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WSR Autumn Steam Gala - 'A Country Railway' - Thurs-Sun 3-6 October 2019

Discussion in 'Galas and Events' started by JBTEvans, Aug 18, 2019.

  1. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

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    It looks fascinating with the promise of short trains & parcels workings
     
  2. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    Many thanks. Strange not to have a link on the Gala page. I would not have thought of looking on the timetable page as nearly every other railway websie tells you to look at the event concerned or the timetable.
     
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  3. JBTEvans

    JBTEvans Well-Known Member

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    Anybody had the programme in the post yet? I only ordered mine last night. Will take a look at it before deciding if I want to go.
     
  4. Colin Allcars

    Colin Allcars Member

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    The timetables on the WSR main site have changed. Trains no longer run to Norton Fitzwarren in the morning on the Thursday timetable which seems to be reused for Friday and Sunday. Any reason for this and will trains be running smokebox first?
     
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  5. Ian Monkton

    Ian Monkton Member

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    On Thursday and Friday ballast trains will be running in the morning so access to the Norton section is not possible. This also means it will not be possible to turn locos on the triangle until later so some tender/bunker first running will be happening. On Saturday there may well be no turning as the mainline shuttles are running most of the day. I don't know the situation for Sunday.
     
  6. 6026 King John

    6026 King John Well-Known Member

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    That's a shame - smokebox first running is one of the unique selling points of a WSR gala. On the other hand the GWR shuttles have been a commercial success this year it seems and if they serve as an effective way of ferrying people to the gala that may be the price that has to be paid.
     
  7. JBTEvans

    JBTEvans Well-Known Member

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    Timetable for Sunday is the same as it was - morning trains all the way through.

    'Most trains (but please note not all due to operating issues) will run smokebox first' (Source)
     
  8. Colin Allcars

    Colin Allcars Member

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    That has changed in the last 2 hours. When I looked earlier Saturday was as before but the other 3 days had a new version of Thursday.
     
  9. JBTEvans

    JBTEvans Well-Known Member

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    Not it never, I check this website on my phone in work sometimes (such as at the moment because I'm expecting the WTT to come in the post), so saw your post yesterday morning and checked the WSR website. Why on earth would they change it then change it back for? As has been mentioned, the triangle is in use on weekdays.
     
  10. Colin Allcars

    Colin Allcars Member

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    image.jpeg
    When I looked at the WSR timetable page just before posting, when I clicked 3rd Oct. the attached box came up. When I clicked both 4th and 6th the same box came up. All gave a link to the modified Thursday timetable.
    Now you will agree the timetables have been altered? Maybe I looked mid change but that is what I saw.
     
    Last edited: Sep 28, 2019
  11. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

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    The gala timetables this morning suggests that trains on the Thursday and Friday will be able to access the NF section after 13:35.
    On the Saturday the BL to Taunton shuttle takes over the section but a normal service appears to run to NF on the Sunday. <BJ>

    Thursday timetable click here

    Friday timetable click here

    Saturday timetable click here

    Sunday timetable click here
     
    Last edited: Sep 28, 2019
  12. 6026 King John

    6026 King John Well-Known Member

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    Can't see the point in the Taunton shuttles when the last one leaves at 1723 - that's conveniently 10 minutes BEFORE the 1600 from Minehead arrives (and there are another 2 trains from Minehead after that). So that means anyone wanting to catch the last shuttle has to get the 1500 from Minehead and then hang around at BL for nearly an hour! Anyone planning to visit the gala by train is going to get quite a shortened day.
     
  13. cg

    cg Well-Known Member

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    On Sunday 6th trains from Bristol to Taunton are replaced by buses.
     
  14. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

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    It must be annoying but there's always plan B to fall back on, the no.28 bus service. <BJ>
     
  15. JBTEvans

    JBTEvans Well-Known Member

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    To be honest, anybody is much better off getting the bus. Getting the train from Taunton to Minehead requires changing twice like the bus, so may as well have more choice of departures and get the bus.

    TIP - Get a Minehead bus return from wherever on the mainline as part of your ticket rather than a ticket to Taunton and then the bus seperately - it costs £6 extra than a Taunton ticket (or £4 with a 16-25/two together/senior etc railcard), and then plus you can get on at Watchet or Minehead if the timetable messes up. The train shuttle costs £6.

    Do not get a 'plus bus' as they are only valid as far as the Cross Keys pub on the way to BL.

    A return ticket to BL from Taunton if bought on the bus is a lot more than £6!
     
    Last edited: Sep 28, 2019
  16. JBTEvans

    JBTEvans Well-Known Member

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    I did look at that and think it's utterly stupid. They've changed Saturday's timetable as well to try and connect with the mainline shuttle.
     
  17. So you can't find out what loco is on what train, without buying a program for £3.50.

    Little bit shortsighted, if the line needs the money then, it would make more on tickets.
    £3.50 is a lot of money to outlay, to then find eg 53808 is bolted to goods trains all day and it doesn't do anything passenger related.

    Then you decide not to go thats £3.50 up the swanny,

    the program should be an optional extra, Not a way of finding the WTTs.

    Other railways give out WTTs for free,

    Think its gonna be a no from me for next weekend judging by this development,

    Its a shame
     
  18. Paul.Uni

    Paul.Uni Well-Known Member

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    The WSR has always charged for steam gala loco rosters.


    Sent from my SM-J610FN using Tapatalk
     
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  19. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    It’s Cheaper than the SVR last week and as you say the railway needs the money, it’s only really the cost of a coffee in Costa - hardly bank breaking!
     
  20. DragonHandler

    DragonHandler Well-Known Member

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    The WSR has always charged for its steam gala programmes which include the timetable and loco allocations.
    The Mid-Hants gives their programmes out with the tickets, presumably the cost of the programme & WTT are included in the ticket price. Their timetable & WTT are usually available for download on their website anyway. The Bluebell have already put their gala timetable with loco allocations on their website.

    £3.50 is not a lot of money for a programme and WTT if you're already at the gala or have decided to go anyway, but if you want to find out which services a particular loco is working before deciding to go or not then £3.50 might seem a lot. And as the programmes aren't usually available until a couple of days before the gala, it might be too late to be of any use making a decision to go or not, especially if you're more than 'day trip' distance away.

    If I've understood the earlier messages in this thread correctly the timetable in the programme is likely to be wrong anyway.
     

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