West Somerset Railway General Discussion

We have managed it on a few occasions but I suspect less than 50% of our "quick repaints" remain as such!

 

"repaints" "deep clean" "thorough clean" "overhaul"

The great thing about semantics are they offer so many possible views, understandings, interpretations and oppurtunities for National Preservation discussion.

My understanding of the apparent current challenge on our Railway (WSR): A support organisation offers to repaint a Mark 1. 'Ops' at the time of the offer cannot spare a carriage from service

Michael Rowe

 

Another challenge is that it is always the same teams or individuals who are prepared to roll their sleeves up.

 

Unfortunately not everyone has the same hobbies, ideals, abilities, health or where-with-all as yourselves.

DJB.

 

It was the same as far as I'm concerned in the transport business . Do the minimum just to keep the tractor / trailer on the road , always legal and the other jobs that could wait would get done when more time was available .

 

Also some don't live so conveniently .

 

A well painted Mk1 is what the customer first sees .

 

Deleted

 

You've obviously not approached the railway from the Bishops Lydeard main car park then. (I know some but not all of the problems at Bishops Lydeard are not within the control of the railway.)

 

It can be hard for we regulars to view the Railway as our visitors do. I usually park by the Signal Box and don’t travel, for obvious reasons.

What is your perception of the visitor experience, Anne?

Robin

 

My experience of parking at Bishop’s Lydeard is, sadly, poor. I feed through an industrial estate, drive straight at a parked carriage, then turn into a so-so car park. I now know the way so the signage doesn’t bother me overmuch, but the first time had me doubting myself. I the walk past a grotty loo block, cross a road, and into the station. At which point the preserved railway experience starts.

My last visit was in May, so I apologise if improvements have been made since and not represented properly.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Are you looking for the preserved experience to start as you turn off the A358? There’s not much that can be done about the industrial/trading estate but the access road is reasonable through it. Then you come across a parked carriage. Where was this, in the road? Or parked on a railway line behind a gate or fence where you would expect to find rolling stock. The loos aren’t the best but I don’t give it much notice when I pass as I’m looking more over towards the station. It’s not the best approach to a preserved railway but it’s not the worst. Perhaps it might be better to say how you would like it to be, considering the restrictions of the site.

 

Anne , Myself like many others do approach the WSR from the BL end only varying when I've stayed in Watchet or Minehead . The attraction to BL is because like many others that is the direction that we approach The WSR . Other benefits are free car parking and public toilets that I mostly make use of before I get to the station , I know they aren't as good as we would like to see as they were a municipal build but they are in the main kept clean and they do have a roof . Not ideal I know but TBH my eyes are normally down on the station to see what is going on down there or if there is anyone I know . I bet the Plc were very happy for the council to provide them when they did . I might be wrong but I'm sure I will be put right if I'm not but the car park was provided free also the toilets for which the Plc must have been very grateful . As I said earlier , I'm looking out at the station , the appearance of the rolling stock doesn't matter to me once on board and climbing up to CH . I'm just comparing the QB set to the MK1's of the WSR . I know the QB set have been painted in some cases more recently than the service sets but I do think it might have been better quality paint used on the QB set .

 

Last I heard most WSR coaches were painted in a "funny" paint, i.e. not one used by anyone else that gave a slightly duller look, can't remember the reasoning. The QB coaches were indeed painted very well, and if they were done in a proper livery would look even better (even proper Pullman, whilst inauthentic, would look better than the current, although I appreciate that was under the tenure of the X6).

 

Keep up at the back as the PLC are looking into buying the carpark/toilets from TDBC see page 7 under 3.4 which Ian Coleby had put on this site.

 

Funnily enough I had just read that .

 

To my eyes it just looks like cheap paint that has faded in the sun . Like some red cars of the 70s and 80s .

 

Yes, the carriage is parked behind a fence - not the middle of the road

However, my description is based on my experience driving in, cold and unvarnished, as I saw it. As an enthusiast with a soft spot for the WSR, I discount much of that in practice. Many may not be so generous.

What would I do? As quick wins, I'd make the entrance to WSR land more obvious and welcoming, just to reinforce the idea that a visitor is in the right place, and I'd do something about that loo block (yes, I know thanks to @Yorkshireman's posts that it is a Taunton Deane responsibility). Both would make a difference.

When I'm next that way (May), I'll try to remember to take another look.

 

As I will next time I am there.

 

Good news - but the condition matters more than the ownership.