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SVR General Discussion

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by threelinkdave, Aug 20, 2014.

  1. threelinkdave

    threelinkdave Well-Known Member

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    I have searched for a similar thread but didnt find one. Happy to be corected by the mods

    There was a connent by michaleth re first class on SVR on the WSR thread and I didnt want to hijak that discussion. The TTIs do sell a number of supliments, although there is scope for a misunderstanding.

    At Kidderminster a passenger asks "where should I sit for Bridgnorth". The usual reply ia "anywhere sir/madam". The passenger interprets this litteraly and gets miffed when asked for a suplement. I now make it clear "any coach but there is a suplement for first class"

    I dont know if other railways have this problem with victorian technology. At Hampton Loade doors are all shut and passenger work appears complete and I am just about to give the RA. Two coaches away a head suddenly appears at a window "how do we get out". I walk up turn the handle and open the door - "I didnt know you had to do that". A group of 6 20 somethings troops out. Will we one day need to issue instruction sheets with the tickets on how to use a door handle? We have already had to put instructions on the website explaining how to get a train to stop at the request halts.

    That reminds me, gold passes and annual tickets seem to form the majority of regular passengers at the halts. The passengers simply use the railway to go shopping
     
  2. Southernman99

    Southernman99 Member Friend

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    You should work the platforms at Arley on Santa trains. The rubber door stops are the preferred method of failing to open the doors.
     
  3. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    I've known similar on the NYMR. Passengers not only didn't know how to open doors but didn't know how to open window with leather strop (on LNER coaches) so couldn't attract attention and couldn't get off at Goathland and were carried through to Grosmont. I decided not to ask them why they didn't go through the train to an open door. They were very critical that there were no conspicuous notices on the doors explaining how to open them.
     
  4. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    I think the Bluebell non-corridor coaches have a loose laminated card in each compartment that describes the history of the carriage, along with instructions on how to open the doors and windows. Most (not all) of our 1st class is in non-corridor stock, so ticket inspection to check people are in the right class occurs before departure.

    Then of course there is the issue of whether "heritage" notices still apply. "Ne pas se pencher au dehors" in the LCDR carriages very much does apply, though is frequently ignored. The "SMOKING" sign in one of the compartments is, on the other hand, for show and not an invitation!

    Tom
     
  5. threelinkdave

    threelinkdave Well-Known Member

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    I know its not exactly heritage but last night there was a gauging run of a Chiltern cl67 a rake of Mk3s and a DVT. This was in preperation for an excursion from Marylebone to Bridgnorth on 6 September. Will we have some older passengers looking for the leather strap?. Question when does a train manager become a guard. Answer - at the NR / SVR boundary when a Chiltern train manager is also an SVR guard.

    Steve you are lucky in only having problems with the LNER teaks and leather straps we also have an LMS set in daily use and ocasional use of GWR coaches
     
  6. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Those leather straps can be a problem tho I've had problems with opening doors on one of the GW sets. I did hear a story that station staff at bigger stations in grouping days would listen out for tapping at door windows for passengers struggling with the doors obviously not just a modern problem
     
  7. Kje7812

    Kje7812 Part of the furniture

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    Having just come back from visiting the SDR, on the front of one of their leaflets is instructions on how to use GWR slap lock doors. Of course quite a lot of passengers have problems with slam doors: it's the need to put the hand out the window which fools a lot.

    Well for people living in Hampton Loade (technically the station is in Hampton, Hampton Loade is the other side of the river!), along Northwood lane or near Country Park it's much easier to use the train than the car so you do get regulars.
     
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  8. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Well for people living in Hampton Loade (technically the station is in Hampton, Hampton Loade is the other side of the river!), along Northwood lane or near Country Park it's much easier to use the train than the car so you do get regulars. When I lived at home I once had to do some shopping for the good lady in Bridgnorth as I couldnt drive at the time the train was a most convinient option Motive power was quality too 71000! Turned into a rather fun (and boozy) afternoon! But I do know of people from Bewdley using it for doing they're shopping in Bridgo. I think some of them like the Kudos of 'I use the steam train to do my shopping'
     
  9. Charles Parry

    Charles Parry Member

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    I noted a "Ladies Only" sticker on the Birdcage Brake the other day. Assumed it didn't apply but you never know. And there were instructions on door operation for those new to heritage stock.

    I had heard the reason the GWR set on the SVR is only used on galas is the doors are not slam lock and thus cause delays.
     
  10. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    Galas and high days i.e when more than 4 non dining sets are needed. As well as the doors not being slam lock it's also not in the best condition compared to the other sets although it is due to be worked on as part of the share issue.
     
  11. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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  12. Duty Druid

    Duty Druid Resident of Nat Pres

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    I noticed that on my recent visit for the behind the scenes day................. seems a lot of locals use the trains as a traveling pub!

    And this was my second visit after last years ASG after a 30 year hiatus! :)

    And my 3rd will be this years ASG, if the nighttime running is planned......
     
    Last edited: Aug 20, 2014
  13. threelinkdave

    threelinkdave Well-Known Member

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    There are problems with the GW set, roof leaks etc but mechanically not too bad. It was used on a driving experience the other day. I agree the doors are a problem. This is a true series of events seen from a couple of coaches away. Passenger slams door - passenger slams door harder - passenger turns handle to closed and slams door, metal to metal door catch to striker gives a spectacular bounce. Platform staff arive and show passenger how to shut door. You have to be vigilant wuith slam door, with the GW set double vigilant
     
  14. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Shame really. One of my most memorable days (or rather evenings) on the SVR was on an elderly GWR open saloon with, as I recall, bench seats down each side rather than a more conventional layout. We had a very convivial evening travelling back from Bewdley (where we'd had a meal out) to Bridgnorth; the layout made for a very clubbable sort of carriage.

    Tom
     
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  15. Southernman99

    Southernman99 Member Friend

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    Tom. Those would have been the Churchwood toplights. Wonderful coaches. Sadly not the greatest of capacity but used on galas for locals.

    Just to add. GW2 gets used more than people think. If the LMS set is out for maintenance and 4566 or 1501 are service engines. They are limited to 200t. It also gets used on the Footplate Experience trains either on the ultimate or the supreme.

    As much as I admire the toplights. There is something so very satisfying about closing a door and hearing the latch and resounding clunks.
     
  16. threelinkdave

    threelinkdave Well-Known Member

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    Just for accuracy it was realised that 7 LMS was 210/211t so the limits were raised to 210t. I dont know why 2300 is odd. The LMS coaches are all 30t apart from 2300 which is 31t and its not a brake or buffet.
     
  17. Kje7812

    Kje7812 Part of the furniture

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    Ah, I was just about to post that GW2 has been use more this year than past years and this is like to increase with the overhaul of the set, thus giving the SVR 5 passenger sets for regular rather than 4 and bee=ing able to spread the wear and tear more evenly. On timetable C, 4 sets are in use on service trains while B is 3, then plus another set if there's a SSFE, MFE or DFE out.
     
  18. Matt35027

    Matt35027 Well-Known Member

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    I was sitting in that very coach when I visited the Bluebell a few weeks ago, whilst waiting to depart SP an arm came in through the open window accompanied by a lady's voice saying "there's usually a handle on the inside to open it" I went to the window to demonstrate that the door handle was in fact on the outside!
     
  19. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

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    You can have a good day Boozy day out at the SVR plenty of decent pubs all in easy reach of all stations and decent bottled beer on board. Have done the hardcore day a few times that is do the diesel from Kiddy in the morning at 0955, stay behind that all day do last train off Kiddy either up to Highley for the Ship, or up to Hampton. Back down to Kiddy quick one in K+C then DMU up to Bridgo! Great value for a day rover somthing like 119 miles, overdone it last time though my head knew about it the following day!
     
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  20. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

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    This is one of my tests of experience of heritage railwaymen - whether you can tell whether a Mk1 door has shut correctly by sound alone.

    Another is how to turn the lights off on a Mk1 when the batteries have run down so that there isn't enough current to trip the lighting relay electrically.

    Answers on a postcard please!!!

    kind regards

    Robin White
     
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