West Somerset Railway General Discussion

I, too, am very pleased to see this report. At last something evidence as it were.
I did make a small donation earlier this week by traveling the length of the line with Her Ladyship. Back again at the start of June for another couple of days.

 

Don't worry, I take stuff like this with a huge pinch of salt.

Unfortunately, a visit isn't feasible for now but is certainly on my wish list.

Even with the fog of uncertainty and division portrayed here, the inherent qualities of the line more than shine through

 

Congratulations to whoever organized this, and thanks to the railway for OK'ing it. It's an interesting and educational document.

Noel

 

Went to BL to get a book, and ended up buy a Wiliton return after seeing 7802 on the front of the 1440 service. Even more delightful to had been able to travel behind 7752 on the return.

 

I took my two youngest & Domestic Facilities Management to Minehead today, out on the 10.15, back on the 14.30

Not having visited for 8 years, her immediate response was that she wasn that impressed by the internal condition of the coaches, both in terms of cleanlieness & the general condition of the interior.
Caterin
The down train from Minehead was late which made us late arriving at Minehead & again late departing on the 14.30, which did not impress.

Her other comment was that the line compared with the others she had been dragged onto by me was untidy & rather tatty. Allowing for the obvious limitations of a volunteer run railway, the presence of wire planters on Minehead Platform full of dead plants wasnt exactly encouraging, and the rather nice 'heritage' lamp post by the water tower badly needed painting.

The existing plantings at Minehead needed some TLC and while I appreciate the problems as there is a vertical drop behind the platform, the Ivy at Stogumber could do with being cut back.

It goes without saying, and allowing for the obvious limitationa of MK1 Buffet's & the buildings at BL, the catering offer could be much improved.

Well, we got to Minehead, Kids ran around on the beach - Oh & thank you to the train crew for letting us leave our trolley in the Brake Van, & as always the catering crew put up with my wit & repartee, and what is it in that window in Watchet that looks all the world like somebody mooning?

Anyway I was curious to see how the pannier would perform, after a tolerable start from Minehead, it was clear all was far from well when we arrived at Washford, it seems that there was a major issue with the fire resulting in further delays. I was rather suprised that there wasnt a 'Thunderbird' at Williton, but it seems that th eproblem had been resolved and given her size she made a pretty reasonable run up the climb to Crowcombe, but by the time we arrived at Minehead it was 16.30.

So, like the Curates Egg, there were some things that could be easily resolved, some things that could be resolved & all the usual problems of dealing with ageing equiptment.................

But Middle Son & I enjoyed it, DFM survived & youngest had a good run on the beach

 

A big thanks for travelling on the Railway.

Thanks too for the above comments - no problem with airing your experiences here. If you haven't already done so, what I would suggest, as a way of helping the Railway address some of those comments, is to jot same on an email and send it to the Railway. The folks who are responsible may wish to discuss your experience with you. Ta.

Steve

 

If I change by name by deedpoll to Bradley Manor do I get a footplate ride

 

Yes, just bring the certificate along to prove it - works for any loco.
Regards,
Mr F. Hall

 

Interesting how different people see things differently.

I haven't been to the WSR this year, so I accept that my thoughts may now be out of date. But as a frequent visitor from turn of millennium up to 2018, I always thought that the interior condition and cleanliness of the coaching stock was better than on most other heritage lines, also that the station gardeners consistently put on a good show.

My only major gripe was the sparse provision of toilets at stations.

 

To be fair the condition and cleanliness of the stock is miles ahead of West Coast stuff, but having travelled on Pres in the north west the WSR is a lot better than some others I won't name

 

The on train toilets on the WSR are consistently good, and the Brake Composite we were in on the return journey was fine, but it was a recently repainted

 

The major point here is that Mrs. Wessex represents the probable conclusions that many of the non-enthusiast public, who travel on WSR trains, get. Mr. Wessex (John) is probably more forgiving of a heritage lines faults, being an enthusiast.
Heritage line businesses are basically tourist attractions - that is the reason most of the passengers visit and travel with them. It is also how many councils and those who give supportive grants view them, not as a place to 'play trains'.
A good, enjoyable and stress free day will draw folk back; the reverse will send them elsewhere.

 

Absolutely right. Most of us across what we now call the "heritage railway" world understood all of this from day one and constantly strive to reach those standards.

Which is why it would be helpful for @johnofwessex to contact the Railway so the latter can find out, for example, the detail behind the comment "the catering offer could be much improved" and perhaps explain to the family of @johnofwessex why timekeeping was poor.

Mutual improvement is not limited to railway departments - it equally applies to any organisation who needs third party cash (from visitors to supporters) to continue its purpose.

Steve

 

That link is to a general news page, with just a few paragraphs under the heading "Latest newsletter of WSR Infrastructure Engineering". Is there more somewhere?

 

Click on download full newsletter at the bottom of the article.

 

I wonder if timing has always been poor on Heritage lines, although my mind says not, but the advent of webcams these days seem to show it as a disease many lines now suffer.

 

I have e-mailed the WSR, and would be interested to know why The Pannier came so close to failure.

 

As a TTI I spend a fair amount of time with my head out of a window, and it does seem to me that most carriages have started the season with exterior paintwork looking very grimy and grubby. The cream edges near the door windows are particularly bad. They could do with a good deep clean. To be fair I don't think the travelling public particularly notice this, if they do they probably think its recreating the BR era fairly accurately. I think we do very well with the interiors though, but then they get regular cleaning.

 

You may be right DHP, but I often believe first impressions are often lasting ones - justified or not.

 

When last there two years ago the lineside in the vicinity of Dunster and Minehead stations looked very much like linear scrapyards. Wagons being overgrown. The DMU i travelled on was in parlous condition with rotten and torn carpeting and the interior panelling breaking away. Why not some opinions from the non-enthusiast punters which might remove the motes from some eyes.
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