West Somerset Railway Spring Steam Gala, 27-30 March 2014

Mass line closures were coming anyway - we, or our parents, (not Dr Beeching) closed the branch lines by not using them.

Sorry to go OT. Back to the point, I'm going to the gala even if 88 is painted yellow!

John

 

Well, I suppose if Derby had built a batch of 7Fs for the Midland and Great Northern Joint, maybe they would have been!

Repaint for her last few years in service, anyone?

Tom

 

I would disagree to a certain extent, for sure by late 1964/1965 many superb classes of locos had been scrapped or were in such a filthy state that even my Dad lost interest and packed up spotting and photographing them by then end of that year. On the flip side of the coin the late 1950's/early 60's brought such a wide variety of locos together from the Pre-Grouping era to the Grouping era and the more "modern" BR Standard type my Dad always said it was best time as you just didn't know what you were going to see next arriving at a station or in a shed bunk. For him he looks at it like this, steam had its "Golden Era" in the Grouping days when it's was the speed races with the A4's and Duchesses etc and then there was the "Glorious Years" during the late 50's/early 60's when Pre-grouping survivors mixed it with the Grouping designs and BR Standards/Modified locos and the variety was just superb.

 

See 53809.

 

While I would quite like to see 88 in BR Black, I will agree that it may not be to everyone's taste. But there are still options with black as a livery, like SDJR black like it carried during the 90's, and there's alway LMS black running as 13808 like 89 carried. Or like someone has said, go all out and go LMS crimson lake, and pair it up with 48264 for the perfect double header! <goes to The Winchester and waits for all this to blow over>

 

Don't forget when 88 was first restored it ran as 53808 with the Cycling Lion on the tender. http://www.wsr.org.uk/cgi-bin/galleri.cgi?h=Snapshot&p=oldpix/53808_2_vs

 

I'm not trying to get into a paint colour debate, the most important thing is to see the loco running. The only point I was trying to make is to find a way to raise a bit of dosh for its overhaul. Charters are a useful way of doing this.... no one wants to attempt to recreate something from the past in its current livery.

Anyway - back to the topic of the Gala I think........

 

The TT is now online - there's no mention of any freight workings. I assume there wont be any this year?

 

Shocking if not. I say that particularly from a selfish stance as I am going Thursday especially for the assumed usual freight workings, and the fact Saturday couldn't be made, but these galas are getting less and less event by event. It's not a gala if it's just single headed locomotives hauling a every station stop train service, that's a few extra trains running with guest locos on an otherwise normal operating day.

Perhaps the WSR should look at trying to do Thurs/Fri galas with local services like before rather than just full line trains only, this could get people to travel on these days as there's no point going mid-week (or even Sunday) if you can make Saturday now. This would also open up opportunities to hire (cheaper) locomotives such as Terriers/Beattie Well Tanks again, something I can't see the WSR ever doing again if the current format is kept.

 

The WSR Plc have announced " The Driver for a Fiver feature at the 2014 Spring Steam Gala is planned to operate for two days at Minehead Station, Friday 28 March and Saturday 29 March. The locomotive to be used will be Peckett 0-4-0ST no 1766 Kilmersdon built in 1929 and now in the care of the Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust at Washford."

Sounds fun!

Steve

 

One of the “guest” steam engines hired-in for the Spring Steam Gala will be working services on the WSR on Wednesday March 26th. The locomotive in question will be “West Country” Pacific 34007 “Wadebridge” which will be heading trains alongside “Modified Hall” 6960 “Raveningham Hall” and one of the WSR’s home-based fleet.
The planned timetable for the day sees an “Atlantic Coast Express” leaving Minehead at 10.25 for a trip to Bishops Lydeard with the only stop en route scheduled for Williton where it will cross the 10.25 (all stations) from Bishops Lydeard. There is an 11.10 all stations from Minehead to Williton and back (leaving Williton at 12.10). The next departures are 12.25 from Minehead, all stations to BL except Doniford, and a 12.40 from Bishops Lydeard calling at Williton, Watchet and Blue Anchor. The 14.15 from Bishops Lydeard is all stations to Minehead whilst the 14.25 from Minehead is due to run as a “Cornish Riviera Express” to BL calling en route at Blue Anchor and Williton. That’s followed by a 15.05 all-stations from MD to BL. The last departure from Bishops Lydeard will be at 16.10 calling at Williton, Watchet and Blue Anchor whilst the last “up” train from Minehead leaves at 16.45 and calls at Dunster, Blue Anchor, Watchet and Williton.


EVENING PHOTOSHOOT AT WILLITON MARCH 28th
David Williams has announced a Photographic Night Shoot at Williton Station on Friday 28 March 2014. The distinctly Southern Railway flavour to this year's Spring Steam Gala on the West Somerset Railway will see Southern Railway 2-6-0 no 31806 as one of the guest locomotives. No 31806 will feature in the Shoot and will arrive at Williton Station at around 6.15pm on Friday 28 March, at the head of a ballast train and a Southern Region brake van. The loco and its train will then be posed in various locations for the participating photographers. To book a place for the shoot please send a cheque for £30 payable to West Somerset Railway plc and dated 27th March to David Williams, 30 Clydesdale Road, Quinton, Birmingham, B32 1DP.

 

Great little taster there on the Wednesday, very tempted indeed. In fact, booking a day off work now as it might be a better chance to get a front window with 34007 and 6960 than later on the weekend. A few extras like this just before galas are such a good idea, especially when regular fares are maintained for them.

Would be really good to know when Kilmersdon will be making the Washford-Minehead journey ready for its driver/fiver duties as seeing that little engine out on the 'main line' will be cool.

 

If you are coming on the Wednesday you can pick up a discounted day rover in advance via the WSR official website (saves you the cost of half a pint or so). The movement of "Kilmersdon" will be interesting as to whether it's at Minehead on all four days or if when it's not nipping back and forth along platform 1 there it's due at Washford for the SDRT to play with. In which case there will be some light engine activity. Not as much fun out on the line though as when it took a rake of wagons back to Washford many years back after a "Thomas" event and the crew did Blue Anchor to Washford up the bank in less than passenger timing. Standing on the bridge at the north end of Washford station the noise coming up the hill and round the curve at the top was definitely one to remember. Probably the hardest it has worked since the colliery closed and the SDRT acquired it. If gen about that comes to sight will post it.

 

Thanks maespoeth, and yep, Weds advance ticket is on the list of things to book once this month's pay lands. That Kilmersdon run sounds incredible! Good point that it's the run back to Washford up the hill that'll be one to see/hear if possible.

 

I think that the plan is to trundle freight wagons about on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Based on past years that would probably mean a full length outing on Thursday and Friday and a trip working followed by shunting between
Minehead and Dunster on the Saturday when there's more passenger moving. A rake of ballast wagons behind 31806 as a "Meldon Memory" or something similar would be a nice touch and a ballast train has run before in an Autumn Gala.

 

This photoshoot promises a "ballast train"

Steve

 

Please tell me the Bulleids will double head at some stage?

I might even forgive the railway for the dull hourly timetable they insist on.

But I don’t hold out much hope; creativity and logic are not strong points of the special event team

 

Good news for Mighty Kings and fellow freighters (to some extent). Thursday has a goods from Minehead and a ballast from Bishops Lydeard at the start of the day (09.00 and 08.55). Friday it's ballast at 09.00 from Minehead and goods from BL at 08.55. Saturday a.m. there's a movement from Williton to Minehead away from WN at 08.30 which logic says has to be the ballast wagons after the David Williams shoot on Friday night.

And on the subject of photoshoots Don Bishop is holding one from 18.30 on Saturday night at Minehead. Contact Don via 07912 669 666 if you are interested.

 

Cant get down on Saturday as its our annual visit to Old Traffs but I am very tempted by Wednesday. Will the loco allocations be published in advance as I would like to travel and lineside? Also will the turntable be used?

Don