West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Returning to Crewe on Wednesday, 10/10/2018. <BJ>
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U10928/2018/10/10/advanced

 

Not so many years ago travelled on the Redjet from Cowes to Southampton both of us oaps. The tickets stated " packages "

 

The only thing to put off most people is to see Diesel on the train!

 

I watched today's inaugural Minhead Express on the cameras departing from Minehead and then Blue Anchor
for its return to Bishops Lydeard and it looked to be very lightly loaded.

Stef.

 

I rode it from the unutterably ‘twee’ Stogumber to Blue Anchor for a pleasant lunch at the Driftwood cafe Blue Anchor. I counted 72 passengers, myself included.

P.S. Stogumber will be staffed for the remaining runs and Cream teas and/or a walk to the village will be available on each occasion. But it should be note that the pub is often not open for Monday lunch,

Robin

 

October?
First trip?
Only recently announced & publicised?

I'd say 72 passengers is a darned good number.

Did it turn out to be an all-stations-stopper & did many folks join in?
Can I assume that a Cream Tea is served on the afternoon train from MD? If so, I can't see SR getting much custom.

 

The extras in October will call at all stations except Doniford, as did today’s.

I was the only passenger to board / alight at Stogumber but when I alighted, two ladies had been enjoying a cup of tea in the station garden.

Robin

 

The station webcam at Crowcombe Heathfield appears to show the return of last years' attack of the wasps. Surely all possible points of entry to the SB will have been sealed in the meantime - unless of course a rare species conservation order applies?

 

Difficult to deal with at this time of year. The wasp nest is reaching the end of its life. The queen has stopped laying and the workers have nothing to do. The new queens leave the nest, mate, and then search for womewhere to overwinter. All but the new queens will die out within a week or two.

 

Just outside Crowcombe Heathfield yesterday

 

You might enjoy this.



Highlights are the aerobatics over Lympstone Commando (14:00 to 18:00) for a visit by Prince Harry(!), Stogumber Station and the train (30:30 to 31:30), aerobatics at Minehead (from 32:30) and the full loop over Exmoor (from 46:40).

Please note that this is a temporary link and is likely to expire at the end of 10.10.18

Steve Lewis captured the view from Minehead beach:



Robin

 

Our dogs have allways been part of the family and only get left when avbsolutely nnecessary. As for being dirty on some railways they are more dirty from unswept floors when they get off than when they got on

 

There's more than an ounce of truth in that comment, Dave. As this is a WSR thread, would you say the WSR falls into that category?

Steve

 

Friend of the WSR, AdmiralScorner, who has posted numerous videos on YouTube, visited Stogumber Station on Sunday afternoon. The record of his visit now appears on YouTube; search 'Steam Trains at Stogumber WSR Sunday 7th October'.

What I find particularly interesting about this video is that towards the end he has spliced part of a video which he recorded at Stogumber Station in 1989.

The station buildings look similar to the way they appear today, and the gardens are recognisable. However, the platform is constructed of timber planks and is much shorter than it is today, ending well short of the waiting room.

A locomotive is seen entering the station on it's way to Bishops Lydeard. It's 92220 'Evening Star' hauling a well loaded train.

I always find the Admirals work fascinating and this one especially so.

The archive section of the video starts at approximately 15mins 45 seconds.

Stef.

 

Due to my commitments to SVR I have omly visited WSR on a couple of occasions when we had a black dog so dont have enough experience to pontificate. I would rather not say which lines are at fault

 

Understood, Dave. I'm not bothered about the lines that might be "at fault", unless it is the WSR.

Steve

 

Looking at the film clip. does the cameraman realise how the tomatoes came to be in the ballast?

 

Seeds delivered with a dollop of manure to give them a good start

 

There is currently one growing in the 4 foot at Blue Anchor

 

Looks like there were gaps between the canopy rails and runners for the first part of the flight. Was the canopy unlatched?