News from October 2006...
| • And now for 2007... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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In response to a regular flow of requests for information the Special Events Dates for 2007 are as follows.
5 October 2006 Details from WSR Plc
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| • Help to rebuild a Manor...
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No 7828 needs your help. The appeal to raise funds to help bring BR(W) 4-6-0 no 7828 "Odney Manor" back to active steaming life on the West Somerset Railway remains open. The Manor class of locomotives was introduced in 1938 by the Great Western Railway for hauling passenger trains of 7 to 10 coaches over secondary main lines such as those of the former Cambrian Railways in Mid and North Wales. This makes them perfect for the West Somerset Railway as, apart from the top speed allowed, they are doing the work for which they are designed. More information...
| 1 November 2006 Details from WSR Plc and West Somerset Express
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| • Roll up for the next Taunton Group meeting...
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The Broad Gauge is the central topic at the next WSR Association Taunton Group meeting on Monday 6 November. The guest speaker, Brian Arman, will present "A Broad Gauge Journey - Part 1". Brian comes with the reputation of being a good speaker with a well-presented topic. The venue, as usual, will be the GWRSA Snug Bar, near the north east corner of Taunton Station, starting at 7.45pm.
| 1 November 2006 Details from WSRA
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| • Weather dampens progress at Norton...
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Progress has been slowed this week on the Norton Triangle by the continual heavy rain which has waterlogged parts of the fields. Work has had to stop on the compensation pond and attention turned to the opposite end of the site where topsoil has been stripped from the alignment near Norton Bridge ready for the culvert and ditch modifications to join this work to the existing Allerford siding. It is hoped better weather will allow work to speed up during the coming week, when it is hoped to start the unloading facilities for the HOBC.
| 28 October 2006 Details from WSRA
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| • Walks with the West Somerset Railway...
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Between 13 and 20 May 2007 the West Somerset Railway is offering special packages for walkers. Two Day or Weekly Rover tickets plus copies of three "Walks" books and other information leaflets about towns and places of interest can be obtained for £27.80 (for 2 days) or £54.50 (for the week). The Railway will also supply information about local accommodation providers ranging from seaside guest houses to country inns and self-catering facilities to those making bookings (also see here). The books written by a West Somerset Railway volunteer and keen walker range from the challenging and only for the very fit to the gentle afternoon amble for the whole family. Most of the walks take place in the Quantock Hills from stations at Crowcombe Heathfield and Stogumber or the lower slopes of Exmoor near Minehead and Dunster. Please download the booking form and also, see a map of area...
| 27 October 2006 Details from WSR Plc
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| • Steam Locomotive Foreman Fitter required...
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A vacancy exists for an experienced fitter to manage the daily servicing of steam locomotives on the Railway. This is a hands on post which involves making arrangements to ensure that steam locomotives are properly prepared for use at the two depots of the WSR, to undertake the routine servicing of locomotives, to maintain plant and equipment associated with servicing the locomotives and to monitor stocks of consumable items. There will be a requirement to be on call at times. Applicants should have appropriate previous experience, will be required to motivate and encourage staff and volunteers under their directions, able to work to procedures, maintain proper documentation and record keeping. A current DVLA driving license is required and a locomotive driving qualification is desirable. The closing date for applications is 17 November 2006. Telephone 01643 700389 for further details. To apply, please write enclosing CV and details of relevant experience to West Somerset Railway, Railway Station, Minehead TA24 5BG for the attention of Andrew Forster or email cme@wsrail.net.
| 25 October 2006 Details from WSR Plc
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| • The WSR at Dunster Days Gone By...
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A bigger than usual challenge for the WSRA publicity team. To fill Dunster village hall with a museum-style display depicting the part the railway has played in the history of Dunster. All part of the Dunster Days Gone By event over the weekend of 21-22 October. One of the many visitors was Mrs Margaret Gould who was the last Crossing Keeping at Dunster and whose pictures were used by authors Alan Hammond and Richard Derry in their book "A Ticket to Minehead". The text and photocards produced specifically for this theme have been acquired by Allerford Museum so it is nice to know that all that effort will be perpetuated beyond the one day show.
| 23 October 2006 Details from WSRA
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| • Success for WSR gardeners...
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This year, a small group of West Somerset Railway Association members have undertaken the planting and management of two gardens at Taunton Station. The station gardens were judged as part of The Taunton in Bloom competition - and won first prize. Along with The Taunton Railway Display Cup - sponsored by Summerfield Homes - the WSRA gardeners also received a certificate and cheque for £150.
Pictured with the cup, the certificate and the cheque during a photocall were Rita Goodard, Melanie Harvey (Taunton Station Manager, First Great Western), Clive Goodard, Ian Aldridge (Bishops Lydeard Station Master) and Maggie Thompson. Nice to be able to add Taunton to the list of stations enjoying the gardening skills of WSR volunteers. | More WSR gardens... 21 October 2006 Details from WSRA
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| • Chainage and Scrapes...
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Contractors working on the construction of the triangle at Norton Fitzwarren have begun to remove top soil along the route of the western chord. This formation, along with the eastern chord, will be a completely new railway - some 47 chains in all - and will be the first new line to be built in Somerset for some years. In contrast, the slightly longer southern chord which will be laid along the old Barnstaple line formation. The current work is designed to take off the soft top soil and get down to firm clay. The level will then be built back up with a mixture of clay taken from the compensation pond and aggregate.
| 20 October 2006 Details from WSRA
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| • The History of the Sleeping Car ...
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Long-time WSR volunteer, Malc Stacey, has produced a booklet about the unique ex-GWR Sleeping Car no 9038. Titled "The History of Sleeping Car No 9038", the booklet is now available at all WSR stations selling at a very reasonable £2.99 each. Capturing the period from 1933 when No 9038 became a bungalow at Stogursey, and complete with pictures and text, the booklet is A5 in size in landscape format. Also included are full details with pictures of the restoration. Malc's family were involved in the original conversion from sleeping car to bungalow...
| 9 October 2006 Details from Malc Stacey
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| • And the Best Kept Station is...
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The annual station competition has taken place thanks to the efforts of Mary Dowrick, Jennifer and David Bailey and Alan Lewis from Carhampton Gardening Club. The results of the competition are as follows:
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5 October 2006 Details from WSR Plc
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| • Ride the Dunster Bus...
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Go to the Dunster Days Gone By Festival by WSR train and special free bus. The Festival on 21-22 October celebrates everything and everything of Days Gone By! Transport through the ages with classic cars, motorbikes and old military vehicles. Live music is held across Dunster, Jazz folk and more. Lots more information at the Visit Dunster website. Also, a special heritage bus will link Dunster Village with Dunster Station which has many trains calling over the weekend which coincides with the WSR's Grand Trains Extravaganza.
| 21 October 2006 Details from local correspondents
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| • Shuttle success story...
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From New York to Bishops Lydeard by plane and train. One visitor to the Autumn Steam Gala did indeed arrive by transatlantic flight and train! One of several hundreds making use of First Great Western's Taunton-Bishops Lydeard shuttle trains on the weekend of 7-8 October - the first regular rail service between the two stations since 1971. An on-train survey was conducted by WSR volunteers and revealed over 404 passengers using the shuttle trains on the Saturday, with around 250 on the Sunday. More than 160 began their journey at Taunton, nearly 190 started from a WSR station and over 200 from other stations across the country. The survey shows the majority of passengers learned about the shuttles via the internet. Many thanks to the WSR volunteers for giving up their time to capture a wide range of statistics which will help in the analysis. Although we cannot reveal the costs and revenue, the service should surely be seen as a success...
| 16 October 2006 Details from local correspondent
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| • The Missing Link...
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On the Friday of the Autumn Steam Gala, the old Minehead Platform 2 sign once adorning Taunton Station was taken back to its former home for a full photocall. The sign, nowadays housed in the Gauge Museum at Bishops Lydeard Station, provided a nostagic stage prop as WSR's General Manager, Paul Conibeare and Taunton Station Manager, Melanie Harvey, were both interviewed by the TV and press, including ITV West, ITV westcountry and local and regional newspapers. The photocall, of course, celebrated the running of regular trains between Taunton and Bishops Lydeard - the first for 35 years. Hopes are high for a permanent arrangement in the near future. Pictures of these trains can be seen at the Gala Pictures pages...
| 12 October 2006 Details from WSRA
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| • Norton gets underway...
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Work has begun in earnest at the West Somerset Railway Association site at Norton Fitzwarren. Contractors using heavy machinery started work on Monday 9 October 2006 removing vegetation from the alignment of the western chord of the railway triangle. A few days earlier, the WSRA Chairman, Humphrey Davies, was in front of the cameras of the film makers "The Engine Room" as part of a project to capture stage by stage the development of the Norton site. The filming will eventually published as a DVD.
| 9 October 2006 Details from WSRA
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| • A Plan for the Turntable...
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An upturn in fortunes for the turntable at Minehead. Following extensive consultation by Somerset County Council, the owners of the Market Site adjacent to Minehead station, a plan has been agreed with their architects that extends the railway’s boundary to accommodate the turntable at the end of Bay Siding no 2, making it the focal point of the development of the whole area. It also provides extensive car parking and landscaping of the whole area. The railway has offered the turntable and other contributions covering track alterations and design and site supervision, as well as an appeal-funded financial contribution towards installation. The bulk of the money, however, would come from the European Regional Development Fund, Somerset County Council and the South West Regional Development Agency. The planning applications are expected to be considered by the local district council later this month. Everyone involved is pushing hard to make it happen, and once the funding is in place, the timescale is tight, with work having to be complete by the end of March 2008.
| 2 October 2006 Details from WSR Plc
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| • Late Availability on Steam Enginemen Courses...
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Owing to some cancellations the following courses are available this year at a special price on a first come first served basis.
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13 October 2006 Details from WSR Plc
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| • The Somerset Shuttles...
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A great chance for locals to use the train for a day out in Bristol or Exeter, or a weekend in London, and for visitors making their way to the West Somerset Railway Steam Gala. For the first time since reopening, it is possible to catch a normal service train between Bishops Lydeard and Taunton Stations. - the Somerset Shuttles will bridge that gap thanks to First Great Western who are laying on six trains each way on Saturday 7 October and another six on Sunday 8 October. See the Autumn Steam Gala page for full details and times...
| 2 October 2006 Details from WSR Plc
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, Clive Goodard, Ian Aldridge (Bishops Lydeard Station Master) and Maggie Thompson.&p=Norman Hawkes&w=480&h=locos&b=Latest News){kind=link}
wsr.org.uk
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