last of a proud steam age lineage and I draw a distinct line between fully restored earlier examples, which can look stunning and those (generally of necessity) where only a coat of paint - if that - differentiates later examples from their last 'big railway' service, though noting, properly turned out, their later condition is fully appropriate to those lines running 1st gen diesels, just that's not my bag. On a line like the IWSR, even if they'd fit, they'd be howlingly out of place, but seen from the A31, there are few finer sights than an RBP with a rake of green MKIs in tow ... excepting an unrebuilt example with a Bulleid set! Horses for courses.

So, hey, let's all live and let live. If we all agreed on everything neither our movement nor this forum would be the vibrant and eclectic wonders they are .... and long may that remain the case!

 

In many cases Preserved railways did not have the facilities, or often the time to turn out pre-grouping stock, For many, A mk 1 would have been purchased straight out of BR service , still in running condition, needing only a coat of paint and a clean, some didn't even get that, coaches were often replaced with another freshly withdrawn one, until the supply dried up, and railways had to invest in their now tatty coaching stock,
For many lines any big four, or pre grouping coaches that became available were x departmental stock, with interiors missing, and compared with a Mk1, that was complete, the priority would have been the Mk1, only once workshop space and facilities improved was it possible to start to turn to the older stock, Even the IOWSR, had to lay up its SECR coaches because they had deteriorated beyond easy repairs,

 

We are only just getting the nice coaches now. The beaver coach is now on steam railway as it’s just finished. I dont know what happened to the other one as it was all red. I think this is a different one that they have done in blue. But it is good now these are coming out

 

WTF was all that ? someone really needs to think before they post, it makes no sence what so ever , whats the Beaver coach? red, then blue, ? i am just totally confused .

 

I know close to bugger all about the beaver tail coaches, and I can still understand city of Truro’s post. There are two, one 1729 is blue as recently completed, and a second modified one, 1719, which is on the GCR I think - details at http://www.cs.rhrp.org.uk/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=950

A little empathy would not go amiss. You need to be blind or stupid to not see that a rather different tone needs to be struck sometimes.

Simon

 

Perhaps we should get back to discussing the Isle of Wight Steam Railway............?
Ray.