WSR Mixed Traction Weekend 10-12 June 2016

Back in the mid/late 1980's and 1990's when the concept of diesel orientated events really got going on heritage railways an event in June was almost unknown. Most events were in the first/last six or so weeks of BST. In those days many heritage railways did not operate on as many days as they do now and these were often early/late season events. Another factor was still some element of summer Saturday interest on the mainline which impacted on possible visitor numbers from mid May to mid September.

Again, I do wonder if a 'back to the future' approach is needed with the event being staged nearer to the dates it was in the 1990's. Another advantage is that accommodation in the area may be easier to find and possibly cheaper. Also, many diesel enthusiasts work in the transport industry particularly in frontline roles. As such it is often harder to get days off or swap holidays in June than it is in April, May or October.

 

You'll have to excuse me here but I'm trying to be positive about the use of diesels at the railway. I notice that the WSR does not go in for diesel trains running in top 'n tail mode at their galas as some preserved railways do. If the diesel folk would prefer a more frequent service perhaps running in top 'n tail formation would be the answer. Just a thought. <BJ>

 

Sorry to be negative, BJ, but the factor which determines the frequency of service is the Williton - Blue Anchor section. For all galas it is continually occupied, ie. as soon as one train arrives at one end, another enters in the opposite direction. It takes 25 - 30 minutes for a train to clear the section, including the time needed for collecting and reissuing the tokens at each end, so you can see where the preference for an hourly timetable comes from. There are thoughts of having another crossing point in this section at Kentsford, but that's very much a 'would be nice to have' item at present - there are other projects like planned track renewal which are more important at present.

 

An hourly service it is then.

I discovered at the S&D gala that it's not about the quantity of journeys made on the day but more about the enjoyment of the journey and the quality of motive power. As far as I am concerned the WSR has it all. <BJ>

 

top n' tail is exactly why I don't go to a lot of the diesel galas. I may be finicky and unique but being an enthusiast of the second half of the BR era such a concept is some what alien and too modern. Single locomotive or occasional realistic double heading is what gets my pound. Related to this point, a guest locomotive I would really like to see at the WSR is 41001 which now comes with its (all be it short at the moment) own train. The WSR is the one railway were this single ended locomotive can perform on its own back and forth all day thanks to the Minehead turntable and Norton Fitzwarren triangle.

When the hourly gala timetable first appeared in 2010 it was very tedious, still is to a degree, however you get used to it and in fairness it has been tweaked with faster early and late trains and some flexing to incorporate through Norton Fitzwarren trains. I do understand a lot of the arguments put forward for it and its robustness has been proven. So, provided tweaks continue to be made where possible then I can live with it.

 

Given the presence of a Hampshire Unit at Williton at the moment how about a mini Southern themed event using that and the two 33's?

Ditto a Fowler themed day with both 7F's 7 the 4F?

 

We had the latter most of last week!

D6566 is being overhauled at present, not expected back into service this year.

 

Well, you can still run two 'Southern Region' trains. As far as the Fowlers are concerned I was thinking more of planning & then advertising the running days rather than them simply 'happening' as the loco roster is drawn up

 

You've hit the nail on the head there, But I fear it will fall upon deaf ears.

 

If the last train needs to be a DMU for operational reasons, maybe put D9526 on it?

 

They used 832 0n a dmu drag a few years back then ripped it at wiliton for the DMU to go alone,
Which puts out the option of Loco that needs to be a BL for a Lorry/mainline move unless its not compatible with the dmus brakes on the last train, or even one of the home fleet that can top the dmu first train on the monday as far as wiliton,

 

Or run it to Crowcombe, then remove and return back to Williton? Okay a bit of a pain operationally but the bashers would love it.

 

We would but I dont see any of the soultions happening somebodys bound to find issues with them....

 

Is the event on September 3/4th a different mixed traction event?

 

Visiting railtour on the Saturday.

 

It's usually called the Late Summer Weekend, and is basically a gala but using only home fleet of diesels and steam unless there happen to be any visiting locos resident on the line at the time. Services alternate between steam and diesel, so both get approximately equal amount of mileage.

That railtour is by the Railway Touring Company which will be one of a series of tours from London the same as ran last year, usually with a mainline steam loco to Bishops Lydeard which is swapped for a WSR steam loco to go on to Minehead and back while the mainline loco is turned and serviced on the Norton triangle.

 

Neither are the SVR's but that hasn't stopped the Diesel Galas in the past few years occurring at the beginning of October which can be a bit nippy

 

To be completely honest to me if I was just a general diesel crank looking at this Gala the one thing I would take away is that the WSR does not want me there or my money they would rather the whole thing would just dry up and blow away, if you look and compare the efforts made for the steam Spring Gala and the number of visiting locos then compare it with this "effort" im sorry but it just looks really poor

People who above have made the point that diesel cranks could not care less about station names are completely correct, I can see if your of an age that remembers the S&D then it sorta makes sense but most diesel cranks are not of that age
The particular choice of the shed is a very poor one when you consider that even when they named it at the railway it wasn't needed by those who would travel a distance to have it, and even those that were local had it then, nicely cleaned up seeing the naming and then traveling at normal fares not the increased Gala fares
There is no mention of the use of the 09 which might make a few turn up but even if they do intend to use it the lack of them telling people about it means that people will make other plans
The timetable could start earlier in the day than normal, if indeed the first train off Minehead is 09:50 then that is very late in the day if you are staying there, if the demonstration freight is running how about advertising places on there for a nominal fare, if the freight leaves Lydeard early say 08:30 so it could pass the first Minehead dpt at Anchor and sell "seats" for £10 on top of the rover then people would give it a go but again this has to be advertised not kept as a "Whatahh" on the day because if you don't know you wont turn up

If I was planning next years I would
Hydraulic = more than enough there already there is no point bringing in more of the same, if you are going to go for the home fleet more of the same wont make you go twice will it?
Sulzer = Small engines, I know this locks out the Peaks but small locos at Galas on full rakes on hills are much more the thing so 25-27 would be lovley
EE = Class 37's are everywhere but the younger crowd does seam to like them and like every other line the WSR needs young blood, so that and maybe a 40?
PEN = why oh why doesn't someone at the WSR speak to Freightliner at least one of their drivers volunteers on the line and they would only have to come from Taunton yard because they spend the day idle and only mainly work at night and that would lay open the possibility to swap them over night as there is usually about 3/4 there most days, a lot of people don't like them but they do put bums on seats and are much more rarer than Gbrf ones
Rods = again people look at shunters as a aspect of the day so a phone call to First for a loan of a Laira or Phillips Marsh one would be nice

Something will have to be done otherwise with this sort of poor planning there will be diminishing passengers at the Galas then we might lose them all together

 

Hi, Captain Fantastic. I think you're being a bit harsh. The WSR galas are always great, as far as I'm concerned, and I am a general interest sort of bod. I just love the diesel-hydraulics, and Warships especially. So much so that although for family reasons I have to miss the June gala, I'm going there on 30th April when I'll get my last chance to ride behind D832 on the WSR.

But there have been some great smaller diesel electrics, such as 5081 in 2013.

I do agree with you about station renamings, though. I did ride over the S&D in its last year, and even I see no great point in changing station names. And the S&D wasn't exactly known for diesels when it was running!

 

P.S. Not to forget the class 20 that visited a few years ago. It did just one trip from BL to Crowcombe and back AFAIK but was a big hit with the gricers. I'd just love to see (and better ride behind) one or preferably two, of those going all the way to MD.