West Somerset Railway General Discussion

I will pass your comments onto the person who looks after the CH webcam - you may be right, I am afraid its all greek to me!

 

Does the vintage bus link to Dunster still run?

 

Tread carefully. The project was the cause of much ill feeling culminating in legal action.

 

Que?

 

The WSR stopped funding the Dunster Station to Dunster Castle Bank Holiday vintage bus service in in either 2010 or 2011. Dunster Station were able to provide funding for the service in 2013 and although it has not run in 2014 or 2015 there is just a possibility it may be back next year. much depends on the availability of volunteer drivers as, of course, we are all getting older!

 

Another disappointing trip to West Somerset for me yesterday. The railway was fine, but the no 28 bus failed to turn up at Bishops Lydeard to take us back to Taunton at 1706. As a consequence we missed our booked train back to Bristol and had to wait until 1850 for the next one.

I really want to be able to use the WSR as a viable and unstressed car free day out, but this is the second time this year I've ended up feeling very much the poor relation because of choosing to rely on public transport. There's not even through ticketing of any kind, be it between the bus a train, train and steam line etc.

Until the WSR puts some effort into running regularly to Norton Fitzwarren, where at least there is a reasonable pavement walk or safe cycle route to the centre of Taunton, I won't be coming back.

 

@Kingscross - You need to address your complaint to the bus company. However the commercial office of the railway is probably your next port of call. They will be interested in your bus experience, or lack thereof.
Running to Norton regularly is not on the cards at the moment, for one thing the timetable precludes it and there are also the ballast trains to consider. These still come in quite regularly so Norton is effectively a worksite.
On a point of detail there should have been a service to Bristol at 18.21 although I grant you that it's booked arrival time into Temple Meads is only 3 minutes earlier than the train you caught.
Also there is no safe cycle route. Currently you'd be exposed to the B3227 then the A358 and then the A3038 or the 3027

 

When you do get to Norton Fitzwarren, you would not be able to exit the platform as there is no public access, and you are still 2 or 3 miles from Taunton station and town centre - quite a long walk!

 

The reality is that any form of transport, public or private, can occasionally fail so I am not sure what your point is? Neither a safe cycle route, nor a regular train service to Taunton, not Norton Fitzwaren, is likely for some years if ever.

 

So par for the course then.

 

Nothing whatever to do with WSRA though!

 

GBRailfreight loco 66757 to be named 'West Somerset Railway' at Bishops Lydeard Station on Saturday 26 September 2015 at 10.30am. The loco will then haul the 11.05am service from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead and the 3.25pm from Minehead to Bishops Lydeard. The loco is due to arrive from the main line on Friday.

Steve

 

have you got air braked stock then? because unless i'm wrong 66's are not vacuum brake fitted unless it pilots the train engine

 

Yes, we have 9 dual-braked Mk1 coaches. They were used with the 56 and 59 at the Mixed Traction Gala in June.

 

thanks , i wasnt sure, i knew you has some duel brake stock, but never thought you had an entire rake , or that the air brake was operational on them, just out of interest , do the 56's still retail vacuum gear ?

 

oh, that surprises me still im not a deisel fan, so at least i'm excused i would have expected that at the time the 56's were built, there would have still been some vacuum breaked stock about

 

Interesting to see that the Office of National Statistics league table shows West Somerset as the fourth most happy place to live in the UK. The BBC report the story here.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34336951

 

Regular readers may be interested in some other news. Not content with acquiring rare BR(W) benches and lamp posts for the WSR, Reform Group member Robin White has purchased a Toad brake van which has been delivered to the railway.

Mr Edge's excellent website reports...

"The West Somerset Railway is pleased to announce that a new 'Toad' has come to stay on the Railway. No, not an endangered amphibian but a rare Great Western Railway goods train brake van. All goods vehicle types were given telegraphic code names, and brake vans were called 'toads'. Other names for vehicles included 'bloaters', 'crocodiles' and 'dogfish'! Toad brake van no 114751 has had a long life. It was built in 1934 and ended its main line railway service at Leyton in East London. It was then bought privately and has spent the last twenty years in rural Herefordshire. West Somerset Railway volunteer Robin White has now bought the brake van and it arrived on the Railway on Monday 21 September. Robin and the Railway would be interested to hear of its working life between 1934 and the 1990s if it appears in anyone's photographs - it always carried the same number. West Somerset Railway Chief Mechanical Engineer Andrew Foster said "We are pleased to welcome Toad no 114751 to the WSR family. It is in excellent condition, having been well looked after by its previous owner. After some minor work it will take up duties in our demonstration goods train used for Gala events and driver experience courses. We are grateful to Robin White for acquiring this very useful vehicle and placing it on long term loan to the Railway."

Well done Robin.