West Somerset Railway

[tiptoptaff]

I think some problems have been coming for a long time, the pway problems are long term and predate his arrival

But the senior engineers and staff didn't leave until he arrived.

 

[L&Y Robert]

Bishops L is nowhere, nothing.
Why don't they run to Taunton, and so connect to the Big Railway?
The track is there.
The ballast trains were able to run onto the branch, so why can't passenger trains?
I suppose there would have to be some physical adjustments at Taunton, but I suspect the answer to my question are politics, paper problems, mind-set problems, people problems - all that. Taunton "Change here for Minehead" - lovely!

 

[johnnychips]

^ I would have thought there could be two issues:

- lack of paths from Bishop’s L to Taunton and platform space
- Track access charges

 

[Dai Corner]

^ I would have thought there could be two issues:

- lack of paths from Bishop’s L to Taunton and platform space
- Track access charges

- most visitors prefer to drive there

 

[tiptoptaff]

Running to Taunton was looked at several times by the previous management (who I dearly miss) and the feeling was it would be far too expensive to upgrade stock to mainline specifications initially, and then would be expensive to train all us crews to NR rules standards, and then operationally expensive as BL-TAU adds something like 6miles to the journey. Difficult as no space to add a run around for the locos on the Down side (which is where you'd need to be to keep out the way). Need an extra diagram in the circuit to maintain the service pattern as the loco and stock would be lost to Taunton for at least an hour.

Can't have a dedicated line as there's no space - Silk Mills bridge pillars are built on the Up Relief alignment. If you use the Down Relief then yes you get a dedicated run in and space to build a run around but you still have to venture across the mainline to get to it.

It was always deemed more financially beneficial to get GWR to come to us, rather than go to them. And the trails of last summer proved it to be a worthy idea.

 

[trebor79]

I've always wanted to go on the WSR, ever since I became interested in railways as a small boy. Hopefully I get the chance to do so some day.

 

[UP13]

I've always wanted to go on the WSR, ever since I became interested in railways as a small boy. Hopefully I get the chance to do so some day.

I'd highly recommend it despite everything you read online about behind the scenes.

It is very long if you just do end to end. Watchet is a picturesque harbour town and has some nice pubs and a small harbour museum from what I remember. Blue Anchor is also nice. I did one visit where we went from BL to Minehead, then hiked along the beach all the way to Blue Anchor before getting the train back.

 

[Amlag]

Running to Taunton was looked at several times by the previous management (who I dearly miss) and the feeling was it would be far too expensive to upgrade stock to mainline specifications initially, and then would be expensive to train all us crews to NR rules standards, and then operationally expensive as BL-TAU adds something like 6miles to the journey. Difficult as no space to add a run around for the locos on the Down side (which is where you'd need to be to keep out the way). Need an extra diagram in the circuit to maintain the service pattern as the loco and stock would be lost to Taunton for at least an hour.

Can't have a dedicated line as there's no space - Silk Mills bridge pillars are built on the Up Relief alignment. If you use the Down Relief then yes you get a dedicated run in and space to build a run around but you still have to venture across the mainline to get to it.

It was always deemed more financially beneficial to get GWR to come to us, rather than go to them. And the trails of last summer proved it to be a worthy idea.

You say "all us crews"

Are your views about the present (new) WSR PLC Chairman and Board, representative of the views of othe WSR Traincrew and other staff (both paid and voluntary) ?

 

[Belperpete]

Running to Taunton was looked at several times by the previous management (who I dearly miss) and the feeling was it would be far too expensive to upgrade stock to mainline specifications initially, and then would be expensive to train all us crews to NR rules standards, and then operationally expensive as BL-TAU adds something like 6miles to the journey. Difficult as no space to add a run around for the locos on the Down side (which is where you'd need to be to keep out the way). Need an extra diagram in the circuit to maintain the service pattern as the loco and stock would be lost to Taunton for at least an hour.

Can't have a dedicated line as there's no space - Silk Mills bridge pillars are built on the Up Relief alignment. If you use the Down Relief then yes you get a dedicated run in and space to build a run around but you still have to venture across the mainline to get to it.

It was always deemed more financially beneficial to get GWR to come to us, rather than go to them. And the trails of last summer proved it to be a worthy idea.

Agreed, you need to consider the costs and returns. Would extending to Taunton bring in sufficient extra income to justify the significant investment and ongoing costs involved. Highly unlikely, I would have thought. There is already a reasonable bus connection.

 

[tiptoptaff]

Agreed, you need to consider the costs and returns. Would extending to Taunton bring in sufficient extra income to justify the significant investment and ongoing costs involved. Highly unlikely, I would have thought. There is already a reasonable bus connection.

Exactly -The return for the investment for WSR would have been a substantial loss. So it was always thought more financially beneficial to get GWR to run to us, let them keep the revenue but charge track access. We got the extra money from the track access and some extra passengers, GWR got some money for running it (there was some form of grant involved) and got to keep the ticket sales. Everyone a winner

 

[Shenandoah]

The Forties Week-end has been cancelled I have read. I see the line makes more bad news in the Railway Herald. As usual with the WSR there is a big debate whether it is a take over or not. A recent report hoped to bring peace to the line, it might have been a report from Neville Chamberlain!

 

[railfan99]

I am in Melbourne, Australia with a 2000 hours nightly curfew and a five kilometre travel restriction, plus even if these were removed - won't be tomorrow - a ban on departing for overseas.

If ever let out, this is on my list as I've only done SVR, the Paignton one and NYMR to date.

I hope it survives. Surely England (plus UK generally) has the population to sustain all these T & H routes provided they're competently run?

Amazing that a manual signalbox uses A$35K of electricity per annum.

I had read that last year, limited operation of DMUs connecting at Taunton with GWR mainline trains was successful. What a shame the railway can't commence on a regular basis from the mainline station, like the Victorian Goldfields Railway (presently like WSR suspended) from Castlemaine, Victoria: http://www.vgr.com.au/homepage.php

I see you have the AGM on 26 September so with the naivety of someone from what you call the 'Antipodes' may I express a hope that if a spill motion needs to occur, it does. Finding a replacement who works with people rather than for him/herself may be challenging.

 

[34098]

I'm surprised there is more in fighting down there.
They don't seem to have learnt from last time. Sadly it looks like covid will hasten its demise.
It's sad seeing the dire straights they are in.