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.

GWSR General Discussion and Operations

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by michaelh, Aug 25, 2013.

  1. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2014
    Messages:
    15,326
    Likes Received:
    11,662
    Occupation:
    Nosy aren’t you?
    Location:
    Nowhere
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    That one always puts the wind up me, really don't want to tar everyone with the same brush, but the I've always found the worse offenders tend to be middle aged and either A) think a Hi Viz makes them bullet proof or B) no Hi Viz because they 'didn't need one back in day and what's changed?' A Traction Inspector friend of mine has told me in a way he could deal with suicides but what really got him angry were those 'who should know better' as he said 'Paul Riley's left a great legacy, but why did that daft bugger decide the parapet of Vicky Bridge was a great place to have a kip?'
     
    Forestpines likes this.
  2. gwalkeriow

    gwalkeriow Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2009
    Messages:
    1,703
    Likes Received:
    1,727
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired.
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    That particular day has left a lasting impression on me, I was the fireman on the first train past Victoria Bridge. The previous evening Paul had asked me for smoke at Victoria bridge, so I was preparing my fire at Arley when a man came running up the trackbed and ask for someone to phone for an ambulance as someone had fallen off the bridge. My heart sank was it Paul? We stopped just short of the bridge and I spied Pauls equipment next to the parapet, it was Paul.
     
  3. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2014
    Messages:
    15,326
    Likes Received:
    11,662
    Occupation:
    Nosy aren’t you?
    Location:
    Nowhere
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Bloody Hell Gary, that must have put you through it a bit, I didn't realise you were there to deal with the aftermath. How awful.
     
  4. gwalkeriow

    gwalkeriow Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2009
    Messages:
    1,703
    Likes Received:
    1,727
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired.
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    August 1976, 42 years ago and I am still affected by it.
     
    jnc likes this.
  5. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2015
    Messages:
    6,074
    Likes Received:
    4,889
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Swanage
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    As has been said it is all about insurance and risk management
    No that is not really logic to the 21st century thinking, although I would agree with you in the real (lets say mid 20th century world).
    Volunteers have to go trackside to perform tasks so you have to prove you have trained them fully in the risks involved etc. The horrible modern phrase "duty of care" keeps raising its head, but at least they are under your control and I suspect normally working with others who may point out risks as well as well as probably having more in depth PTS courses.
    Photographers may have sat a course, signed a piece of paper absolving the railway of liability, but if one was killed I bet it would not stop their relatives, or some ambulance chasing lawyer suing the railway on their behalf. Just look at NR it is always their fault even if some idiot opens a level crossing barrier and walks in front of a train. I hate it too but it is the modern world as they say "where there is blame there is a claim"

    I worked at Heathrow for 41 years and whilst I had basic ramp knowledge the guys who worked there every day had far more in depth training. Aircraft ramps are very dangerous places to, although in case of strikes we tended to ignore this and get people to help out, but that is a risk we choose to take and manage due to circumstance, not something you would do every day.

    I am amazed any railway still allows access, especially the GCR with its double track and large numbers of permit holders as basically on the day these people are unregulated once they have signed in. My legal training is not in depth enough but I suspect you have more protection as a Heritage railway if you allow no access, although still run the risk of being challenged in court for not making your fences good enough to keep people from getting on the line. I seemed to remember EWS being prosecuted for not fixing a hole in a fence at a depot where a teenager was injured by a loco and thus it was their fault not the injured individual. There is no personal responsibility these days it seems, when I was growing up it would have been the invidual's fault, alas no longer.
     
    jnc, Kinghambranch and Bluenosejohn like this.
  6. Kinghambranch

    Kinghambranch Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2006
    Messages:
    1,868
    Likes Received:
    1,588
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    White Rose County
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    An example of the mid 20th Century World.....https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1952_Farnborough_Airshow_crash

    After this event however, regulations regarding the display of aircraft at air shows were tightened up, particularly the practice of flying towards the crowd line. The following day, thousands turned up to see the air display and not one of the families or relatives of those killed even thought about claiming against SBAC.
     
  7. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2007
    Messages:
    35,121
    Likes Received:
    20,771
    Occupation:
    Training moles
    Location:
    The back of beyond
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Having a very nice day here today. Photos, haulage and some nice ale in the Crown and Trumpet in Broadway. :)
     
    flying scotsman123 likes this.
  8. Kinghambranch

    Kinghambranch Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2006
    Messages:
    1,868
    Likes Received:
    1,588
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    White Rose County
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    It's a lovely "quirky" pub. I can also recommend the Horse and Hounds (stayed there for the recent GWSR steamfest). If you are awash with money, then the Lygon Arms is fine! I hope you've enjoyed your day; it's a great place.
     
  9. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2007
    Messages:
    35,121
    Likes Received:
    20,771
    Occupation:
    Training moles
    Location:
    The back of beyond
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    A cracking day. Some good stack talk from 13, a few nice shots of each loco, new haulage and track with 6023 to Broadway and two excellent locally brewed ales. Even the dog enjoyed herself.
     
  10. D6969

    D6969 New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2009
    Messages:
    67
    Likes Received:
    35
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Pway
    Location:
    Gloucestershire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Yep there myself today, first trip and walk with friends up from the station. Blue kettle CRC to Broddy, blue kettle back to Todd for some serious Green H bomb back to CRC, thanks to ME/DF plus trainee for a good run! Beer and cider good, not so sure about the track, in joke! No pictures taken!!!!!!!
     
  11. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2013
    Messages:
    10,437
    Likes Received:
    17,937
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Cheltenham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    A couple of posts on the boardroom blog (about time too) on numbers, basically saying "we're all doing very well". Nice to see the stats confirm my impression that we're providing more than just a train ride, but a public transport service as well... :) We're so busy I note we've just started rostering relief TTI and guardss, I can see the inevitable for me already, morning spent in C+W, middle of the day TTIing, back in C+W, must make sure I wear the right clothes for each job!
     
    The Dainton Banker and Andy B like this.
  12. Gag Halfrunt

    Gag Halfrunt New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2015
    Messages:
    6
    Likes Received:
    14
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I drive through Station Road in Broadway occasionally (don’t worry, not in a high vehicle! :p) and I see a steady stream of people like ants that weren’t present before. Maybe it’s temporary but certainly very hopeful.

    To be honest even the current parking arrangements are bearable, Long Stay is only a short walk and is on RingGo which is the same as I use for Chiltern.

    That canopy is a work of art, so nice too see a new old piece of architecture.
     
  13. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2013
    Messages:
    10,437
    Likes Received:
    17,937
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Cheltenham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    2 things make me think this will be more long term. First is simply the vast amount of passengers we've had, even if you halve the excess passengers this year for next year and onwards, that was roughly what we were expecting this year. Secondly the fact that people aren't coming because it's a new length of line, but because it goes somewhere. Many of the people taking the train are people that have gone to Broadway before and will again, but now they're spending some of their money with us as well, and that's less likely to peter out.
     
    Bill Drewett likes this.
  14. Breva

    Breva Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2010
    Messages:
    2,158
    Likes Received:
    3,790
    Location:
    Gloucestershire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I noticed the 'ants' as well. It seems people further down the line buy a ticket for Broadway, walk into town to spend some money, then take the train back. The station itself sells relatively few tickets.
    I have a slight worry about what will happen when people can park their car there. What will they do then? It's anyone's guess.

    Thank you for your kind comments about the canopy. And thank you for noticing it, as this volunteer was told that people don't look up. It seems now that they do. ;)
     
    Bill Drewett likes this.
  15. toplight

    toplight Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2009
    Messages:
    1,351
    Likes Received:
    1,288
    Location:
    Swindon, England
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Personally I hate paying for parking and always avoid doing so as much as possible, so with free parking at the other stations it is a no brainer. I wont be paying for parking at Broadway.
     
    flying scotsman123 likes this.
  16. Gag Halfrunt

    Gag Halfrunt New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2015
    Messages:
    6
    Likes Received:
    14
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I can only speak from my perspective. It might have only added a few miles but by crossing county lines, going into Broadway has put the GWSR into what I would now consider a “local attraction”. I can imagine this would be similar for many living in the Evesham and south Warwickshire areas too. In fact last Monday was the first time we decided to visit on the spur of the moment with no planning other than knowing there was an event on. This is very symbiotic as I can see this helping Broadway too.

    As regards canopies, frankly I cannot fathom why anyone would not see the massive difference a heritage canopy can make. Yes, I have been an avid reader of the GWSR blogs even though I might rarely post. I spend my life travelling throughout Europe and it’s obvious when your head gets drawn upwards in certain stations, it’s all about feeling and little about facts.
     
  17. Gag Halfrunt

    Gag Halfrunt New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2015
    Messages:
    6
    Likes Received:
    14
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Note that the Cotswold Festival of Steam gala is on the front page of the Stratford Herald with a full page article inside. If that’s not some kind of validation to the increased sphere of influence I don’t know what is.
     
    Kinghambranch likes this.
  18. The Dainton Banker

    The Dainton Banker Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2014
    Messages:
    1,720
    Likes Received:
    3,186
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Over the hills and far away
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Now, about that northward extension. :rolleyes::D
     
    Gag Halfrunt and jnc like this.
  19. Kinghambranch

    Kinghambranch Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2006
    Messages:
    1,868
    Likes Received:
    1,588
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    White Rose County
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    You're 'avin a larf all right. However, money to pay for the crash beams to protect Broadway railway bridge (Evesham Road/Station Road), to finish Broadway Station, to build a carriage shed at Winchcombe, to further repair and maintain drainage systems, to build a shelter on Platform 2 at Cheltenham Race Course (possibly a wooden structure like the original) and to keep rolling stock in fine fettle will be much more likely from this welcome upsurge in clientele. However, after all that's done........
     
    burnettsj, jnc, Bluenosejohn and 2 others like this.
  20. jnc

    jnc Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2012
    Messages:
    1,511
    Likes Received:
    2,706
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Western Atlantic
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    That was a particularly good piece of news. I can't wait for them to be installed!

    Noel
     

Share This Page