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West Somerset Railway General Discussion

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

  1. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Genuinely a bit mystified here. Do proposals include reopening Norton Fitzwarren? This is a larger conurbation than Bishops Lydeard, actually lying rather closer to the railway than does BL to it's station. I could well imagine local concerns around NF for the open land to the south of the mainline, which developers, I'm sure, would jump on given half a chance.
     
  2. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Like all things in railway land, a decision taken at one point to prune back the infrastructure to a minimum creates a problem down the line when a revitalisation scheme pops up. If the junction at Norton Fitzwarren had remained without the silly ladder crossing on to the WSR then options to link Taunton to BL with a regular service would be far more straightforward.
     
  3. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    I'd say rather an initial assessment of what might be possible in principle, to be followed by a more detailed look at costs and benefits of the most promising option(s). Some options that are possible in principle may be ruled out as far too expensive without bothering to look in more detail, for example re-instatement of a separate road from NF to Taunton.
     
  4. Bayard

    Bayard Well-Known Member

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    ISTR a very long time ago there was talk of reopening Somerton and Langport stations and having a service that served them and terminated at BL. I wonder if this might be on the cards again.
     
  5. Another Yorkshireman

    Another Yorkshireman Member Friend

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    I can't find any information apart from 'ideas and hopes' 'on line' but there seems to be big things happening trackside at Langport, as viewed on Google Earth.
     
  6. Aberdare

    Aberdare New Member

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    Tender T2061 for Odney Manor.

    A belated update on recent progress due to a holiday and other activities around the WSR getting in the way.

    Since the last set of photos the top plates of the tank that form the coal space have all been welded down. The beading strips have all been machined down to the correct profile on the edges. Nearly all of the remaining plate work has been laser cut and delivered, including the parts for the tool boxes. The brackets for the coal fenders have been formed.

    At this stage we had reached the point at which the tank needed lifting from the frames and turning to enable our tame welder to complete all of the welding of the internal seams and the internal welds of the joints between adjacent parts of the top sheets. Previously these welds have either not been accessible or have been overhead in rather confined spaces. Turning the tank enables easy access to these welds.

    Our estimation of the weight of the tank came out at approximately 3.1 tonnes and the capacity of the hydraulic crane is 3.5 tonnes at the radius we needed so it was necessary to hire in a load cell to confirm the weight of the tank including chains & shackles etc. This test gave a load on the hook of 2.9 tonnes so we were ready for go.

    On the 14th May we lifted the tank off the chassis and placed it on a pair of accommodation trollies so that it could go back into the shed. We also lifted the well tank out of the chassis ready to go away for shot blasting. The following Friday 20th May we again took the tank outside and carefully tipped it onto its side, securely strapped it down to the accommodation trollies and returned it to the shed. welding of all the remaining seams is progressing well.

    We can now progress with the next stages of the job and attend to any remaining internal items, such as holes for brackets, before the shot blasting and coating takes place.

    Below is a selection of photos of the tank lift and tipping, including a view of the inside. On both days no trains were running to this side of the station and the work area was cordoned off. Photos by Steve Ryall and Paul Orrells.

    Andy.


    Lifting the front end of the tank to place wooden packers underneath.
    IMG_2777.JPG

    The tank on wooden packers both ends.
    IMG_2783.JPG

    The tank lowered onto the two accommodation trollies.
    IMG_2788.JPG

    Being rolled back into the shed.
    IMG_9426.JPG

    The well tank ready for removal.
    IMG_9435.JPG


    Well tank being lifted out.
    IMG_9443.JPG

    A week later.
    The tank is lifted and tipped onto one side. The chain lengths have been adjusted so that as the centre of gravity passes over the edge resting on the ground all 4 chains remain taught to avoid a sudden change in load on the crane.
    image00028.jpeg

    Ready to go back into the shed.
    image00004.jpeg

    A view of the underside of the tank ready for finishing off selected welds.
    image00011.jpeg
     

    Attached Files:

  7. Keith Sims

    Keith Sims Member

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    Interesting pictures of old coaches on WSR.org. Can anyone tell us what a "boiler coach" was used for?
     
  8. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Are you talking about the ex-Irish carriages? It's a carriage with water tanks and a boiler that allowed steam to be generated for steam heating during the cross-over period when railways still had lots of older carriages with steam heating, but had moved to diesel-electric locos that couldn't natively generate steam to supply the heating.

    The other option was to fit a train heating boiler in the diesel loco, but that relied on there being space. In the mainland UK both approaches were taken: some diesels had train heating boilers fitted, but there were also some former horse boxes converted for use as dedicated boilers.

    Tom
     
  9. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    Yes the picture is of a pair of the Irish Rail ones.
    http://cgibin.wsr.org.uk/cgi-bin/snap.cgi?h=Snapshot&p=2022/05/305
     
  10. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    What's the story of these coaches coming to the WSR? They're still in their old Irish livery, implying that they haven't run anywhere in Britain. Are they still on their 5'3" bogies or have they been temporarily put on standard gauge bogies even though they're being scrapped?

    Edit: They do look as if they're on standard-gauge track.
     
  11. Flying Phil

    Flying Phil Part of the furniture

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    Just a quick "Thank you" to Aberdare for the updates and photographs of the tender construction - and a big "well done" to all involved.
     
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  12. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    They are on Standard Gauge bogies. One is ex GSWR and the other GCR. The GCR had a couple, one has seen service at a diesel gala.

    The GWSR one was bought by the Clan Line group so wonder if they have bought the other for spares?
     
  13. Ian Monkton

    Ian Monkton Member

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    The caption on the photo says they are for component recovery, then scrap.
     
  14. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    No it doesn’t - it says the second one arrived for component recovery -
     
  15. Ian Monkton

    Ian Monkton Member

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    Fair enough - you are correct in this instance. But when this was posted on the WSR PLC Swindon Shed Facebook group it said both coaches are for component recovery then scrap.
     
  16. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    I see, I read the WSR.org quote as meaning spares for the other one, shame if they are both being scraped. I remember them arriving in the UK there were four of them, not sure what’s happened to the other pair, they’ve never really been used as intended when bought but I know they were in quite a rundown condition when IR finished with them.
     
  17. Paul Grant

    Paul Grant Well-Known Member

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    One went to Strathspey (still there) and another 3 to GCR though they all might have gone to the GCR first. 3188 went to GWSR at some point. The one that came to Strathspey was one of the better ones and even then, questions were being asked of the value of the steam heating equipment.

    Seems like 3188 was only good for the scrappers a long time ago: https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/irn...l?sid=e84612a13912843fdad1ac6437fb5a79#p46941
     
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  18. Flying Phil

    Flying Phil Part of the furniture

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    I believe the GCR one has been restored and is ready for use?
     
  19. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    438629BB-A349-4555-8ED3-46D49E05D054.jpeg
    They did indeed all originally head to the GCR. I’m trying to remember which one it was that was used briefly at a diesel gala.

    Edit to add not my photo but here it is in use above
     
  20. Paul Grant

    Paul Grant Well-Known Member

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