West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Is there any other explanation for why something whose need was known so long in advance has taken so long to actually get started?

 

Behold, new material to disect! https://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/news/detail/the-platform-newsletter-march-2021

On the whole, it presents a positive image of the railway, which is encouraging. There was not a single "dig" at past events which was refreshing. Let's hope that that in itself won't be worthy of note one day!
I see the WSR will soon have some HR policies again, so that's good. Hopefully no more volunteers will be unceremoniously chucked out from now on. A pity it took so long and was too late for some.
Meanwhile the Plc revolving door boardroom continues to live up to its name...

Some constructive suggestions for improvement @FrankC , some words from the WSRHT wouldn't go amiss, and it would be desirable for the newsletter on the website not to simply be a series of images, not least because all the hyperlinks don't work, and nor can you copy/paste them. Also, if you click on "Newsletters" on the WSR website, the only thing that shows up is one from 2017, it would be good if all the more recent newsletters could be found there, as they're all still in the general "news" stream but just harder to find.

 

I echo those sentiments - and on the format, I commend to @FrankC that the newsletter is either published as a downloadable PDF, or in properly web native form. The current scanned in format doesn't do justice to the content.

 

The points about publication are well made, and we’ll have some discussions about how we can do better. So far as news about the WSRHT is concerned, that was entirely the fault of the editor, who has received a reprimand, and lost a week’s pay.

 

Very refreshing. Let's hope that prediction comes true as it will be evidence of a developing maturity. Petty retributions would only serve to make those responsible look childish.

Onwards and upwards.

 

Should be interesting how the travel between BL to Wll can be marketed and at what cost.
I will not be holding my breath.

 

The WSRA section says "Focus now turns to the administration of the (DCMS) grant". If that's the grant under which the work must be complete by the end of this month, that seems to be leaving it very late. But this whole section may all be old news, as it also says "The matter of the sale of Promotions is now concluded", which I thought happened some time ago.

 

Under "Business Development" it states:
”at the end of January 2021, £430,000 of the £865,000 grant had been committed/spent. The submission for the next 40% of the grant went in on 12th February.”
If they can claim against committed costs, they have a fair chance of getting all the money by the end of the month. The money will only have to leave the DCMS coffers by the end of the financial year and the DCMS have to be satisfied that it will be spent on what it is supposed to be spent on. It doesn't look as if DCMS want to see actual invoices.

 

I took that to refer to the payment to the WSRA for Promotions, about which there was some problem, the details of which I have mercifully forgotten.

Noel

 

That was also my recollection, but I thought the problem had been finally resolved a few months ago, not very recently.

 

Re Cultural Recovery Grant, it's all received wisdom but I'm aware of another which has received instalment 2. It is preparing documentation for to claim (so it was explained to me) the remaining, 3rd instalment by 31st March.

Patrick

 

One new idea could be to get a train to run around the triangle as this would make an ingesting feature for people to come and have a go on. I found it interesting as you arrive a different way looking than when you left. It would mean there’s more to do without going to minehead as this is where people really want to go. More tricks would be thought up to make them stay at bishops Lydard and spend more money on the line

 

That might be do-able, but need some effort. The triangle is not signalled or passed for passenger working, so there would be a need for competent hand-signalmen to clip/unclip each of the sets of points every time a train passed around it.

 

That could be part of the experience.

 

Maybe, but it will also add to the manpower which will need to be rostered.

 

The south chord (on the Barnstaple line) is used for brake van rides during the WSRA Steam Rally. In 2019 Andrew Barclay 1219 was used for this. During a gala a few years back (sorry, can't remember which one) an auto service was run from BL to Barnstaple Junction and then along the Barnstaple line to the west end using (I think) 5542. It came back the same way as, apparently, the curvature on the west chord is too tight for passenger stock.

 

The points get clipped on the south chord when the brake van rides are running so its (as I would describe) a train on its own separate line, so hand signalling isn't necessary. Theres probably a more railway operational term to that!

Theres a few photos of mainline locos and support coaches running round the west chord, so it doubt that it would be an issue for a loco and autocoach. Probably the reason for only running along the West chord is as Railwest described, manpower. Otherwise you will be clipping and unclipping a few number of points over quite a large area, which will probably mean a 'quick trip' around the triangle turns into quite a long ordeal.

Might be a good idea and achievable man power wise for the odd special here and there?

 

With the railway operating only as far as Williton, has any thought been given to operating to NF to give more of a trip, as it is normally not regularly used for passenger use, only special occations, and turning movements, is the section currently passed for passenger trains?

 

Don't forget that Bishop's Lydeard to Williton is still a good 10 miles or so, equal or more than plenty of other heritage railways! I can't see running to NF being of much interest to anyone except track bashers really.