West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Moscow next year...............?

 

Hopefully Minehead, with the improperly removed shares returned to the WSRA and a new untainted Board of 4160 Ltd Directors.

Always travelling hopefully...

Robin

 

HMP Dartmoor next year?

 

Thanks, I should have remembered, I lived nearby at the time ! The event was chronicled in the September Railway Observer

The following months 'RO' ( actually the October issue, but headed November 1954 as indeed was the November edition !) has the following:
"After several somewhat coloured accounts of its predicament had appeared in the national press, 5956 was eventually "repatriated" on the night of 20/21 August. It travelled via Earlswood and the Quarry line to East Croydon and thence to Clapham Junction, where it passed via the Transfer Siding on to the Western Section then making a series of shunting moves across Clapham Yard to gain access to the West London Extension from the Windsor Lines. Throughout its journey it was subjected to a speed limit of 25mph, and 10 mph through all,station platforms."

The September RO after detailing the "Obstruction at Guildford" and the subsequent difficulties said "the climax was reached with the 7.35 ex Birkenhead which came through via Clapham Junction to Redhill behind 5956 Horsley Hall. The appearance of this loco on the Brighton Line was perhaps even more sensational than that of "Jubilee" 45595 last year."

The RO went on to suggest that it was only after the emergency was over that the authorities began to question the traverse, impounded 5956 at Redhill and sought advice from the Civil Engineer as to how to return the loco to the Western Region.

Michael Rowe

 

Thanks Robin, On the 10 Of July 1961 the electric token system was replaced by king levers on the single line section on the Royal Albert Bridge. The up and down starting signals were basicly interlocked with the king levers in each of the corresponding signal boxes on each side of the river. Basically a less labour intensive system for the signalmen did not have to leave the box too exchange tokens. Because the small lever at the Williton Box was Blue & Brown I thought this was a king lever.

 

Those are generally referred to as 'acceptance levers'.

Lever 1 (the old up distant) was used for this at Williton because (1) it was out of use , and (2) about the right place in the frame.

Robin

 

I seem to remember a Hall once arrived at Sheffield Victoria causing much consternation regarding clearances...

Dave

 

Thanks for enlightening me .

 

So much so that they let it carry on to York.......didn't want a problem like that on their patch!

Peter

 

And didn't a Grange end up in Huddersfield?

 

Now there's an interesting parallel....

Robin

 

Was this to check if any of the missing WSRA shares had been sent to York??

J

 

They aren't missing, we know where they are. They are subject to unlawful imprisonment....

Robin

 

...and in some places they are known as 'Direction Levers.'

 

Acceptance Levers and Direction Levers are not quite the same thing: the subtle difference is down partly to which block regulations are in use in a particular section.

I can think of one box that has an Acceptance Lever for one section and a Direction Lever for a different section.

Neither are King Levers, of course; that is something different again. And the lever in question at Williton is none of the above anyway!

 

Most likely at Llangollen, so the share holders will be able to see the progress on the overhaul of the engine.

 

Station Farm BL:
I would have thought by now that plans etc would be drawn up for the shed that might be built here. I seems to me the most important project on the Railway. All the stock sitting outside, I would be far more willing to donate to covered accommodation than yet another steam locomotive. This railway seems to lag behind the other popular railways.

 

The current plans for Bishops Lydeard were briefed at last October's Stakeholder meeting. They are very ambitious but will cost a lot, and will require a Lottery application. Unfortunately the notes on the Stakeholder's meeting have not (yet) appeared at the WSR website.

David

 

It would be wonderful if the arrest warrant could be executed at the AGM.

 

North Wales police are only interested in harrassing motorists & bikers. Real crimes are just a nuisance to them & get in the way of ticket issuing (fund raising)

Bob.