If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

WSR S&D Spring Steam Gala, 5-6 and 10-13 March 2016

Discussion in 'Galas and Events' started by gwr4090, Nov 14, 2015.

  1. Bean-counter

    Bean-counter Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2007
    Messages:
    5,844
    Likes Received:
    7,688
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Former NP Member
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Some cracking images there and it is only making me wish I could be there as I was last year. (Great day, BTW)

    Can I recommend a coat of "improved" BR maroon for at least some of the WSR stock! It is really easy to apply (a late friend of mine and expert painter could have told you how you paint the lining first and then mask to apply the maroon) and would complete the picture in 5 years time.

    I can understand the desire for WR Chocolate and Cream but all the more reason to support getting some genuine Great Western coaches into service - thanks to Miss White (and I know others as well), they are on hand - must let's get the whole WSR family behind their restoration - and get a great USP for the great line!

    Steven
     
  2. 34098

    34098 Member Account Suspended

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2010
    Messages:
    587
    Likes Received:
    138
    Occupation:
    ,
    Location:
    82G
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Wasn't too bad a first weekend timetable with a gap of hour and 35 mins of no action south of Wiliton and once the timetable started to slip on the sunday there seemed no desire to try make the time back, apart from those niggly issues was ok,
    The full line goods in the middle of the day instead of first thing was welcome also the Hymek goods on the sunday
    My Full flickr album of the first weekends events,
    https://flic.kr/s/aHskuSCdx2[​IMG]
     
  3. 34098

    34098 Member Account Suspended

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2010
    Messages:
    587
    Likes Received:
    138
    Occupation:
    ,
    Location:
    82G
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
  4. 34098

    34098 Member Account Suspended

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2010
    Messages:
    587
    Likes Received:
    138
    Occupation:
    ,
    Location:
    82G
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
  5. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2014
    Messages:
    11,247
    Likes Received:
    17,947
    Gender:
    Female
    Occupation:
    Barrister
    Location:
    Stogumber
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I was line controller on Sunday afternoon. We had a difficulty when the crew of 53809 unexpectedly declared they needed water at Bishops Lydeard when routed through on the platform line where water cannot be taken.

    If you believe you observed slack operating thereafter, please send me a private message so that it can be looked into and any lessons learned.

    Robin
     
  6. Gunz412

    Gunz412 New Member Loco Owner

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2013
    Messages:
    79
    Likes Received:
    113
    By incorrect times I meant the final working from BL on Thursday lists some departures as 08.xx instead of 18.xx. So no change, just a typo. Sorry for the confusion.
     
  7. Andy Norman

    Andy Norman Member

    Joined:
    May 14, 2015
    Messages:
    737
    Likes Received:
    4,393
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    West Somerset
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Thanks for your comment and it’s nice to hear a customer’s view but I will slightly disagree if I may, this was my view of the delay as I saw it. As Robin says above 53809 had to take water unexpectedly, it slowed the train away from Bishops Lydeard which in turn delayed its crossing with the up train at Williton hauled by 48624. This meant that 48624 was about 15 minutes late into Bishops Lydeard. The knock on effect meant the next down train with 34053&34070 was about 12 minutes late away from Bishops Lydeard.

    I was firing 34070 on this train, I had timed our departure and had a nice big fire in the Bulleid ready to go on time as did the crew on 34053 coupled in front. Just as I put the last shovel of coal in we heard of the delay in waiting for 48624 to come in. That’s always difficult when your fire is now burning and it’s making steam ready for the climb to Crowcombe and suddenly you have to slow it down, which of course you can’t as the coal is burning and you can’t take it off!!! Luckily the Bulleid is a lovely engine and its very controllable so whilst we did both lift our safety valves sat in the station for a short while we were still ‘on the mark’ and ready to go as 48624 came in. From there we made the lost time back and got in to Minehead on time I believe (Robin may be able to confirm this as she took the Token from me as the ‘Bobby’).

    So it may have looked like we don’t try and pull the time back but we do and I’m sure you will understand that we do have to stick to the speed limits so it can appear that we just carrying on as always. It’s some speedy station work and smart getting up to speed that pulls it back and I have to say both Bulleids were brilliant at ensuring we had the right steam pressure exactly when you need it which really helps.

    It’s my first big gala on the WSR but I can see that these knock-on effects when the unexpected happens are always an issue when you are running the line at full capacity with such a large number of trains (max 7 at its height I believe). Mix that in with a large number of engines turning both ends, needing water and coal and reconfiguring double heads at a rate most likely unknown in preservation before and the slightest delay causes an issue, but then I guess that’s why we all do it and visit to witness it, I hope that explains a bit more for you.

    Roll on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday when we do it all again. so please come and watch a line 23 miles long with 10 stations, 5 block sections and 8 (+2 tanks) S&D engines all working to capacity.
     
  8. theonlyadsrulz

    theonlyadsrulz Member

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2008
    Messages:
    270
    Likes Received:
    491
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Bristol
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    In terms of the timetable that has been in use over the first weekend, there isn't much to complain about, the only issue I see is that lack of action in the Williton-Bishops Lydeard section. I think some form of local train between Norton and Crowcombe or even Williton not long after the Minehead round trip may have helped this but obviously that all depends on available coaching stock!

    I will commend you, Andy, on catching up time! I was on the 8F crossing with the 4F/89 at Williton and headed to Norvnis Bridge to see your train up and was a little surprised at how quickly you managed to get there considering the delay, didn't have to wait for very long!

    Looking forward to coming down again this week for some more S&D action!
     
  9. HerstonHalt

    HerstonHalt Member

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2009
    Messages:
    255
    Likes Received:
    169
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Thoroughly enjoyed our day on Saturday but I would offer the observation (not criticism) that we were discouraged from breaking our journey at some of the intermediate stations by the lengthy delay until the next train. Eg in the down direction if you got off at CH at 1058, the next down departure was 1251 and next after that was 1518. Similarly in the up direction, if you got off a train at CH at 1057, the next available to pick you back up was 1333 and then 1602. At least with the hourly timetable there was a reasonable time to look round the station and/or museum, take some photos, buy a cup of tea etc before the next train an hour later. We spent Saturday on the train with a decent break at Washford, but did CH, SR, WN and BA by car the next day.
     
  10. 45076

    45076 Member

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2011
    Messages:
    478
    Likes Received:
    313
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    34004
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    As I live within 35 miles of Bishops Lydeard I normally buy a 4 day rover on a 2 weekend gala and visit on both weekends.

    But after seeing the timetable my 4 day rover this year is from Thursday to Sunday.

    Have viewed a couple of videos from last weekend and have spoken to people who were there. It appears to have been much quieter than a normal hourly gala timetable, many trains with plenty of empty seats.

    One person quoted it was more like a normal operating day in terms of numbers. It will be interesting to see the actual figures.

    Considering the £80,000 investment in visiting locos and their transportation, I wonder if it was a good idea to run a restricted timetable?

    It seems like me most people are coming for the second weekend, Saturday in particular expect standing room only.

    The idea of having a gala over 2 weekends was to avoid overcrowding, but if one weekends timetable is far better than the other its no surprise most pick the better one.
     
    nick813 and JBTEvans like this.
  11. JBTEvans

    JBTEvans Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2008
    Messages:
    2,344
    Likes Received:
    673
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Casnewydd, De Cymru
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer

    While I commend the WSR for trying something new, the non hourly timetable used this time around was slightly odd, with 150min gaps in the middle of the day in either direction. It seems trains are bunched together at the start and end of the day.
     
  12. 49010

    49010 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2012
    Messages:
    1,219
    Likes Received:
    995
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Gentleman of Leisure
    Location:
    Stockport
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Loving the videos on this thread, I've been trying to match the film to the individual workings using the brochure.

    Did I see the celebrated (and very expensive) TSO 4419 behind 92214 at the start of one of the videos? I think it was the front coach at the BL end of Set B. If so, then that is the prime cop of the Gala for me!

    Whetting my appetite, I'm driving down on Thu and coming home Monday so 3 days of WSR fun. Can't wait.
     
  13. Ian Monkton

    Ian Monkton Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2011
    Messages:
    945
    Likes Received:
    993
    Location:
    South Somerset
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Indeed, 4419 was out and about at the weekend. Perhaps someone could check whether there are gold-plated taps in the toilet - that would justify the expense of its overhaul!

    Watching the MD webcam yesterday, I think I saw 4419 being placed at the TN end of set D replacing the BG.
     
    49010 likes this.
  14. cg

    cg Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2005
    Messages:
    1,296
    Likes Received:
    214
    Gender:
    Male
  15. 49010

    49010 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2012
    Messages:
    1,219
    Likes Received:
    995
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Gentleman of Leisure
    Location:
    Stockport
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer

    The only thing is, see, with me being a dead common Northerner, will it be too posh for me? I mean will they let me on it?
     
  16. 34098

    34098 Member Account Suspended

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2010
    Messages:
    587
    Likes Received:
    138
    Occupation:
    ,
    Location:
    82G
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    You've hit the nail on the head there the timetable of 5th and 6th of march was even worse then the normal hourlytimetable thrown out at galas, this attempt to fix that broken timetable broke it even more.
     
  17. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2015
    Messages:
    9,186
    Likes Received:
    7,226
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Thorn in my managers side
    Location:
    72
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    So long as you are in the Almanach De Gotha you will be fine
     
  18. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2013
    Messages:
    10,440
    Likes Received:
    17,941
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Cheltenham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    The principle of having what was always going to be a very popular gala over two weekends was an excellent idea, and made total sense. However it sounds like Saturday is going to be absolutely packed anyway, as it's the only day where everything is in steam. I appreciate it would have been impractical to do this every day, but I think one more day, either the Sunday or last Saturday, being closer in operations to This coming Saturday would probably have made those days busier and the 12th a bit less crowded. I'm still looking forward to it, but not looking forward to the suspected crowding at all. That said, no gala goes without any moans, and this is still going to be "one of those events" I suspect.
     
  19. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2005
    Messages:
    5,283
    Likes Received:
    2,650
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired Rolls-Royce engineer
    Location:
    Bath Green Park / Mangotsfield
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    As your prefer to be known at national-preservation as 34098, you must be very pleased that a Bulleid locomotive is is to be renamed 34098 'Templecombe' for the remainder of the S&D gala .....or is that worthy of a moan as well ? :) <BJ>
     
  20. AnthonyTrains2017

    AnthonyTrains2017 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2014
    Messages:
    2,237
    Likes Received:
    918
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Is someone who stood line side all day watching a free gala complaining about the timetable? Next you'll be telling flying Scotsman cost 4.2million to overhaul.
     

Share This Page