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. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    Messages:
    26,103
    Likes Received:
    57,433
    Location:
    LBSC 215
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    It must be pretty tight at Sheffield Park? In order to get 6 coaches in the platforms, the engine has to be fully off the end of the platform. There are dummy signals at the south end of each platform which you have to look out for to check the relevant one is off if you are arriving with a six coach train.

    Tom
     
    Wenlock likes this.
  2. 21B

    21B Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2009
    Messages:
    2,944
    Likes Received:
    6,303
    Points 2 and 3 were nothing to do with me.

    As to point 1.... not seen that in either of the systems with which I was most familiar and the lack of warning note on the lead engine seemed to do no harm. Thanks for the explanation

    Sent from my SM-A405FN using Tapatalk
     
  3. AnthonyTrains2017

    AnthonyTrains2017 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2014
    Messages:
    2,237
    Likes Received:
    918
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Could someone please tell me if any of the shops stock Cotleigh Brewery bottled old steamer for purchases upon reopened line
     
  4. 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 don't think any of the shops or cafes are licenced, so they would not sell it. The on-train buffets would be the most likely places.
     
  5. Wenlock

    Wenlock Well-Known Member Friend

    Joined:
    Oct 26, 2008
    Messages:
    2,027
    Likes Received:
    1,319
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Bus Driver
    Location:
    Loughton Essex
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    For a short period at KESR it was necessary for a train loco arriving at Tenterden Town to pass the Stop board at the Headcorn end of the platform. This was authorised by an "H bat", like a ping-pong bat, which ISTR was painted blue with a large white H. This gave authority to proceed towards the headshunt, passing the Stop board without pause.

    Perhaps rather than handing over a piece of paper, a similar "bat" could be displayed by the signalman while collecting the token from the arriving train.
     
    Graft on likes this.
  6. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2006
    Messages:
    11,930
    Likes Received:
    10,088
    Occupation:
    Gentleman of leisure, nowadays
    Location:
    Near Leeds
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Sheffield Park has a crossover, though, so conflicting movements can be prevented. And you say, it is protected by signals, as well.
     
  7. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2006
    Messages:
    11,930
    Likes Received:
    10,088
    Occupation:
    Gentleman of leisure, nowadays
    Location:
    Near Leeds
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Deleted.
     
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2020
  8. Forestpines

    Forestpines Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2009
    Messages:
    1,681
    Likes Received:
    2,438
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    Somewhere in the UK
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Bridgnorth is similar to this: standard procedure is that the down starting signal (which reads into the north end sidings) is cleared as an arriving train runs in, and the crew tries to stop the train with the loco but only the loco past the signal and the block joint; you have to get it quite precise with a train of the rated platform length particularly on P2. Doing this then stops you carrying out the same move in the other platform in a useful way, due to the signalling controls, although there is actually quite a lot of space before you would physically foul the other line.

    Standard busy-day procedure is for one train to come in, hook off and run round (or go for coal), then the next arrival comes in on the other platform before departure. If an arriving train stops short they could foul the block joint at the south end after running round; if they overshoot they block their own run round because the crossover will be locked.
     
    Bluenosejohn likes this.
  9. ikcdab

    ikcdab Member Friend

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2006
    Messages:
    610
    Likes Received:
    1,849
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    WSRHT Trustee, Journal editor
    Location:
    Taunton
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I seem to remember the Turntable Cafe selling beer, or did I just dream that?
    Ian Coleby
     
  10. Dodo

    Dodo New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 2, 2016
    Messages:
    18
    Likes Received:
    96
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Bath Somerset
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Who started all this? As WSR footplate crew for over 20 years I can say there are no problems at all with token exchanges on our railway, and can I remind folk that this is a WSR thread, and can you now talk about something else please! I need to go and watch some paint dry.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 12, 2020
    malcolm imps and Blackdown Boy like this.
  11. RailWest

    RailWest Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2011
    Messages:
    3,803
    Likes Received:
    7,442
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    West Country
    My paint dried in the heat today even before I finished the job!

    Given that 'token exchanges' are part of normal day-to-day WSR operations, I don't see the problem in talking about them here.....
    :Saywhat:
     
    35B and Forestpines like this.
  12. Forestpines

    Forestpines Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2009
    Messages:
    1,681
    Likes Received:
    2,438
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    Somewhere in the UK
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Discussions about how terminal platforms on the NYMR should be signalled, though, is unarguably off-topic (yes, I know I contributed myself)
     
    malcolm imps likes this.
  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
    I wasn't sure so I checked the website and there's no mention of alcoholic drinks at the Turntable Cafe.
     
  14. 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
    I'd gently suggest that discussion about token exchanges and signalling as a result of a video featuring the WSR is probably a more normal topic to find on a railway's thread than recent (i.e. th past 6 years' worth) discussion, even if it does wander off to other railways' situations.
     
  15. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2014
    Messages:
    17,609
    Likes Received:
    11,223
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    St Leonards
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    So having dominant personalities that don't stop and listen, or take advice , is nothing new on the WSR it would seem .
     
  16. Forestpines

    Forestpines Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2009
    Messages:
    1,681
    Likes Received:
    2,438
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    Somewhere in the UK
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    We should be slow to make important rule book changes in general, where there is no particular pressure to make the change. Flipping rules back and forth like that within the space of a few years feels like a very bad idea, to my mind, whatever the nature of the change.

    Did they also want to label all your trains as 2Mxx on the Down and 2Txx on the Up, because that's what the main line does?
     
  17. RailWest

    RailWest Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2011
    Messages:
    3,803
    Likes Received:
    7,442
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    West Country
    I would agree. For many years there was a view that, while heritage railways might use only a small sub-set of the then British Rail rules and regulations, there was merit in keeping them broadly aligned - no sense in 're-inventing the wheel'. A key factor then was that many volunteers would be BR staff having a 'busman's holiday' and it could cause confusion if (say) the working of EKT on the ABC railway was done differently than what they were used to in their 'day job'. But now the situation on NR has changed so much that there is a danger of the 'tail wagging the dog' and heritage lines are moving towards 'big railway' practices which may neither be relevant nor practical.

    At least - I think - we still have passengers not customers on WSR trains ? :)
     
    Wenlock, jnc and Monkey Magic like this.
  18. torgormaig

    torgormaig Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2007
    Messages:
    4,445
    Likes Received:
    6,546
    For once there is a discussion on railway operations on this thread (see thread title) and someone complains about it! He must be too addicted to all the WSR political drivvle that predominates this thread and bores some of us out of our minds.
    Lets have more operating discussion not petty politics please.

    Peter
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 12, 2020
  19. torgormaig

    torgormaig Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2007
    Messages:
    4,445
    Likes Received:
    6,546
    One of the many reasons that the NYMR eventually changed to carrying the token on the lead loco was the fact that our trains are often top and tailed, a method of operating that was very rarely seen in steam days. To my mind it makes sese to have the guy in charge of operating the train - the guy with the brake - to also have possession of the token, not have it at the rear of the train. If it is the responsibility of the lead driver why does any other driver need to see it? Is he not to be trusted? I sometimes think we love to overcomplicate matters for some ideal of historical accuracy without understanding the reasons why things were as they were in the old days.

    Peter
     
    michaelh, 21B, Aberdare and 1 other person like this.
  20. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2006
    Messages:
    11,930
    Likes Received:
    10,088
    Occupation:
    Gentleman of leisure, nowadays
    Location:
    Near Leeds
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Hells teeth! We get some real and interesting discussion going that is not related to other people’s personal agenda and you complain! As for thread drift away from the WSR, well that’s par for the course.
     
    Bifur01, Big Al, Monkey Magic and 6 others like this.

Share This Page