LSL Wales and South West Explorer

Passing Bucknell yesterday.
I wish people would lay off Mr Hosking over his politics. Railway preservation, and railways generally need all the financial and political support they can get at present. I for one am very grateful to him

 

At the risk of being controversial and focussing on the rolling stock rather than politics - does anyone know what the sixth carriage from the front was?

It rather stands out from all the others as it has flat slab-sides rather than the curved out body shape of the surrounding (and most other) carriages.
The doors were set back from the body side rather than being flush as you usually find on carriages as well. It did have something written on the side (below "Pullman"), but it's blurred and unreadable (to me).

 

I dont think he has.. looking at aerial view the black fence goes up to start of ramp so right side of fence.
Just a thought though is the guy on the crossing wrong side? I know its a foot crossing but thought you arent supposed to linger on the crossing which it looks like he is.... I have wondered this for a while as Ive filmed from a similar position and never knew if I was doing right.

 

Not really for those resident in Wales:
"Are there travel restrictions in place in Wales?

There are no travel restrictions in place within Wales. However, we are asking everyone to think carefully about the journeys they take and the people they meet. We should all think carefully about where we go and who we meet because the more places we go and the more people we meet, the greater the chances there are of catching coronavirus. In particular, it is also sensible to avoid travelling to and from areas with a higher incidence rate if you can."
<clicky>

Of course where I'd agree is that Wales are asking people to think carefully before making journeys and coming into contact with others - which is entirely reasonable. A group of people all independantly deciding to go to the same bridge, platform, footcrossing etc. to see a train isn't exactly going to help stop transmission as people all crowd together. Given that there were two mid-week 'route learning' steam hauled trips last week, I also think the timing could have been better than planning this all across public bank holidays when there will be a lot of people sat around with not much on and both Governements saying there's no requirement to stay at home.

Anyway, as a moderator I'm surprised you're engaging in this discussion here in this thread rather than transferring (nearly) all of the messages that relate to politics, Covid-19 and restrictions/recommendations to the alternative thread in the private members only.

 

It’s a Pullman but I don’t know which one.

 

That rather depends exactly where the gate/style is. There are some crossings where you don't have sight of the line to see if it's clear to cross or not until you're about trackside. Having reached that position to see there's a train approaching you would end up waiting where you are, not turn around and walk all the way back again.

In this case the chap is stood with a camera, it's fairly clear he was 'lingering' and not happening to wait to cross. But equally he is stood behind the sign that instructs to "Stop Look Listen Beware of trains", facing the oncoming train so the crew can see he's aware of the approaching train, on the line of the path not off it, whilst being largely inline with the fencing along the edge of the property.

If you happen to use the footpath crossing the line by Chirk viaduct then the style onto railway property is quite some distance from the line and without a clear view of it, therefore you are "wrong side" for a long time and only able to see whether it is safe to cross once you actually reach the trackside and can then see along the viaduct - in that instance there is a timber fence guiding you from the style to the actually crossing position, but once you're in that location there's nothing further stopping you walking out onto the track.

[Edit: Of course the 'public right of way' is just that, and there is no right to 'linger' on any footpath. Someone so doing could concievably be charged with obstruction of a public right of way. On that basis there's no difference someone standing on the public right of way alongside a railway footcrossing and someone standing on the footpath in the field alongside the railway property. If they're 'lingering' then they could be guilty of obstruction in either location]

 

One steam run after a complete dearth of them this year and you're all squabbling about something that is a side issue and getting all hot and bothered. Surely these semantics should have their own thread so those who have in interest in the running of the trains is can discuss that. Politics and sniping at individuals is for another place.

 

Don't take it personally, if someone says something that is demonstrably not true then I may well highlight the fact with evidence to support that position.

Whilst obviously moderators are entitled to personal opinions, in this instance the moderators have already stepped in to state that discussion related to Covid-19, legal restrictions and government recommendations is off topic for this thread - thus against the forum rules. Despite that you (and in fairness other moderators) are actively engaging in conversation that the moderation team have stated is not permitted in this thread.

As I understood it, the comments regarding great crowds of people at Llandrindod and the trespass incidents all took place on the Welsh side of the border, so I didn't think it unreasonable to assume your remarks questioning the justification of people to go out should also relate to the Welsh side of the border. My own comments and experiences on the English side suggested numbers were about what you might expect to see in the locations in question, which are usually populated by people who live in the local area.

 

Whatever your views about moderators at least you are allowed to to have a discussion if they disagree with you, and yes things may get at time relocated to a more appropriate thread. But opposing views are allowed.
On a different rail thread I had a post removed last weekend because it did not mirror an administrators anti lockdown views and I was accused (on a personal message) of spreading false information and being an anti vaxer because I stated I wanted to wait until my 2nd jab before doing much.
So be grateful for what you have on here.

 

His politics are his politics; my comments relate to the way in which his business chooses to interpret the law. I have no doubt that this operation was legally defensible; my question is whether it was within the spirit of the law and hence of what that says about the way the business works.

There is a different debate to be had about the relationship between operators and trespass; i hesitate to draw any conclusions without knowledge of the level of railway knowledge of those trespassing. However, and unfortunately, the fact of significant trespass will in and of itself have an impact on the reputation of heritage railway operation, and affect our hobby regardless of whether we’re implicated. That alone makes this newsworthy.


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I was the first to arrive at Bucknell so I can answer these questions.
The crossing where the young man can be seen starts from the road which runs parallel to the railway to the south of the station buildings and crosses towards the village to the north. He got there from the public footpath. He was the wrong side of the fence (but well back from the tracks causing no real trouble) and got glares from the crew of both locos. I saw no one else trespassing on the railway.
I, and two other fellows, were just platform side of the no trespassing on the railway sign. We were wearing masks.

 

I notice two LS workings on RTT: Pengam to Newport, which departed an hour early at 15.45:
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/14567/2021-04-03/detailed
And this one to Crewe:
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/14571/2021-04-03/detailed
Strangely, the latter was scheduled to leave Newport before the former arrived but the early running of the first could change that. Maybe the Black 5 and 20 returning home?

 

I think I would be lingering at the crossing if there was a Black 5 bearing down on me! I had a conversation about this with a jobsworth on a heritage line a couple of years ago. Strictly speaking it was illegal for me to stand by the crossing but legal to walk backwards and forwards over it. Common sense seems to be a commodity in short supply with a lot of people

 

The change of traction from 20 to pair of 37s was at Newport station after the 37s were stabled overnight at Pengam, the 20 then runs light to Crewe. Not my gen but the steam loco has been reported to be only moveable out of Llandeilo by road and not until 12th April.

 

Thanks for the info. I'll go and see it anyway, a sparkling green 20 isn't an everyday sight!
My "Like" was really a Thank You!
By the way, I suppose the ambiguous "Like" is in the forum's template and can't be changed? I do think "Thank" would be a better word and cause less misunderstanding and occasional offence...

 

Seems to me that some around here would get offended no matter what the felicitation was