Weymouth Quay Heritage Campaign

A campaign has been set up on Facebook to buy / lease the Weymouth Harbour tramway, and operate a service between Weymouth Station and Quay using an 0-4-0 steam loco. They plan to incorporate a lot of ideas off of Bristol Harbour Railway, it is also there example that this can achieve its goal.
https://www.facebook.com/Weymouth-Quay-Heritage-Campaign-1659439434292327/


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Track is in place and because of its tramway nature probably serviceable with minimal work. Running at walking pace with a 'flag man' in front would probably be very safe. The novelty value might be quite attractive to tourists.
But (as per when it was running under BR) you would probably never be able to stop people parking on/too close to the track....

(I tried to use this line to get the Channel Isles ferry in the early 1980's and on the way down we were put on a coach at Weymouth Town because the Quay line was blocked by a car; but at least I got to ride it on the way back, in the daytime - a memorable experience.)

Anyhow, it's probably worth a try; maybe you could even close some roads and clear parked cars in advance if you were just running on Sunday, say (full local authority co-operation required).

 

A quick scan of the Facebook page shows why this is a non-starter.

 

I can't see the O.R.R. allowing this to happen. It's hard (& expensive) enough to get a T.W.A.O. to cross a road , never mind running down the middle of one.

Bob.

 

Being promoted by a fourteen year old perhaps?

 

Well, not my 14 year old at least....................

 

Well his school does have an outstanding rating...

I simply don't understand how any 14 year old can get it into their head that they could possibly do something like this, when on most railways they're not even old enough to volunteer at all, and certainly not without a parent.

 

Hello,
The website is of poor quality,

http://weymouthquayheritagecampaign.jimdo.com


Also the track/sleepers from Network rail to Kings Street would all need replacing....the bus station would have a say in any running as it opens out on the tramway.....I could go on...a Wouldn't it be nice scheme me thinks!


Nick

 

Too many negative thoughts people! Yes, there's a fair bit of naivety in the website (too much "this is the sort of rolling stock will we use" and not enough "here's the business plan"), and yes, the protagonist is 14. But the difference between this and hair-brained schemes such as the new Somerset and Dorset is that in Weymouth, the infrastructure is all there. You could probably, parked cars not withstanding, run a train down the line tomorrow.

 

If you were happy to watch it derail then yes you could.

This collection shows the state of the track nearly six years ago, I doubt it looks any better

http://simonwhittinghamphotography.zenfolio.com/p823439957/h224af395#h224af395

 

Has anyone proposed this before - if not why?

 

How do you know that the person being is 14, it seems an odd conclusion.

 

'cos his Facebook page says so, as does the fact he goes to Budmouth college in Dorset by revealing his email address.

 

What's wrong with it? Nothing that some weedkiller and a spot of flangeway clearing wouldn't put right! I've seen much worse on certain preserved lines.

With a 5 m.p.h. speed limit and a 15 ton maximum axle loading, it would be perfectly adequate.

 

A cowcatcher should take care of the cars. They'd soon get the message

 

Last time I looked at one or two specific areas it appeared the rails were being held to gauge by woodworm [or ants] holding 'hands'.
Track bed drainage too has been a problem in other places over many years [especially under Town Bridge].
It seems that certain people within the Weymouth group think all is well as the rails appear to be relatively flat without considering what might, or might not, be under the road surface.

 

You have the advantage of me there, I readily admit that I havn't seen the line in recent years. However, I think that substantial p/w work was done on the branch in the 1980s, in order to permit the use of main line locos such as 33s and 37s and 08 shunters with an axle-loading of over 15 tons. Prior to that it was limited to 03/04 shunters (max axle weight 11 tons) and, in steam days, to the lightest varieties of ex GWR pannier tanks. Given that the branch has had no use for almost 20 years, I doubt that it has deteriorated to the point where it could not be used by RA1 or equivalent locos.

Generally, when faced with this kind of "wouldn't it be nice" proposition, I tend to take a similar line to paulhitch. However, much as I realise that there are a whole host of potential problems- operating in a busy public area, maintenance, particularly of track laid in roadways, operating frequently enough to generate sufficient income to ensure viability- not to mention the necessity of getting the local authority on board at a time of financial stringency, I feel that this scheme at least deserves to be seriously looked at.

"Is he losing his marbles?" Well, possibly, but I look at the Weymouth Tramway as almost the last and certainly the best, surviving example of a kind of railway which was once common in coastal towns around Britain, even more so interesting as it has a history of regular passenger operation.
It's situated in an established seaside resort, thus giving it a better chance of viability, the infrastructure still exists and suitable locos and rolling stock are readily available.

The fact that the lead has been taken by a 14 year-old should not be held against it. Way back in 1951 a 17 year-old, the late Len Heath Humphries, called a meeting at which a dozen people, some of whom had relevant experience and contacts, created the Festiniog Railway Society, of which Len became the first secretary. The Festiniog pioneers faced even greater hurdles than those faced at Weymouth, but succeeded. Would it have happened without the lead being taken by the teenager?

 

He should have had it marked by his English teacher, that might have given more confidence.

 

You have to think with a project like this is would you pay to ride on it? Or just turn up for a look? I think at best the latter option. Maybe just run a wickham trolley down it for a novelty weekend. Why doesnt the person behind this join the Synets at the Swanage railway just up the road and get involved with a real railway and not a dreams. Or failing that wait until hes old enought to get too, and volunteer at the Bristol Harbour Railway.

 

This proposal is indeed the absolute epitome of "Wouldn't it be nice" Actually it would be an infernal nuisance to anyone in central Weymouth who has a life to lead!

PH