WSR Spring Steam Gala, 20-21 & 25-28 March 2010

a copy of the souvenir programme arrived this morning, very easy to understand which way the loco's are and when they turn, much better then last year's timetable.
mark

 

In answer to Steamboat Bill, the two Britannias were fitted with air brake equipment for tests with freight stock out of Toton. Not sure of the exact dates but mid 50's
DH

 

Thanks for that; I think they must have been fitted almost as soon as they were built, but it reminds me of an incident when I was a passed cleaner at Crewe South.

The Brit had a disastrous engine brake (steam brake), and one day I was taken off cleaning and put on a class 7 freight (unfitted) from Crewe to Wigan (Bamfurlong sidings). We approached Bamfurlong box at no great speed, with the signal obstinately at red, doing everything we could think of to stop the train, but our Brit was having none of it. Finally we undershot the signal, positioned against a road overbridge, still red, at about six mph and there was the bobby looking rather surprised out of the box which was directly behind the overbridge, and on looking back, Driver Ellerton and I saw that the bobby had obviously pulled off as we were under the signal. His surprise must have been that we were moving so fast already!

So... another SPAD, technically, but one which evidently never got reported. Presumably even the track circuits didn't register it either, but what the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over, so they say!

Today, of course, with electronics, you'd never get away with something like that. But in those days....

The Brits and the 9s both suffered from these awful steam brakes, and if you were working a train without a fitted head, well, you knew what might happen.

 

70043 Lord Kitchener and 70044 Earl Haig were the two fitted with Westinghouse pumps in when built in 1953, preventing the fitting of smoke deflectors. Air brake trials were completed in 1954, but the locomotives continued to feature the air pumps until they were finally removed in April 1957. Nothing I have consulted seems to explain why they weren't removed sooner.

 

Thanks, BP; I wonder then if anyone can say whether these brakes were more effective if used as an engine brake on UNfitted trains - any retired drivers / firemen out there who worked on them when fitted with the air-brakes? Of course, it's not likely they were commonly used on class 7 freight trains then - they were generally recognised as passenger engines after all, despite this little experiment!

 

The engine and tender had steam brakes, not air brakes. The steam brakes on the Britannias were not regarded as being particularly good compared with other classes. During the trials on air braked mineral trains, the train tended to stop the engine rather than the other way around.

Of course with no Britannias present at the WSR gala, this will not be an issue (trying to get back on topic !). The 9Fs were much better.

David

 

I wonder if we now have the final line-up? The website still seems to be holding out for a last-minute change...

 

I know that 'gwr4090' is trying to get back on topic - sorry - but what caused the weakness in the Britannia's brakes? As a mixed traffic engine it could be expected that it would haul unfitted trains, so why - please!

Regards

 

I reckon that's it. But I gather on-train brekkie is now available on the first Sunday (only). That'll please a few, for sure.

Steve
(WSW)

 

The MT classification doesn't necessarily mean that it would be used on unfitted trains, but Britannias were used on partiallly/fully fitted express freights. The weak brakes could be down to a number of factors, eg undersized steam cylindetrs, design of break linkage, position and size of brake blocks etc. The brake force was only 53% of the working weight.

David

 

The familiar Quantock Belle Full English Breakfast will be available on the 0900 Bishops Lydeard-Minehead (rear coach) and 1100 Minehead-Bishops Lydeard (front coach) on Sunday 21st March ONLY. No advance bookings, just turn up.

The QB ‘Standard’ Breakfast £6.50
Orange or Grapefruit Juice
Egg, Bacon, Sausages, Tomatoes and Baked Beans
Toast and Marmalade
Tea or Coffee with a complimentary refill
Bury Black Pudding extra 50p

We really need to make a success of this operation and hope you will be able to come and support us on Sunday.

Barrie

 

Well, here we are a couple of days away from the start of the Gala. Looking back, it seems rather disappointing that the bold plan has been watered down considerably. No worries, really. Still quite a line up for the six day event - nos 92203, 92212, 6024, 71000, 34046, 80104, 78019, 5553 and 4160. Interest in the event seems fairly good, judging by high numbers of advance rover ticket sales and an increase in website hits. I've made a "Gala build up" picture page on www.wsr.org.uk showing locos arriving and in use on the line already.

Now if only the weather would behave - it looks like March is going out like a lion (hopefully with a few lambs at times).

Maybe see some of you down there?

Steve
(WSW)

 

Will be on WSR the 2 weekends, looking forward to seeing and riding behind 71000, 92212, 92203, Braunton and the King.

 

Really looking forward to visiting the WSR over the next couple of weekends.

I have been looking at the WSR website, and noticed a couple of piccys of 5553 taken 'near Teddy Bear Crossing' - can anyone tell me where this is?

Thanks in advance.

 

It's south of Williton, just before the line passes Castle Hill when heading towards Taunton.

If you go to http://www.wsr.org.uk/wn.htm and scroll down to the station location map, it's roughly where the 09 vertical gridline crosses the railway.

 

You can get to the crossing by a public footpath which runs from Williton village to the A358.

Regards

 

Any idea on how much an Adult and Child return from BL-Watchet/Washford/BA at gala rates would be?

 

Does anyone know if there will be any frieght action on the 20th?

If so does anyone know the times? i always seam to miss it

Lets hope the rain doesnt spoil it all either...

Thanks

Helix

 

1042 off Minehead to Dunster and 1545 return, both with 5553.