If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by gwr4090, Nov 15, 2007.

  1. 1472

    1472 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2008
    Messages:
    1,898
    Likes Received:
    2,517
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Interesting. My own experience of steam sanders is that when the valve is opened there is plenty of condensation & asthmatic effects before anything starts to happen sandwise. Result the rails can, briefly, be made more wet. Also they seem to be either on or off without any ability to otherwise control things. The valves are sometimes awkwardly placed along with the blower valve on LMS locos (amazing that a designer would put that directly above the firehole) but sensibly positioned on BR Std ones. When prepping a GW loco we would see how far the sand lever needs to be open to allow just a trickle of sand, possibly making a mark as an indication. In the end I suppose it depends what you are used to.
     
    howard likes this.
  2. WishIHadAName

    WishIHadAName New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2013
    Messages:
    194
    Likes Received:
    163
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I wonder if and when 9466 will ever make the move to WSR?
     
  3. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2013
    Messages:
    10,440
    Likes Received:
    17,940
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Cheltenham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    If and when the WSR regains its ability to take locomotives of a higher axle load I expect. Perhaps @malcolm imps might have some idea about how progress towards achieving that is going? (Please let's not have yet another discussion about whether the WSR "needs" "red route" status!) When does 9466's boiler ticket expire?...
     
    Matt37401 likes this.
  4. ruddingtonrsh56

    ruddingtonrsh56 Member

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2009
    Messages:
    979
    Likes Received:
    1,470
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Nottinghamshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Well I believe that an agreement has been signed for her to be resident at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway until the expiry of her boiler ticket in 2025/6, so probably not until after then!
     
  5. jma1009

    jma1009 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2013
    Messages:
    1,381
    Likes Received:
    1,637
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    ynysddu south wales
    The WSR plc board now have 8 or 9 days to deal with the considerable mess they have created over their own making over the 10th February 2020 'Notice to Quit' in respect of Washford and the SDRT.

    Many are looking at this with all the implications with considerable interest and concern.

    It is up to you, JJP, to do the right thing morally and ethically, with of course your board, and do what you can do to avoid the consequences of the mistakes made by you and your board in February last year.

    Cheers,
    Julian
     
    Piggy likes this.
  6. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2015
    Messages:
    9,185
    Likes Received:
    7,226
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Thorn in my managers side
    Location:
    72
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Please explain, what is the mess and why the time limit to deal with it?
     
  7. DcB

    DcB Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2018
    Messages:
    1,338
    Likes Received:
    421
    Location:
    Surrey
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Last edited: Feb 2, 2021
    malcolm imps and jnc like this.
  8. 35B

    35B Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2011
    Messages:
    25,487
    Likes Received:
    23,719
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Grantham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I’d take more comfort from a press release stating that they’d signed such a lease.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    Monkey Magic, baldbof, Piggy and 2 others like this.
  9. baldbof

    baldbof Well-Known Member Friend

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2015
    Messages:
    1,828
    Likes Received:
    2,968
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired, ex-RAF
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    "Opening discussions" isn't, IMHO, the same as actually signing a legal document confirming renewal/extension of a lease. Almost like "agreeing to a meeting to agree to hold a meeting". It doesn't resolve the issue.
     
    Piggy and Monkey Magic like this.
  10. jma1009

    jma1009 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2013
    Messages:
    1,381
    Likes Received:
    1,637
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    ynysddu south wales
    Not just signed, but properly executed, and signed sealed and delivered as befits 2 companies.
     
    baldbof likes this.
  11. 35B

    35B Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2011
    Messages:
    25,487
    Likes Received:
    23,719
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Grantham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Indeed


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  12. gwilialan

    gwilialan Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2012
    Messages:
    1,658
    Likes Received:
    3,891
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Out there somewhere
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Just thinking along the lines of things that could have / should have been done:- Can anyone tell me what happened to the March deadline for the support grants to be used?

    Obviously, with the lockdown, there has been no opportunity for any major works to proceed and I would hope that even those faceless wonders in Whitehall would have recognised this and moved the deadline but does anyone know officially what is happening?
     
  13. RailWest

    RailWest Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2011
    Messages:
    3,803
    Likes Received:
    7,439
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    West Country
    I gather that the GF at Washford is now signed 'out of use' until further notice. Does anyone know why please?
     
  14. Martin Fuller

    Martin Fuller New Member

    Joined:
    May 15, 2006
    Messages:
    42
    Likes Received:
    187
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Engineer
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    GWR sanding valves contain multiple vertical slots in the sand space. The reason being that if the sand is damp at the bottom, dry sand at the top will still make it's way through, thus making the sanding devices more reliable. If all slots are all working and the sand store is full, you only need to crack open the sanding lever very slightly and sand will be taken from multiple points in the store. If the sand supply is depleted, a slightly larger opening is required to get the same feed rate. Further more, on the mainline, the idea was that you would increase the rate of feed the higher the speed, obvious when you think about it, but not possible on a midland engine with steam sanders. There are two reasons why a GWR loco can dump a serious amount of sand if the lever is opened fully, firstly less chance of the valves being clogged, secondly, for braking emergencies, again not possible on Midland steam sanders. As is often the case, the GWR had the more elegant design, but is required a little more knowledge and skill.

    Drivers should know what the minimum setting is from testing the sanders on shed, not much different to knowing what the minimum regulator setting is to get the snifting valves to lift.
     
    Fish Plate, burnettsj and jnc like this.
  15. Andy Moody

    Andy Moody Member

    Joined:
    Jul 9, 2007
    Messages:
    496
    Likes Received:
    337
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    71B ex 71A
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Any more news on the progress of the relaying at Doniford ?
     
  16. Roger Thompson

    Roger Thompson Member

    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2014
    Messages:
    635
    Likes Received:
    1,894
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Warwickshire, formerly Somerset
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    The owner of the locomotive has, in the past, paid scant regard to signed agreements.

    Sent from my SM-T590 using Tapatalk
     
    Last edited: Feb 7, 2021
  17. Thompson1706

    Thompson1706 Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2007
    Messages:
    2,438
    Likes Received:
    1,844
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Rhiwabon
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Smells dodgy then !

    Bob.
     
    Steve and Breva like this.
  18. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    Messages:
    26,100
    Likes Received:
    57,416
    Location:
    LBSC 215
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I'm not aware that the deadline for using the funding has changed. Given where we are in the pandemic, organisations should by now have been able to develop covid-secure ways of working, so I don't think there is necessarily a reason why an organisation shouldn't be able to substantially deliver what they committed to by the original deadline - any delays would presumably then be a matter for negotiation with the relevant account managers within the DCMS.

    There is I believe a second round of grant funding available from the same source that will cover the period from April onwards.

    Tom
     
    jnc likes this.
  19. Mike S

    Mike S New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2016
    Messages:
    187
    Likes Received:
    825
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    .
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    But only if you have completed on and spent the first one by the deadline is my understanding.
     
    Jamessquared likes this.
  20. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2005
    Messages:
    5,283
    Likes Received:
    2,650
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired Rolls-Royce engineer
    Location:
    Bath Green Park / Mangotsfield
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    News from the Mid-Hants Railway.

    ''One notable success has been to agree in principle to the move of much of the collection of artefacts and rolling stock of the Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust to join us at the Watercress Line. The old S&D, of course, was jointly owned by the LSWR so we have common cause there, and both lines are/were single track diversionary main lines. We have yet to agree the timescales for the move, but we hope that we can make fast progress, not least because the S&DRT’s artefacts dovetail beautifully with what we have and will enhance our overall visitor experience immensely. This is what it is all about in the new environment, great visitor experience. This makes good publicity and encourages repeat visits which enhance our reputation and drive up revenue''.

    It appears to be a Mid-Hants gain and a West Somerset loss. <BJ>
     

Share This Page