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.

West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by gwr4090, Nov 15, 2007.

  1. nanstallon

    nanstallon Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2005
    Messages:
    4,323
    Likes Received:
    2,397
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Westcountry
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I have just come back from Albania - where the railway really is struggling for survival - and I bought a book in Tirana about the dictator Enver Hoxha. He certainly dealt with persons disagreeing in a very terminal way.
     
  2. nanstallon

    nanstallon Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2005
    Messages:
    4,323
    Likes Received:
    2,397
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Westcountry
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    No there weren't. They just never came back for another ride.
     
    Paul Kibbey likes this.
  3. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2014
    Messages:
    11,246
    Likes Received:
    17,946
    Gender:
    Female
    Occupation:
    Barrister
    Location:
    Stogumber
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Quite happy to provide them with a voucher for future use to the full value of their ticket...

    Robin
     
    Paul Kibbey likes this.
  4. 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
  5. 6960 Raveningham Hall

    6960 Raveningham Hall Member Friend

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2016
    Messages:
    713
    Likes Received:
    1,033
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired.
    Location:
    Near St. Austell, Cornwall.
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer

    So, if I'm reading this correctly, scheduled services over the length of the line between BL and MD will not commence until 21st April and not 6th April as originally suggested.
     
  6. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2015
    Messages:
    9,185
    Likes Received:
    7,226
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Thorn in my managers side
    Location:
    72
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Is the note about Norton Fitzwarren a standard one as otherwise it implies that the train will go down there - possibly given its 'Top & Tailed' quite easy to organise
     
  7. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2015
    Messages:
    9,185
    Likes Received:
    7,226
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Thorn in my managers side
    Location:
    72
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Certainly looks that way on the 'official' site
     
  8. Sidmouth4me

    Sidmouth4me Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2011
    Messages:
    204
    Likes Received:
    317
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Malton
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I previously wrote
    I have booked a week’s self catering holiday in Minehead with my good wife w/c 6th April. All I can say now is ‘b****r’, and now too late to cancel
     
    jnc, mvpeters and granmaree like this.
  9. 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
    I think it's a standard note. Times for Norton Fitzwarren are not in the timetable, and the arrival/departure timings given at BL are not sufficient to allow the train to go there and still permit the loco to be watered and on-train crew to have a short break.
     
    West Somerset Wizard likes this.
  10. gwilialan

    gwilialan Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2012
    Messages:
    1,658
    Likes Received:
    3,891
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Out there somewhere
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Perhaps there will be a bus replacement service? ;):)
     
    michaelh likes this.
  11. 6960 Raveningham Hall

    6960 Raveningham Hall Member Friend

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2016
    Messages:
    713
    Likes Received:
    1,033
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired.
    Location:
    Near St. Austell, Cornwall.
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    At least the road closure between Williton and Bishops Lydeard should be lifted by the end of March so those who are prepared to take the car will not find it too difficult to get a steam fix. Or, in my case, tea and cake at Stogumber station.
     
  12. Steven Harris

    Steven Harris New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2018
    Messages:
    63
    Likes Received:
    80
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Somerset
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    How will that hit the takings at the Minehead shop and cafe?
     
  13. 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
    More importantly how will it hit ticket sales?
     
  14. granmaree

    granmaree Member

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2015
    Messages:
    541
    Likes Received:
    497
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    So the QB on the 31st is affected? Or not? I can't see anything to indicate it will be. The full length is then operational from the 18th
     
  15. 6960 Raveningham Hall

    6960 Raveningham Hall Member Friend

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2016
    Messages:
    713
    Likes Received:
    1,033
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired.
    Location:
    Near St. Austell, Cornwall.
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    You are, of course, quite correct. My personal preference is to avoid the Railway during school holidays and when special children's events are taking place. As April 19th and 20th are designated as PAW Patrol days I dismissed them. I know that some will not agree with that sentiment.
     
    michaelh and Dennis John Brooks like this.
  16. DragonHandler

    DragonHandler Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 27, 2016
    Messages:
    1,286
    Likes Received:
    1,590
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    West London
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Probably not as much as not running trains until the special event on the 19th. :)
     
  17. Another Yorkshireman

    Another Yorkshireman Member Friend

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2014
    Messages:
    301
    Likes Received:
    688
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Clip starts about 12 mins into the programme. I'm thinking that being honest and encouraging everyone to rally round is better than sweeping under the carpet, and I imagine PLC shareholders, most of whom should be well aware by now of the problem, will be contacted in due course. Preparing and mailing suitable documents is not an easy task and best done carefully and with much thought, at a time when the remaining paid staff are already pretty busy with more to do and less people to do it.
    I imagine the reference to talks with GWR is more likely to be about a seasonal shuttle service to from the main line to Bishops Lydeard than about full line services, though this is not what Mr.deMendoza is campaiging for.
     
    Greenway likes this.
  18. mvpeters

    mvpeters Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2008
    Messages:
    716
    Likes Received:
    838
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Massachusetts, USA
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I can't change my trans-Atlantic flight dates, either!

    Watchet is a great destination, though.
    Perhaps Williton could put on some kind of 'Open House'.

    PS There's a 15-minute connection to the #28 bus onward to MD or a 3-minute connection MD-WT & on to BL. Perhaps the timetable could be fine-tuned a few minutes.
    (I know it's a 'bus', but it's a nice scenic ride!).
     
    Last edited: Mar 19, 2019
  19. Peter29

    Peter29 New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2007
    Messages:
    113
    Likes Received:
    105
    Ticket sales will be less. Clearly. However what you are forgetting is that costs will be less. You’re only running one train and one steam loco for a start, over reduced mileage. If your ticket sales reduce by 30% and your costs by 50% then you might actually make more money not less.....
    Remember, shorter railways are generally more profitable. The HRA study concluded 10-12 miles was an optimal length, anything over that and you were into diminishing returns as you can’t charge the same £ per mile for a longer railway as the average customer has a limit to what they are prepared to pay for a day out. Paignton & Dartmouth adult return £18.25. WSR last year £20.
     
    paulhitch likes this.
  20. Yes it is a standard note on this style of timetable page on wsr.org.uk You are right, it could well confuse people. I must, one day, fix the script that produces the page to ensure the note only appears if Norton is served by trains. One day, one day. Meantime, I challenge anyone to find a double-asterisk amongst the timetable itself ;)

    Steve
     

Share This Page