West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Thanks Ron

 

Thanks to TK for this alert:

"Good report on Flog It today. Starts at 20mins 20 secs on the iplayer.https://www.bbc.co.uk/…/b…/flog-it-series-15-43-crowcombe-45"

Steve

 

..especially as Kilmersdon will no doubt whistle before moving off and reaching 5mph!
Robin L.

 

West Somerset Railway - Then and Now #134

Washford 1935 / 2017

The pub next to the station is a prominent local feature. It has changed name over the years and presumably was busy on cattle market days at the station in the past. And I'll bet there was some straw on the floor in the public bar.

We have cone to expect rathe 'jazzier' presentation from pubs these days.

1935


2017

 

Talking of getting rid of inappropriately placed signs...

 

Excessive signage seems to be a bane of modern life and does little for the appearance of the built environment. I suspect much of it is in any case counterproductive, because after a while you just blank them all out - including the vital ones.



Tom

 

I know of one of my unfavourite finger-wagging "slow" signs painted a cars length in advance of the speed limit increasing from 30m.p.h. to 40m.p.h!

P.H.

 

The first time I went to Ireland, one of the things that amused me was where the usual "Slow" was painted on the road, shortly afterward it would be followed up with "SLOWER"!
A very knowing psychology in action.
I don' know if they still do that.

 

I've never seen anything wrong with a bit of spit and sawdust , as long as it's not in my cider .

 

The old time railways did not like spitting at all for the very real reason of avoiding the spread of T.B. The Havenstreet museum has an L.B.S.C.R. prohibitory sign in its collection and there must be more elsewhere.

PH

 

Tom

 

Reminds me of the old joke of the publican and his regular after the pub had been done out.
Regular: I doh 'arf miss the spittoons Fred.
Fred: Yoo used to miss 'em when we had 'em Bert.

 

This is a BCDR sign isn't it?

 

Well, the photo was taken in the museum at Sheffield Park, so it is either one of the SR constituents or mislabelled! I think it is LBSCR but I can’t remember now - I took the photo ages ago for another reason so didn’t pay a vast amount of attention I’m afraid.

Tom

 

I think it is mislabelled. The attached (from Getty Images) shows an LBSCR version although there may be other types.

 

In "Railway Adventure", Tom Rolt mentioned such signs in the 1st class carriage being one of the differences between it and the rest of the stock.

Between illiteracy and undiagnosed / untreated eye problems (in the case of the Welsh speaking population served by the Talyllyn, add 'understand'*), you have to wonder how many could actually read notices in the first place.

* No, I'm not having a cheap dig. It's a matter of record that, during both world wars, conscripted troops from many areas of Wales served in Welsh speaking units, their fluency in English being insufficient for army purposes.

 

My daughter in law wont allow my grandchildren to wear anything outside bearing their school logo or name. And quite right too.

 

That reminds me of a story, perhaps apocryphal, concerning one of the Railways serving the Channel Ports. (I think it was the LC&DR). Senior management decided that their carriage signage should be bilingual (English/French). They were particularly exercised that passengers should not "lean out of the window".

As a result plaques were produced and fitted "defence d'uriner sur le mur'. They were subsequently removed.

Michael Rowe

 

The thing that annoys me about road signs is that at every road junction for several miles the place you're going to is signposted, then you come to a T junction and signs for the place you want are not there!!!

 

....or hidden by lineside - sorry, roadside - vegetation!

Peter James