WSR 2011 Autumn Gala 29 September - 2 October

Certainly could! Just seen that I'm booked on her Thursday. Looking forward to it.
Also breakfast & dining facillities on certain services! Could they have been listening to critisism of past gala's!

 

Not so, I bought a two day senior rover at BL for the 2011 SSG, I think for £28. I was advised by the booking clerk that it would be best to buy on line. If I did the same for this ASG it would cost me £47, ie twice the senior rover day rate of £23.50. Correction to this para after looking at my bank statements, two senior rovers and a WTT cost me £41.

I do think that the railways, not just the WSR, should have a care about their pricing; unemployment is rising, those in work are having to accept pay freezes, and pensioners - like myself - are finding that the 'official' indices of inflation do not reflect the actual rises in inflation as it affects them which is because those on lower incomes spend a greater proportion of that income on food, domestic power and petrol than those on the average income.

Regards

 

Is the railway going to do a test with seven? I would have thought that five was more like it! This isn't because I feel the engine is 'rubbish' or anything like that, it's just that it has a small boiler. 'City of Truro' stalled when it visited and this was due to it being overloaded, nobody wants a repetition of that incident.

Regards

 

Be interesting to see how Jim gets on with her on Thursday - I will be keeping an eye out to see what happens?
Are you with her all day Jim - might try and catch and word if in the right place at the right time!! DH

 

I guess the WSR wants as much cash as possible. I'm a senior and wouldn't dream of asking for discounts at any heritage railway. In fact I was offered a discount at the Swanage, not because of my age but because I was wearing a wsr.org.uk shirt. I declined because the Swanage needs every penny it can get, especially from enthusiasts like us who want (I assume) to see heritage railways thrive. I guess ticket prices always go up each year and not just at the WSR.

Steve

 

My recollection was it wasn't the load but the early morning drizzle that did for "Truro" that morning. I agree the same could happen to any other loco (I recall KE1 having problems a few years ago) and I would not expect the CME to agree to the overloading of any loco on the WSR.

That said, my earlier assumption was based on ops notices which suggest the rakes for the N2 will be seven. Like you I'm surprised. But then the Special Events Team do not like coaches to be removed/added during special events (although I note the restaurant car will be?!) so we'll have to watch what happens.

Steve

 

Boiler pressure on the N2 is 160psi; not much margin but apparently (so I've been told by some of the Swanage crews) she will drop back to and then sit around 145/150 psi in second valve. In full first valve she stayed on the red line. Tank water capacity is 2000 gallons. I am also given to understand that she doesn't like a thick fire. You could have an interesting turn on Thursday Jim!

 

All guest locos and stock have arrived.

Steve

 

We wiped an oily rag over the N2 today (actually we gave it a wash before anybody panics). She looks good sat down on the seafront at Minehead with Braunton. More cleaning on Monday (having a day off tomorrow).

 

Interesting! My 1955 Combined Volume gives the boiler pressure as 170lb. While I wouldn't want to contradict Nigel, can anyone say that Ian Allen were right in 1955?

Regards

 

Advance tickets are on sale by phone on 01643 704996 (9am - 4pm) and online at http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/section.php?xSec=34&xPage=1. Online sales close at 9am on Monday 26th September and telephone bookings close at 4pm on Sunday 25th September.

Steve

 

Any info on the DMU working from Minehead to Bishops Lydeard on the monday? I can see no info on the web or in the programme that came through the other day.

 

The Green Timetable http://wsr.org.uk/cgi-bin/tt.cgi?t=green2011 will be operating on Monday 3 October so several departures to choose from.

EDIT: Just noticed in the Ops Notice - there is a DMU dep Minehead at 9.30am, stopping to pick-up as required, arr Bishops Lydeard 10.55am. Hope this helps.

Steve

 

Am on her just one run to MD Thurs afternoon, after swapping from Manston, not got the details in front of me. Any engine is alright when you get yoused to it, I expect the drivers on the Kings Cross suburbans would'nt have swapped them, & would have regarded any new engine as 'inferior'.
Nice to have something a bit different.

 

Cheers for that.

 

We're hoping for lots of photos of Manston to be entered for the SLL 2011 Photo Competition:

http://www.southern-locomotives.co.uk/News/news.html

 

Braunton has now arrived at The Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust Museum at Washford Station for display in light steam throughout the Gala.

 

Will it be doing any shunting or is it just going to stand there looking macho?

 

Can anyone tell me what Manston's first train is on Sunday please? I'll buy a roster when I get there but I want to know what end to drive to and what time for!

Ta!

 

"The locomotive will be in light steam and may give shunting demonstrations with some of the Trust's own rolling stock in the yard."
from http://www.sdrt.org.uk/news/article.php?article=103

Steve