WSR Autumn Steam Gala, Thu 6 to Sun 9 October 2016

Hopefully 6960 is intended to run and Kilmersdon isn't included in those 9!

 

I can find 8 not including Kilmersdon. The brochure on the website says 9 locos, but strangely the wording on the front of it also says "Several steam engines in action". Confused?

 

Confused - you bet! But I see 6960 has been added to the official Gala page since I wrote the news item yesterday

Steve

 

Timetables are now up on the event page.

Goods does Thursday morning MD-BL and reverse Friday morning, shame it can't do the same on Saturday & Sunday.

Kilmersdon does a MD-BA return trip at the close of play Saturday evening.

5542 & auto 233 are mainly covering BL-CH on the Sat&Sun but do one trip to Stogumber too. Four auto trips to CH on Thurs/Fri along with covering the NF area.

Not sure what 4+RV is but it's doing a MD-BA round trip Friday evening.

The QB menu mentions the 1155 from MD goes to NF but this isn't shown on the timetable on the website, the 1345 from NF is just shown as the 1400 from BL too, I suspect its an oversight though.

The GWR shuttle connects with the 0950 off BL both Saturday and Sunday, last train to Taunton is at 1722.

 

Hoping fr a working timetable soon

 

I was hoping to travel on the Goods from BL on the Friday, but WSR tell me that they are not selling tickets ahead of the Gala. Guess it's a case of turn up on the day and hope for Guards discretion.
Stef.

 

5542 has arrived on the WSR.

 

Guards are not permitted to allow unauthorised people in the brake vans. With the popularity of photos and reports appearing on the internet, it would be virtually impossible to 'get away with it' so the Guard would face disciplinary actions.

 

Does that apply to the owner of the brake van?
What about owners rights?

N

 

Is 5542 is use before gala.

 

Don't know.

 

I don't know that the owner has any 'rights'. It would be likely that the Guard would not know who the owner is, so would be within his/her rights to ask for written authorisation.

 

Suspect that's the answer. Owners reps need authorisation, I don't think it would every be withheld unless there was a genuine safety concern (e.g. too many owners all wanting to travel at the same time.) and there may be conditions imposed but application would need to be via the management of the plc. It's not within the gift of a guard, a fireman or a driver to give permission to ride on any part of a train. Certainly whenever anybody travels on the footplate they have to have official permission from the management.

 

I suspect that '4+RV' is S&D coach no. 4 and LSWR brake van no. 12424 - both normally based at Washford. Whether they will run thus or have 21174 along as well to provide additional brake force, as at the Spring Gala, is unclear at the moment.

 

As an owner of one of the brake vans in use, there are no such 'rights' written into the agreement, and the WSR Plc has to have complete freedom to proscribe the operational conditions on who may, and who may not ride on its trains, particularly those operated as other than public passenger trains.

There is one sure way to get a ride - I have just 'refreshed' my guard's qualification....!

There will shortly be an invitation for those who would wish to put their names forward to be considered for the next WSR Guard's course.

'RV' stands for 'road van', apparently the correct historical name for the vehicle.

Robin

 

well given how popular the goods train was in March and the money that was paid into the office upon arrival at Minehead for the railway to turn away money for nothing seams a little silly to put it very mildly

 

It is indeed the correct term. A "Road Van" was a form of brake van that, in addition to the guard's accommodation, had space to allow parcels and other small consignments to be collected and transported directly from a station platform in goods trains, rather than waiting for a parcels van. As such, they look like a conventional brake van, but with the addition of large side doors. They were quite common on the LSWR, especially on branch lines; I believe the S&DJR had some built to an almost identical diagram by the LSWR; and the LBSCR also used them - no doubt other railway companies as well.

AFAIK, there are four of the LSWR examples still surviving: one each at the Bluebell; Isle of Wight; NRM and WSR:

http://www.ws.vintagecarriagestrust.org/ws/WagonInfo.asp?Ref=8250
http://www.ws.vintagecarriagestrust.org/ws/WagonInfo.asp?Ref=6490
http://www.ws.vintagecarriagestrust.org/ws/WagonInfo.asp?Ref=6909
http://www.ws.vintagecarriagestrust.org/ws/WagonInfo.asp?Ref=6967

Tom

 

Well, that has put me in my place!

 

GWR have issued a poster promoting their train shuttles between Taunton and Bishops Lydeard on the weekend of the WSR's Autumn Steam Gala.

Departures on Saturday 8 October 2016:
From Taunton: 09.32, 10.28, 11.25, 1230, 14.10, 14.59, 15.55, 16.55
From Bishops Lydeard: 10.00, 10.53, 11.48, 12.49, 14.28, 15.20, 16.22, 17.20

Departures on Sunday 9 October 2016:
From Taunton: 09.35, 10.29, 11.23, 12.32, 14.09, 14.59, 16.00 , 16.59
From Bishops Lydeard: 10.05, 11.00, 12.00, 12,51, 14.28, 15.20, 16.18, 17.20

In addition the inclusive GWR/WSR combined tickets from GWR stations to the West Somerset can be used for unlimited travel on the WSR on the day they are valid for (day travel only). They can be bought online via GWR.com/WSR but purchasers should make sure they put West Somerset Railway into the destination box (entering Minehead, Dunster etc, will get the Plus Bus deal for travel on Buses of Somerset service 28.)

Further information received from GWR (via WSR Plc) suggests those holding the combined GWR/WSR ticket for one of those days have a choice of the GWR shuttle train or the Buses of Somerset bus between Taunton and Bishops Lydeard. For other folk, the fare for the GWR shuttle train between Taunton and Bishops Lydeard is £6 return per adult and £3 per child (no information on single fares).

(From www.wsr.org.uk - thanks to local folks, GWR and WSR Plc for their help)

Steve

 

Thanks Ian

Steve