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West Somerset Railway General Discussion

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

  1. The Dainton Banker

    The Dainton Banker Well-Known Member

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    That "update" is from Feb 2018. Things seem to have moved on a bit since then.
    Is there anything newer ?
     
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  2. No-one ignored anything. I'm sure all commentators here will clearly recall the huge investment by WSR which allowed the axle weight to be increased. Just do a bit of research, folks :)

    Steve
     
  3. Captain Fantastic

    Captain Fantastic Member

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    There was a lot of chattering last year about the bridge between Blue Anchor and Washford not being 100% with a 5MPH restriction going on it the money MAY be needed to do something effective to that
     
  4. 1472

    1472 Well-Known Member

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    Now 20 mph.
     
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  5. 6960 Raveningham Hall

    6960 Raveningham Hall Member Friend

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    Black Monkey Bridge, at milepost 183 +.

    Stef.
     
  6. 45076

    45076 Member

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    Here is an interesting quote from it:

    The board discussed communications around the railway and between the board, management team and staff. We are clear that we need to improve our communications and Bill Knell has agreed to look at this.
     
  7. AnthonyTrains2017

    AnthonyTrains2017 Well-Known Member

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    Has 7822 left WSR?
     
  8. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    7822 is due to go to Tyseley for some work on the bottom end, before returning and spending the rest of the year at the WSR.
     
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  9. 1472

    1472 Well-Known Member

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    Its at Tyseley now.
     
  10. AnthonyTrains2017

    AnthonyTrains2017 Well-Known Member

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    Ah that’s what went up the M5 yesterday, was too dark to see nameplate. Thxs
     
  11. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

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    The Minehead Branch was, in GWR terms, a ‘blue’ route.

    The exception to that is the stretch between the main line and Bishops Lydeard. The absence of significant underline structures on this section made it a ‘red’ route.

    Robin
     
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  12. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Thanks for the clarification. It just strikes me as a general rather than as a WSR specific point that when you look at the balance sheet of all heritage railways the element that probably differs most will be the ongoing track and related infrastructure costs. For example, the Bluebell suffers from speed restrictions and the SVR has a river bridge to worry about.

    Without a sound railway it doesn't matter how many beautiful locomotives and coaches you have. The trouble is that folk are generally not inclined to support such key elements and revenue has to provide the funds.
     
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  13. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

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    Don't forget Chicken Curve and Gotherington at the GWRly, also the flood damage at the SVR ? Thankfully the public and communities pulled together for those causes. <BJ>
     
  14. DragonHandler

    DragonHandler Well-Known Member

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    Yes, I remember that several other Heritage lines either had collections or organised special events to raise funds to help the GWSR.
     
  15. 6960 Raveningham Hall

    6960 Raveningham Hall Member Friend

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    Can anybody associated with the Railway tell me if the Minehead Buffer Stop shop
    and Turntable Cafe will be opening at all during the line closure?

    I spoke to the shop staff just before Christmas and they didn't know and I can't find
    any reference on the official website.

    Thanks, in anticipation.

    Stef.
     
  16. Not sure about the shop at Minehead but the cafe folks recently said on FB: "[we are now] shut for our winter close down period. We will re-open in February (dates to be confirmed)".

    Steve
     
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  17. Maunsell907

    Maunsell907 Member

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    Minehead Branch.

    British Railways Western Operating Area
    WTT of Passenger Trains Exeter District
    11th June to 18th September 1955

    "Norton Fitzwarren Bishops Lydeard
    Route colour: blue.
    Engines to work over:
    All uncoloured and yellow types.
    All blue types except 28xx and 2-8-0 Austerity..
    Red types: 49xx, 59xx, 69xx and 68x
    Blue 78xx and all red types are restricted to 25mph.

    Bishops Lydeard Minehead
    Route colour : blue
    All uncoloured and yellow types.
    All blue types except 28xx, 2-8-0 Austerity and 78xx" end of quote

    There has also been some discussion recently on this site wrt 'engine loads'

    "Taunton Minehead
    Class of engine
    BR Standar Class 4 (4-6-0)
    78xx
    43xx, 53xx, 63xx, 73xx, 93xx
    31xx, 41xx, 51xx, 61xx, 81xx,
    56xx, 66xx,
    Taunton Minehead 360 tons.
    Minehead Taunton 310 tons" ( there is a note "Load 310 tons Minehead to Washford,
    360 tons Washford Taunton")

    "Locos 45xx, 55xx, 36xx, 37xx, 46xx, 57xx, 77xx, 87xx, 96xx, 97xx, 84xx, 94xx and
    BR Standard Class 3 (2-6-2)
    260 tons Taunton Minehead Taunton"

    I have always found some aspects of this WTT confusing.:
    The 56xx and 66xx tanks were route red classification.
    There is ambivalence wrt the Manors ie only allowed to BL but given an engine load to
    Minehead, similarly the 56xx and 66xx.
    In practice AFAIK neither 'Manors' or 'Valley tanks' ran over the Minehead branch
    under BR auspices.

    The BR Class 3 2-6-2 tanks ( which carried a slightly modified Swindon No.2 boiler,
    as per the large Prairies ) were only allowed 260 tons. Was this because the Class 4
    rating for a large Prairie probably flattered them?

    The engine loads do not differentiate between those 2-6-2 tanks with standard Swindon No.4.
    boilers from those with No.2.

    Finally these figures all relate to a Railway operating with an overall 55mph line speed.

    Michael Rowe
     
    Last edited: Jan 4, 2019
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  18. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

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    Very comprehensive.

    My understanding is that Black Monkey Bridge on the Washford to Blue Anchor stretch has long been the source of the weight restriction beyond Washford.

    It would, no doubt, be a matter of engineering judgment, requiring a combination of civil engineering, permanent way engineering and mechanical engineering knowledge to understand how those restrictions are affected by running at 25mph or less, in terms of loco ‘hammerblow’ structural damage, and track damage. A question for professional engineers, of which I am certainly not one.

    It will be seen that the weight-speed trade-off was applied to allow ‘red’ locos to reach Bishops Lydeard.

    When I dealt with exceptional load movements for British Railways the relevant engineers would sit around a table with we Operators at a planning meeting and discuss how exceptional loads could be accommodated and with what mitigation to protect the integrity of the engineered environment.

    Robin
     
  19. Steven Harris

    Steven Harris New Member

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    Another complication for the railway is the bridge is a Grade II listed structure, making any strengthening more complicated.
     
  20. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

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    Firstly thank you very much for this

    Secondly given how interesting it is in its own right and that it may be relevant to future discussions- probably for as long as the WSR runs could it be 'pinned' somewhere - rather like the Gradient Profile thread there seems to be the case for some sort of 'repository of potentially useful stuff'
     

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