West Somerset Railway General Discussion

I think you may have misunderstood what WSR C+W actually do. Most Mk1s that have toilets have to opposite each other. Usually on a 7-coach train you end up with more toilets than you need, which requires more maintenance. Rather lazily, I must admit, we just put OOU signs on some to keep maintenance down, but the WSR replace some of their loos with buggy space, as we have with one of our coaches so far. You still have plenty of toilets as you had too many in the first place in all likelihood, but you also have space for buggies. I think it's an excellent idea.

Adapting normal passenger coaches for wheelchair use I feel is better than using the guards van if possible, for the reasons WSW described, and also the fact that they are isolated from other passengers. I know the WSR has done this sort of thing, but I haven't seen it so I'm not familiar with its layout. This is what we've done (picture from our blog, not mine):



This is a second open. You can see the double doors for the vestibule, both sides also have double doors as with the guards van and the tables are removable and can neatly be put away in a special storage area in the corner of the vestibule behind the double doors. This way disabled passengers aren't isolated from the rest of the train.

 

It worked the other way for me, Now I know how to wield a paint brush in the workshop I get given all the painting jobs in the house. On the plus side it's improved my painting on railway models too.

 

It was not a special day for bikes, as far as I know. Quite a lot of people who use heritage railways make single journeys or spend time at the other terminus or intermediate stations.

Over the last forty odd years, we often travelled in the van on most heritage railways visited. It was that or no trip. And we were grateful to those railways who at least provided some way for us to travel. Things are changing for the better and we are extremely thankful to those heritage railways who have spent time and money improving the accommodation on the trains to help give people like us the chance to experience the trip in a manner as closely as possible to everyone else.

The WSR's efforts - carried out by the hard-pressed C&W team at Minehead - are extremely welcome and with another converted vehicle about to be put into service it should now be possible to expect good accommodation on any WSR train.

Steve

 

Thank you for explaining the goings on of WSR C+W Peter. It seems to me that Williton workshops would be an excellent place to get coaches through a quick repaint once current difficulties are sorted out and the review has made its recommendations. I seem to remember raising an eyebrow at the time when I think PCz defended Williton saying they had "an excellent reputation for painting" but quality of painting is all to do with the people; so if there's a good team and it ends up being under PLC control I think that would be an excellent use of resources.

It's an interesting view that they ought to look in need of some pant. I can see that you might use that currently, but surely in an ideal world you'd want them looking nice and shiny? In our main chocolate and cream rake we have just one coach that looks like an average coach on the WSR, and it's coming out in the close season for a repaint. As for the CCT and van, I take your point. We like to keep our freight train in that sort of condition, as glinting wagons trundling along don't look right. However our display vehicles at Winchcombe are treated entirely differently and kept as clean and fresh as possible to make a good impression. I don't think the travelling public wll understand your view and just see it as the rolling stock is rather uncared for.

 

Here's a link to a photo of one of the WSR's accessible coaches.
http://www.wsr.org.uk/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?h=Picture search&q=4884

This view shows the 'opposite direction' view together with a very distinguished passenger who just happened to be on holiday in the area at the time!

http://www.wsr.org.uk/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?h=August 2014&t=newspix201408

 

Barrie, why not make it fit for purpose to provide more covers enabling the meals to be a more sensible price.

Dennis.

 

I would like to see it used as a spare to strengthen sets at galas. It would not be a lot of use as the main brake vehicle in a set as it has an even smaller luggage area than the BSOs so would accommodate very few buggies and wheelchairs in comparison, but could provide just that little extra space when needed! I suspect that the reason it is not used at present is down to the PLC and WSRA not agreeing on its use, but as Pete said, we won't go into that here!

 

Try the permalink instead ;-) http://www.wsr.org.uk/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?h=Snapshot&p=2014/08/226

Steve

 

That is the style of the one I have traveled in many times. It works very well most of the time. The signs make it clear that priority is to be given to disabled passengers. On one occasion it was filled with buggies and children and the guard politely asked them to move so that two more wheelchair passengers could use it. One woman gave him some lip but was, again very politely, told that the train would not leave until they did move. He subsequently told me that he had once had to explain to another similar group that they would be removed from the train if they did not move but he hoped he never had to do so and generally people were very cooperative.

 

M

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We get quite a lot of bikes on the WSR, mostly on single journeys.
The guards van can get full quite quickly with bike and buggies so the extra space where we have removed the one toilet is really usefull.
As has been stated on the thread it cuts down maintenance and you really only need one toilet per coach so its a good cheep way of making extra space!
Robin F.

 

I've often thought that a vehicle like a "Fruit D" would make be excellent for bicycles/pushchairs etc if properly fitted out. Such vans are vac braked & steam heat piped making them fine for attaching to passenger trains. Some French lines put a similar vehicle next to the loco for this purpose.

 

Don't the NNR do exactly that?

 

As well as providing some authentic variety to the train it would also give these vehicles a role and justify maintaining them

 

Hello,
Perfectly good example of a bike coach is sitting on the linear scrap yard at Dunster.
Does need some TLC ,funds available!
Vac braked and gangwayed.!
And Authentic!
And GWR!


Nick

 

Nick

If you mean that nice Siphon you could get the whole Tour de France in that! - its a bit big for what I was suggesting as it adds too much weight/length to everyday workings. It looks a good vehicle though although TLC is urgently needed if it is to survive.

 

And you'd need at least three of 'em to ensure the facility is always available! Actually, the WSR Plc has the right idea by improving the accommodation within the passenger areas. That gives an experience for the wheelchair user on a par to everyone else - and - it releases space in the van for bikes and buggies.

If I recall, the Siphon was hauled around the line in the early 1980s, once used as a dance-hall-on-rails!

Steve

 

In addition to 2857, 7812 has been added.
Maybe the theme has changed to "Severn Valley Railway comes to Somerset"?