West Somerset Railway General Discussion

I certainly would pay for photo charter with the coal if it happened.

 

Nice to see WSR behind scene of making antique roadshow just now

 

I missed that, what channel was it on?

 

BBC1 Points West this eveing 1828-1900.

 

I do love these tales from the footplate . Thank you .

 

What's not to like ?

 

When is the Minehead edition going to be shown , or have I already missed it ? Thank you .

 

It is the best that can be done. It isn't possible to stand where the photographer stood in 1871 given the changes at Watchet and vegetation which has subsequently grown up.

Robin

 

Your last sentence probably contains the reasons why you made a lot of smoke. Hard coals need a totally different approach to low volatile coals. When making up the fire, you can build up your back end as usual. I would fill it up to the bottom of the door, especially so on a GW loco. However, I would never put anything down the front unless I was in panic mode and wanting to raise steam quickly and had the blower hard on. Leaving the front bare allows a bit of air through which helps burn off/dilute the volatiles but also stops much air going through the coal at the back end and raising its temperature. Doing this will keep smoke to a minimum and a bit of blower together with an open door will do the rest. Assuming the needle is sat just below the mark, I would wait until a minute or two before departure before placing a good few shovelfuls down the front to cover the grate, no earlier. You are then ready for the off. Some firemen even wait until the train is underway and clear of the platform before doing this. Don't forget, the heat from a hard coal is almost instantaneous. The next do is really a don't. Don't shut your firehole doors. Apart from the first couple of minutes when I'm wanting to raise the temperature of the firebed, I leave the doors open and the flap up on LMS/BR locos; similarly with an LNER rat trap. Having the doors cracked, as you said, is probably not enough. You can regulate them as you wish to suit your fire. The doors only get shut when I have ceased firing and any indication of volatiles has disappeared from the chimney.
If it is a wide box boiler, I never put anything in the middle until the off for the same reasons. Build up the back corners and a little around the edges and front corners but never the middle until it is time to go.

 

You certainly haven't missed them - there is expected to be two shows from the filming at MD. At the filming we were told that the next series starts in October - as far as I understand it there is no further info.

 

I suppose "ee by gum"would be OK but many will not know where the engine was built.

 

Thank you for that Ron I was fearing I was having to go hunting on Catchup .

 

Raveningham Hall not running today? Any problems?

 

Probably the coal.

 

Fully agree Steve. When we used hard coal previously at WSR, I generally left the front end until we had actually started moving; also use the doors/flap to control the secondary air (often using a suitable lump of coal to stop the doors rattling shut, particularly on 88). As you say, instantaneous combustion, could run the fire down nicely at the end of the day and add if necessary without fear of having too much left! You could, literally, shovel your way up the banks if you had to!

 

What's the diesel in use on flying Scotsman days please

 

It is the DMU.

 

I'll say it again , I do appreciate these tales from the footplate . Thanks .

 

West Somerset Railway -Then and Now #58

Watchet Goods Office 1875 / 2017

Each of the original West Somerset Railway 1862 Stations, apart from Bishops Lydeard, was provided with one of there distinctive little buildings, divided into office and store. The only vary in that they were constructed, like the other buildings, of stone quarries very locally to each station. In Watchet's case, this was an unsatisfactory crumbly grey material as opposed to the good hard red stone used elsewhere.

Original Goods Offices can be found at Watchet and Williton. Unfortunately the version recently erected at Crowcombe is disappointing. Despite considerable expense, and the involvement of the local conservation officer, it has the wrong roof pitch, wrong roof detailing and wrong window sill construction. Hopefully these matters will be corrected in time.

The 1875 view also includes the distinctive signalbox, which shares a great deal with Williton, but was just somewhat higher.

1875


2017

 

'Hopefully these matters will be corrected in time.'
I very much doubt it, and after the finishing touches with the gutter clips bearing the lion heads are on the project will be 'complete' (a separate application was applied for and granted for them). If it isn't already signed off by the council it'll be rubber stamped without checks for adherence to the planning applications and permissions.