South Devon Railway

On the Cambrian coast line every other joinmt is welded, so you could always compromise and halve the maintenance!

 

I realise that it would reduce the workload of the p/way gang. Fishplates to check and lubricate, ballast to replace due to the shock of wheelsets crossing the gap etc. Yes, it would mean a smoother ride but the SDR in particular is very good at re-creating the experience of railway travel in the steam age. Traditional rail joints are part of this branch line's character, a sound that's rapidly disappearing from the big railway for understandable reasons and, if the SDR welded their joints I, as a local enthusiast who remembers the aforementioned steam age, would feel very sad that another asset had been sacrificed to the great god "easy life". :cry:

John.

 

Its all very well haveing the clacking, but think of it from a operatinal point of view. We have two P- way staff and 7 miles of track. They do a real good job with wot they have. Every clack that you hear is a dropped joint. We have problems with broken or cracked springs, broken fishplates and the occasional chair. Though when these do occour they are sorted out imediatly or the loco is stopped. But its the money that it cost to keep on repairig stuff.

 

Totally agree re maintaining the atmosphere of the steam age railway, but if we want to keep the 'clickety-click' perhaps we should be prepared to join the P/W gang

 

Hmmm, if I wasn't so busy being a vintage* bus conductor in Somerset, I might just have risen to that challenge!






*Yes, I'm as old as most of the buses I work on! :smt045

 

It won't matter on the SDR because all you ever hear is the PA going "THIS TRAIN IS THE XX.XX TO BUCKFASTLEIGH, CALLING AT STAVERTON etc etc etc". Nice line, but that totally destroys any atmosphere, and is it really necessary? You only have 3 stations!

 

Only a few guards do that, and wen I travel in the guards compartment if I'm going to bishops Bridge loop or something it enoys me as well when they do it!!! ](*,) ](*,) ](*,)

 

=P~ What's wrong with it then?

 

Whats wrong with wot?

 

Its a bit 'mainline railway' giving announcements like that isnt it? never heard that done before on a preserved line. (btw, could you reduce your sig pic captainjohn, if only in height? its a little 'dominating' at the moment!)

Chris

 

3803

 

Theres nothing wrong with it as far as I knw.

 

It's called "being professional" which I believe is the nub of the discussion raised by Pete Waterman's comments reported on another thread.

 

I travel on the SDR as many times as I can during the year work permitting, and you don't always hear the guards on the PA system, mostly only on special event weekends and mainly Thomas weekends, which is then handy so you know whats going on (if you don't already)

Also as far as it being professional the (not wanting to comandeer thread as its in another one but) the PDSR does it on every train at every station, it's annoying but is usful for the tourists. They have also started telling you about the loco's pulling the train.

 

Well, I supose I do see it from a volunteers point of view, I mean, of course I know what the next station, I work there. I do find it a bit anoying but as the previous comment said I supose it is useful for tourists

 

Have you seen the new Webcam set up to view the station throat at Buckfastleigh. Now you can sit back and watch your favourite GW Country Branch line at any time the mood takes you! Log in through the SDR website.

 

If we could just run empty stock trains life would be so much simpler and all these non-1960's things could be done away with. Unfortunately, we need Joe Public to pay for our enjoyment and Joe Public needs such things as tannoy announcements. Last year I was verbally accosted by a woman on platform 2 at Grosmont. 'Where was the train to Pickering?' I politely replied that it was going from platform 3. 'How do we expect to know that?' was her response. I pointed to the notice about six feet from her, which gave information on train/platform departures in fairly large print, easily readable from where we were. Her response to that was along the lines of 'Why do you expect me to go looking for the information, why can't you announce it.' Unfortunately, many visitors are similar; they do not seek out the necessary information on notice boards and have to be told even the simple things. What time? which coach? which platform? where do I get tickets? when is the train back? are just a few things that you and I would probably establish without being told.

 

Let's face it - the Brits are like sheep and have the manners of pigs!

 

It's the thing these days everyone needs it to be put in front of them or spelt out for them and be told what to do, thats why printing a clear dedicated timetable for the event isn't good enough.

Example last time Iwas at the SDR for a Thomas weekend a lady (Quite young, may have something to do with it) said which train do I get on to ride behind Thomas, to which he replied this one. Then she asked which coach he said any and she said this one and he said yes any one you like, and had to repeat this two or three times before she got onto the train.

So it is completely useless and I'm afraid I'm not even entirely convinced the tannoy system works either