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. Triumph 2500S

    Triumph 2500S Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2014
    Messages:
    1,066
    Likes Received:
    933
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Swindon
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Very interesting read, all the more so as there is nothing on the plc website and Bob remains a Director on Companies House (Monday August 3rd 9.57 am)
     
  2. 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
    They've been posting videos online about their engineering business, but I didn't hear any mention of whether or not they are actually open.
     
    Monkey Magic likes this.
  3. alanlsmithers

    alanlsmithers New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2020
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    22
    Plans are in hand to open the cafe and shop at weekends on the WSR at Minehead

    Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk
     
    Paul42, Hampshire Unit, D1039 and 5 others like this.
  4. Mike S

    Mike S New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2016
    Messages:
    187
    Likes Received:
    825
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    .
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    They've done some wheelsets for us recently so very much open, not that it's a WSR matter.
     
    Forestpines and Monkey Magic like this.
  5. Monkey Magic

    Monkey Magic Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2018
    Messages:
    3,498
    Likes Received:
    6,845
    Location:
    Here, there, everywhere
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    That is very good news. Every penny counts.

    For sure. But it goes back to the point that even if you are not running trains you can open parts of the business to bring in revenue. So the SDR although it is not running trains is running revenue generating activities. The SDR looks like a good example of what you can do rather than framing it by what you can't do.
     
  6. alanlsmithers

    alanlsmithers New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2020
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    22
    The events at Minehead the last two weekends were very busy. Everyone had a good time and it ran smoothly. Volunteers were out in force helping to run it. Supporting these events will help toward keeping the WSR on the right track for the future. If people keep coming we can do more. Further events will be posted on the website soon.

    Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk
     
  7. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Messages:
    7,498
    Likes Received:
    5,455
    The West Somerset have also undertaken some contract work during the closure. They have overhauled and repainted the SK and are currently doing the BSK which the PBR are using to reopen with.
     
  8. Greenway

    Greenway Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2008
    Messages:
    3,906
    Likes Received:
    3,704
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    South Hams
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    He was not the only person in Minehead that was unaware of the events, people just knew the line was closed. A comment in an earlier post remarked that people wandered onto Minehead station wondering what was happening.
    Well, if he now reads NP maybe he will be better informed. :D
     
    Triumph 2500S likes this.
  9. Greenway

    Greenway Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2008
    Messages:
    3,906
    Likes Received:
    3,704
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    South Hams
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Sensible. If, as has been reported, that Minehead has lots of visitors then why should Mac and KFC get all the trade! ;)
     
    Triumph 2500S likes this.
  10. Triumph 2500S

    Triumph 2500S Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2014
    Messages:
    1,066
    Likes Received:
    933
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Swindon
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    So is there any chance the exercise can be continued so that maximum advantage can be take of all these visitors?
     
  11. RailWest

    RailWest Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2011
    Messages:
    3,803
    Likes Received:
    7,439
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    West Country
    Maybe those at Butlins simply looked through the fence, saw rusty rails and lots of weeds, but no trains, and assumed the worst?
     
  12. alanlsmithers

    alanlsmithers New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2020
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    22
    Anything is possible if the support is there. Watch for announcements and if I hear anything I will post it here.

    Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk
     
  13. jnc

    jnc Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2012
    Messages:
    1,511
    Likes Received:
    2,706
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Western Atlantic
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Well, @D1002 did post this:
    which I was going to post a reply to, asking if that latter perception ("Reasonable answers"), in their opinion, applied to the eviction of the SDRT (which I don't think it can, but that's a separate post, which I am avoiding at the moment, although I have given it thought); but with their departure it seemed pointless. (Which description seems to apply to much here, which is why I often now refrain from posting here - what's the point? But I did feel that your observation about their reception merited a reply.)

    Noel
     
    flying scotsman123 likes this.
  14. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2005
    Messages:
    9,635
    Likes Received:
    8,303
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Alderan !
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Picking up on various facebook threads there seems to be a lot of appreciation for the efforts of the WSR volunteers for the last two weekends and also for @SebWelsh who has coordinated the weekends

    with the reported numbers of visitors and without trying to break Seb ! it does seem to suggest there is a market in Minehead for the WSR to be saying we are still here

    good news too on cafe reopening
     
  15. Hemerdon

    Hemerdon Member Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2006
    Messages:
    759
    Likes Received:
    688
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Hemerdon Bank, Plymouth
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Maybe maybe.... Looks like a comments with no basis. You obviously weren’t at Minehead at the weekend as it was impossible not to notice an event taking place.
     
    horace, stimpy and JBTEvans like this.
  16. Hampshire Unit

    Hampshire Unit Well-Known Member Friend

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2012
    Messages:
    1,511
    Likes Received:
    2,838
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Carer, Gardener
    Location:
    Alresford
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Good to see some positive news. I've fond memories of family holidays in Dunster and many trips on the WSR so really hope it can get through what can only be politely described as "the current sticky patch"
     
    Triumph 2500S likes this.
  17. Paulthehitch

    Paulthehitch Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2020
    Messages:
    1,090
    Likes Received:
    1,093
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Hayling Island
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    An event but, alas, no trains. So a correct comment.
     
  18. Hemerdon

    Hemerdon Member Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2006
    Messages:
    759
    Likes Received:
    688
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Hemerdon Bank, Plymouth
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Well I can be as pedantic, there were trains but no passenger trains.
     
    smithersmark600 likes this.
  19. 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
    If I recall, the railway passes Butlins only after seaward crossing, so if you judge whether the railway's open by whether any trains whistle as they steam by your Butlins chalet, then it's not surprising you'd think they were closed. Perhaps just a light engine movement pottering by, the fireman hanging on the whistle, would be advertisement enough! :)
     
    Dennis John Brooks likes this.
  20. alanlsmithers

    alanlsmithers New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2020
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    22
    There were two steam trains and two traction engines blowing whistles that could be heard all the way across town in Alcombe. We had people come to the station attracted by that. The sound would easily have reached Butlins. And yes, Seb Welsh did a good job of keeping it all working.

    Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk
     

Share This Page