A visit on Fri 4 Oct found trains running up to an hour late, principally due to brake problems /failure of one of the three starring Panniers.
The attention to detail at many station, despite good garden and floral displays and general tidiness and numerous volunteers, was let down by weeds up to a foot high growing under seats, against buildings' walls, around lamp posts, platform watering locations (eg at BL) and other places.
The contracting out this year of Weedspraying along the line I suggest needs reviewing by the new WSR Management, as the lineside Cesses appear to have not been sprayed, resulting in vegetation now (unlike in previous years) fast encroaching onto the ballast shoulders.
Weeds being allowed to grow in the track in Stations, eg at Crowcombe, is unforgivable and gives a poor impression of the Management and care of the railway and seriously detracts from the hard and concienscious work by station volunteer groups.
In sharp contrast was the almost 'billiard table' finish to the cutting of grass on the approaches to some public road level crossings and the cleanliness of various lineside safety warning signs.
On a train of 5 coaches ( one with a noticeably bad Wheelflat) hauled by a Hymek, severe squealing of the wheels in contact with the high rail on the sharper curves was of obvious concern; not least that it was doing the tyres and rails no good.
Are there rail mounted flange lubricators for the sharper curves and are the WSR maintaining them in working order I wonder ?
All the volunteer staff enconteted were pleasant and helpful, but understandably aware of the challenges for the future of this line, with a little trepidation.
The attention to detail at many station, despite good garden and floral displays and general tidiness and numerous volunteers, was let down by weeds up to a foot high growing under seats, against buildings' walls, around lamp posts, platform watering locations (eg at BL) and other places.
The contracting out this year of Weedspraying along the line I suggest needs reviewing by the new WSR Management, as the lineside Cesses appear to have not been sprayed, resulting in vegetation now (unlike in previous years) fast encroaching onto the ballast shoulders.
Weeds being allowed to grow in the track in Stations, eg at Crowcombe, is unforgivable and gives a poor impression of the Management and care of the railway and seriously detracts from the hard and concienscious work by station volunteer groups.
In sharp contrast was the almost 'billiard table' finish to the cutting of grass on the approaches to some public road level crossings and the cleanliness of various lineside safety warning signs.
On a train of 5 coaches ( one with a noticeably bad Wheelflat) hauled by a Hymek, severe squealing of the wheels in contact with the high rail on the sharper curves was of obvious concern; not least that it was doing the tyres and rails no good.
Are there rail mounted flange lubricators for the sharper curves and are the WSR maintaining them in working order I wonder ?
All the volunteer staff enconteted were pleasant and helpful, but understandably aware of the challenges for the future of this line, with a little trepidation.