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West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by gwr4090, Nov 15, 2007.

  1. mvpeters

    mvpeters Member

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    Sorry, folks, this wasn't a serious suggestion!
     
  2. *8A*

    *8A* New Member

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    Network Rail have I understand decided to remove the requirement to pay for the use of station toilets by sometime in 2019.
     
  3. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Cynical translation: "an awful lot of station loos are going to be vanish".
     
  4. Another Yorkshireman

    Another Yorkshireman Member Friend

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    But it produced some interesting, informative, or amusing replies, so well done for the whimsical idea!
     
  5. gwilialan

    gwilialan Well-Known Member

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    But please... not the "heritage" shiny toilet paper... :eek::Mooning:

    (Mind you, that did used to make good tracing paper...)
     
  6. Aberdare

    Aberdare New Member

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    My thanks to West Somerset Wizard for posting this video of the last 2010 stone train to run to Minehead on Wednesday 22nd December, the train is well known to me but I have not seen the video before.

    What is not commonly known is that this particular train had left Taunton station destined for Minehead 2 days before, only to be abandoned on the bi-directional relief line outside Taunton for 48 hours due to heavy snow. I was the WSR conductor on that snowy Monday morning and the experience was not one that I will quickly forget.

    The weather here presently is appropriate to relate the story.

    I was due to book on at Bishops Lydeard early on Monday 20th December. The weather forecast on the Sunday morning was not good with a heavy bank of snow expected next day. In anticipation I packed the car with the usual emergency equipment in addition to all of the railway kit that I would normally require. I moved my car from home down the hill and parked it in the centre of Minehead to avoid being trapped at home next morning. My car was not 4 wheel drive and the roads around North Hill in Minehead are steep in places, narrow and never gritted or cleared.

    Next morning around 5am I left home to start my short walk to the car, frost was on the ground and it was just beginning to snow, by the time I reached the car there was a thin layer of settling snow on the ground and the air was still. My 20 mile drive to Bishops Lydeard was uneventful as the main roads had been gritted and there was very little traffic around. At Bishops Lydeard signal box I picked up the Bishops Lydeard to Norton Fitzwarren token and made the appropriate entry in the train register. By now it was beginning to snow harder but I reached Taunton station ok, parked the car and made my way to platform 2 where the stone train was waiting. All trains to/from the WSR must be routed via platform 2 and the bi-directional relief line as this is the only route permitted by the signalling system.

    I contacted the signaller at Exeter panel box and inserted the token into the instrument on the platform which allowed the signaller to route a train from Network Rail onto the WSR. The signaller advised me that there were problems further into the south west and trains were being held due to frozen points at Cowley Bridge Junction (near Exeter). I boarded locomotive 66018 and introduced myself to the driver. By now it was around 06:15 and snowing heavily, those large chunky flakes that drift slowly to the ground. Exeter panel contacted the driver to let him know that we would be held for 20 minutes where we were, during this wait an HST passed us on the down main after which we were permitted to proceed the approx 1½ miles down to the junction at Silk Mills. The bi-directional relief joins the down main at Silk Mills, trains can then cross to the up main and then run on to what was the up relief which now forms an end on connection with the WSR ¼ mile further on.

    We were held at signal E624 at the end of the relief, and the signaller advised that were would likely be held for 40 minutes, another HST passed on the down main and a couple on the up. I later found out that one of these trains on the up was an ECS HST that had come down Wellington Bank with the brakes only operable on the leading power car due to freezing in the brake pipe, it just managed to stop at Taunton for attention. As each train passed I watched the snow cover the rail heads only to be cleared and build up again, by now we were in full whiteout and the west of England main line looked as flat as a bowling green with no sight of any rails.

    The Signaller was on the phone again to report that the trap points ahead of us were frozen “could the driver go and look at them, and in view of the conditions would I accompany him. The down main is blocked but the up main is still open”. By now it was light, the snow was around 12” deep, we only had a short walk to the trap points but we lost sight of our locomotive after only about 50 yards, only the lights penetrating the snow flakes. Even with mainline PTS training I was well outside my comfort zone as we watched the point motor trying to move the blades against the snow, an open 100mph line only yards away across a smooth bed of snow with little to show where it actually was.

    The situation was hopeless and we retreated to the comfort of the cab on the locomotive to await a gang with de-icing equipment. After a while, during which no trains passed, two chaps turned up with sprayers and containers of liquid and they vanished into the gloom. At this point my thoughts were “why is he even trying, if he sets the road and cannot reset it he will block the entire West of England main line for who knows how long”. Half an hour later it was still snowing, the two chaps re-appeared having achieved nothing, we were told that we would be going no further and to stable the train beside Fairwater Yard ½ mile back. We reversed to Fairwater Yard and the driver contacted his control to obtain instructions. Being away from base a conversation ensued as to the advisability of leaving the locomotive running or turning it off and leaving it to the mercy of the freezing conditions for an indeterminate time. Conclusion was “turn it off”, we shut the doors and walked the mile back to Taunton station. I contacted Exeter panel to conclude the operation and drove back to Bishops Lydeard to return the token to the signal box.

    48 hours later the situation had improved and WSR conductor driver John Glover finally took the train on to Minehead for unloading it’s load of coastal defence stone to protect Minehead golf course.

    My return journey to Minehead is another story involving abandoning the car, commandeering an out of service bus, much use of the shovel and hitching a lift back on an articulated lorry to collect the car next day.

    Andy.
     
  7. AnthonyTrains2017

    AnthonyTrains2017 Well-Known Member

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    How did that fit in mine head station
     
  8. Miff

    Miff Part of the furniture Friend

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    As a child in the 70s I recall the Science Museum shiny toilet paper had HM GOVERNMENT PROPERTY stamped on every sheet. I hope never to encounter it again (wiping your bottom with this dreadful stuff was actually painful - and rather ineffective) but I hope someone managed to preserve a roll or two.
     
    Last edited: Mar 3, 2018
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  9. Forestpines

    Forestpines Well-Known Member

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    I hope you returned it all to HM Government after use.
     
  10. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

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    Apart from the bit about trying to fix the points, whats it like as a volunteer steam railwayman working alongside a crew from the 'Big Railway'?

    Also what were the 'breakdown' arrangements for the 66 hauled trains? The earlier ones were vac braked so they could - and in one case were rescued by a WSR loco.
     
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  11. I believe the 2010 trains (as per the video) ran to Minehead, the loco ran round, hooked up and took the wagons back up the line for unloading alongside the fields next to Marsh Common.

    The earlier Minehead stone trains were shunted into the then new siding (now known as the 'Stone Siding' - original, eh!?) laid alongside the headshunt road and the stones unloaded onto land that is now housing.

    Steve
     
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  12. Miff

    Miff Part of the furniture Friend

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    - with my tax return.
     
  13. mvpeters

    mvpeters Member

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    "Property of Her Majesty's Government"

    - with my tax return.

    "Use both sides for maximum economy"




    (Please, everybody, don't take this seriously)
     
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  14. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Use 47840 or one of the 33's?
     
  15. mvpeters

    mvpeters Member

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    Great story, Andy, thanks.
    When you have time, I think we'd like to see episode 2!
     
  16. Copper-capped

    Copper-capped Part of the furniture

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    Clearly everyone is stuck indoors and bored silly!
     
  17. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Do you know what Snow is Ross?! :)
     
  18. Copper-capped

    Copper-capped Part of the furniture

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    Would you believe I live in the one area of QLD that actually does get snow! (Albeit once every 30 years or so....). We had about 4inches a couple of years ago which is the only time I have seen snow in Aus. I lived through a couple of Welsh winters a while back so I saw a bit then, and experienced -10 deg C whilst cuddling for body heat in a phone box outside Abergavenny station waiting for a taxi!
     
    Last edited: Mar 4, 2018
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  19. AnthonyTrains2017

    AnthonyTrains2017 Well-Known Member

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    Know there’s no public trains but anything out today clearing snow. For some photography. I been snowed in for 3 days and not seen a train and I’m bored.
     
  20. nanstallon

    nanstallon Part of the furniture

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    'Happy' memories of my schooldays - Bronco or Izal, whichever was cheaper - and don't forget to turn the lights off!

    John
     

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