West Somerset Railway General Discussion

The only good thing about tender first running is that it allows me to get food at CH while I watch them (both) pass . I used to photograph everything but soon learned better. I just feel sorry for those photographers tomorrow morning. Double headed Halls! I must be there for that. Then they turn up backwards. Cue wailing and the odd gnashed tooth.

 

I just know that you are keen on heritage railways portraying things as they actually were

Tom

 

Ah, the back end of a Bulleid - reminds me of the ex-mother in-law.

 

Thanks. Good job the chairman is now fully up to speed!
Ian

 

Hi Ian,

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my post and I appreciate you recognise that there were some descrepencies.

Just to make it clear about the crossing times, I was using the online timetable:

https://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/userfiles/userfiles/file/Spring Steam Gala 23rd March.pdf

The only place where an "x" is shown is at Bishops Lydeard. I was trying to determine where I could make connections at the other crossing points on the railway. The only I was able to do this was to follow the train times in one column with one hand, and the times for a train in the opposite direction with the other hand, and correllate the times as to when they appeared to be at a station together! Hence, I was able to eventually determine that the 15:45 service from BL crossed the 16:40 service from MD at Blue Anchor...

As I wrote, I had a very enjoyable day out; the staff were excellent throughout and in particular, the dog was made very welcome. The climb away from Watchet behind 6990 was very entertaining and the driver showed great skill in controlling the slipping (it had just started to drizzle) before the engine found its feet; the fireman was also clearly on top of the job as the safety valves just feathered as the loco slipped.

Thanks to all for a great day.

Fish Plate.

 

Coming in a bit late, but surely a WSR gala is perhaps the only occasion when engines could be turned at each end. by changing locos as each train arrives. With 40-60 minutes between departures that ought to be sufficient time to turn the incoming one and it wold be a rare gala for two extra engines not to be available.

 

This is merely a deplorable excuse for more big chufferitis.

PH

 

Sad regarding failure of steam bus, lucky to have gone on today.

£6 for child ticket is disappointing there’s no discount, but had to pay as he wanted to go on it and I couldn’t say no.

 

May I thank the staff of the Quantock Belle today for an excellent lunch trip? The food was very good, as usual, and all the staff very friendly. The Chairman seemed to enjoy it too. Thanks again.

 

Yes I did! It was my third QB lunch in a row. Excellent service from friendly and helpful staff. Enjoyed a cream tea on the way back too.
Highly recommended.
Ian Coleby

 

I thought of a cream tea but even I had to admit defeat after that lunch.

 

Shame that non-authentic methods of strapping down was used on the military train after all the trouble of rebuilding the 2 wagons.

DJB.

 

This is absolutely typical of some of the postings on here. A lot of people, myself included, have put in hundreds of hours of volunteer labour, and work very very very long hours to put together the 'military train' for the spring steam gala and all you have to say is that the strapping down methods are 'non-authentic'. Pathetic. I sometimes wonder why we bother at all.

 

Fancy having a go at writing gala locomotive diagrams that please everybody? No experience necessary, however a degree in Armchair Enthusiasm, a detailed grasp of railway operations, locomotive management, budgetary constraints, and an ability to bend the laws of physics is desirable. Please write to the Loco Dept, they are always looking for willing volunteers.......

 

As a matter of fact, for those whingeing about tender-first or bunker-first working, here are the stats:

Over the four days of the gala, there were 11 double-headed combinations

Of which just 2 were tender of bunker first

 

It goes to show all the long hours you put in was well worth it, but to spoil the ship for a ha-peth of tar, unless I wasn't aware they had ratchet straps in those days.

DJB.

 

I can see what you are getting at but as the old saying "Spoiling the sheep for a ha'porth worth worth of tar" and with a coil or two of old fashion hessian wagon line and learning the knack of doing the lashing down it could be done properly. If I had the time to get to Minehead I would help to show how to do the lashing down for you.

 

Shame you felt that this "spoiled the ship".

 

Out of interest what method would they have employed to tie down vehicles onto railway wagons?

 

Cue another 17 pages of expert opinion!