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Crowcombe to celebrate anniversary of re-opening...
It was thirty years ago when trains once again called at Crowcombe Heathfield Station. Tuesday 9 June 2009 marks thirty years since the stations at Crowcombe Heathfield and Bishops Lydeard
were reopened to traffic. The folks at Crowcombe Heathfield are holding an event on the day to mark the occasion. It will be a Green Timetable day. The first passenger on or off the first train, the 10.25am from Bishops Lydeard will receive a small gift. As the train leaves the station, it will break a celebratory banner. Afterwards in the up waiting room, tea, coffee and a special cake will be served. Meantime, the last major renovation task in the original building, the booking office ceiling, is being refurbished with the work due to be completed on 30 April, just in time for the May Day Holiday.
26 April 2009
Details from Crowcombe Heathfield Station
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A third TSO for the WSRA Home Counties Group...
The WSRA Home Counties Group has just acquired a new Mark 1 coach. Tourist Second Open no 4956 is the third TSO owned by the Group, and will join nos 4435 and 5024 in the service fleet. Built under Lot no 30690 at Wolverton in 1961, it seats 64 and weighs 37 tons. The vacuum brake and steam heat have been removed from No 4956, but re-instatement is considered not a difficult job. The air-braking and electric train heating will be retained for use should the situation arise. Arriving on the WSR in the third week of April, the seats have been removed and sent to the upholsterer, and other than the work mentioned above, following a clean, the coach will enter service as soon as the seats are returned. It currently carries the blue and grey livery, and because of the good condition, it will run in that livery for the time being. A full external and internal repaint will take place when time permits.
22 April 2009
Details from WSRA Home Counties Group
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Good start to the season continues...
Excellent Easter passenger figures for the West Somerset Railway. The ten day Easter holiday period between Good Friday 10 April and Sunday 19 April was a busy time for the West Somerset Railway with the generally excellent weather and the continuing attraction of steam trains making for a winning combination. "We carried over 9300 people over the ten days", said West Somerset Railway General Manager Paul Conibeare, "with Easter Sunday the busiest day of all with 1490 passengers travelling. Another feature of Easter Sunday and Monday was that 500 people used the special vintage bus link that we provide between Dunster Station and the village on Bank Holiday Sundays and Mondays. Overall this has been a very good continuation of the record breaking Spring Steam Gala period at the end of March".
21 April 2009
Details from WSR Plc
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Model Railway enjoys early season success...
Brilliant start to the 2009 season for the Model Railway at the Gauge Museum. The Spring Steam Gala provided a real boost in 2009 and the trend is continuing with a total of 2,623 visitors on 19 operating days, compared to 2,100 in the same period in 2008. On the second Saturday of the Gala no less than 470 people visited the layout. The modelling team are confident visitors appreciate the hours of hard work improving the layout during the winter months. The layout in the Gauge Museum is well worth a visit.
21 April 2009
Details from local correspondent
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No 34046 prepares for work...
Good news for Bulleid fans with No 34046 rostered to work for twelve days at the end of April. SR 4-6-2 no 34046 Braunton - restored last year from scrapyard condition - will work service trains on the West Somerset Railway on the following dates: 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30 April and 1, 2, 3, 4 May. Most days, Braunton will start its daily diagram from Bishops Lydeard except the first two days when it starts its day from Minehead.
20 April 2009
Details from WSR Plc
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Come and join us as a Volunteer on the Railway...
The next WSR Association Volunteers Day will be held on Sunday 17 May. With a 10.45am registration for 11.00am start, the venue is the Gauge Museum on Platform 1 at Bishops Lydeard Station. Tea and coffee will be provided, but a packed lunch should be brought as the day will end at around 5.21pm. Vacancies exist for Travelling Ticket Inspectors (TTIs); On Train Catering including the luxury dining train, the Quantock Belle; Cleaners to become Firemen; Signalmen (these should preferably live within a 25 mile radius of the railway and be able to give week day cover); Permanent Way Gang; Cutting Back Gang; Signal & Telegraph Technicians; Office Staff; Booking Office Staff; and Shop Staff. Also. staff for Engineering ∓ Restoration Projects at various locations, along with Repair and Maintenance Staff. Of course you may have other skills that we need such as IT; Accountancy; Raffle Ticket Selling; Publicity; On Train Courier, and Education. We are sure that the WSR has a volunteer post to suit you, so why not contact us today to find out more and help us run one of the most successful tourist attraction in the South West and have fun doing it. For further information contact Ian Aldridge on 01823 433856 please leave a message if Ian is not available, or email wsra@btconnect.com and Ian will get back to you as soon as possible.
20 April 2009
Details from WSRA
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Spring Steam Gala DVD now available...
A new DVD gives the chance to view a good chunk of the recent Spring Steam Gala. Taken during the Railway's 2009 Spring Steam Gala, this DVD takes you to the heart of the action with intense close-ups, stunning landscape shots and an excellent mix of motive power from all the "Big Four" railway companies. This DVD contains footage from both weekends of the Gala and brings together beautiful scenery, outstanding soundtracks, amazing weather conditions and steam locomotives hard at work on this challenging twenty mile railway. Running time is 105 minutes. Locomotives featured include Bittern, Royal Scot, Braunton, Kinlet Hall, Eddystone, Sherwood Forester and so on. Priced a very reasonable £15.00 the DVD is available from the Buffer Stop Shop at Minehead, or by phone 01643 700387, or via the online shop.
18 April 2009
Details from WSR Plc
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The Capitals Express on 30 May is cancelled
The WSR Plc have been informed of the cancellation of the excursion from Minehead to London Paddington on 30 May 2009. GWR 4-6-0 no 6024 King Edward I was due to head the train but the problems which led to its non-appearance at the recent Spring Steam Gala will not, we understand, be overcome in time for the locomotive to haul the train from Minehead to London. The Bristol to Minehead special on the same day, headed on the outward leg by Tornado is unaffected.
14 April 2009
Details from WSR Plc
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Tornado due along route of West Somerset Railway
The West Somerset Railway to host a brand new steam express locomotive in June. The newly built express steam locomotive, A1 Class no 60163 Tornado which was launched in a blaze of national and international publicity in the Autumn of 2008 is due to visit the West Somerset Railway for a fortnight at the start of June. The locomotive will work onto the Minehead Branch on 30 May at the head of an excursion train from the national network and it will depart with another excursion train on 18 June. And the West Somerset will be using the engine on service trains daily between 1 - 11 June, and on 15 June. On these days it will leave Bishops Lydeard station at 11.40am and 3.05pm, and Minehead at 1.15pm and 4.55pm. In addition these dates there will also see two other steam engines in action hauling passenger trains. Further, on 12, 13, 14 June Tornado will feature in the Mixed Traffic Weekend, working trains alongside a fleet of 1960s classic diesel locomotives, and ironically being of more modern construction than the internal combustion engines which originally displaced steam. Rover tickets can be purchased using the Tornado Fortnight Booking Form , the Mixed Traffic Weekend Booking Form, or online at TicketWeb.
14 April 2009
Details from WSR Plc
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Evening steam from Bristol to Minehead on 30 May
And now for something completely different - an evening steam trip from Bristol to Minehead on 30 May. Diesel hauled from Gloucester to Bristol Temple Meads, where newly built Peppercorn A1 4-6-2 no 60163 Tornado takes over for the onward excursion across the Somerset Levels to Taunton and onto the winding and undulating West Somerset Railway to journey's end at Minehead. Enjoy a short evening stroll before heading back diesel hauled. More information.
14 April 2009
Details from WSR Plc and Pathfinder Railtours
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Report on the recent WSR Liaison Meeting
The West Somerset Railway Liaison meeting held on 14 March 2009 in Bishops Lydeard Village Hall discussed the recent outcomes from the review of the wheel/rail wear issues and also the findings from the inquiry into wheel/rail interface problems. David Morgan WSR Deputy Chairman reviewed the main points as highlighted in the two reports and outlined the reasoning behind the recommendations contained within them. It was clear that the offer of the rail grinding equipment was made in good faith and the acceptance of the offer was based on the known condition of the rail top, gauge face and the age of the WSR track. It is considered that the decision to accept the offer was perfectly sound and at that time of acceptance there was no local knowledge of the problems incurred by other heritage railways that had previously carried out a similar exercise.
Mark Smith WSR Chairman indicated that the recommendations implemented as a result of the reports findings were working well and that the revised hand back procedures had just been tested in action with the completion of the Blue Anchor Level Crossing. The issues relating to the split command structure between the civil engineers and the mechanical engineers had now been addressed with all reporting now taking place through the General Managers office. The Chairman thanked all who had contributed to the discussions relating to the reports and gave a brief resume of the planned activities for 2009. It was acknowledged with thanks that the reports submitted by David Morgan and David Holmes the consultant (not the WSRA Chairman) were thorough and well balanced.
If you are unable to see or obtain a copy from your HoD or manager please send your name and company staff ID card number to Minehead by either e-mail to info@west-somerset-railway.co.uk and a copy will be provided by email free of charge or write to the WSR Office at Minehead enclosing the sum of £3.00 to cover printing post and packing and a paper copy will be supplied; cheques are payable to West Somerset Railway. Please remember to provide a very clearly written return address with your request.
9 April 2009
Details from WSR Plc
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Turntable will be in use during Easter
Minehead turntable will be in operation during the Easter holidays. The plan is to turn the locomotive at the head of the 12.30pm ex-Bishops Lydeard at Minehead on the Gold Timetable days over the period 11 April to 16 April. Depending on operational requirements, the loco will be turned through 180 or 360 degrees. Turning a large steam locomotive is always popular and the spectacle can be viewed in safety from the platforms and viewing area next to the Kiosk at Minehead Station.
9 April 2009
Details from WSR Plc
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Railway hosts visit from national tour operators
Representatives from national tour operators and train operating companies spent the day on the West Somerset Railway on 7 April. Hosted by WSR Plc, the visitors and Railway officers discussed charter options and extra attractions for likely visitors. After a ride along the line from Bishops Lydeard, a vintage bus took the party from Dunster Station to Dunster Castle for a brief visit and then back to Minehead for a "seaside" lunch. After watching SDJR 2-8-0 no 88 being turned, the party made their way back to Bishops Lydeard. Hopefully the visit improve the needs of all parties and will result in further charters to dovetail in with the Railway's public timetable.
8 April 2009
Details from WSR Plc
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Sponsored Railway Walk was a great success
The Ten Mile Walk along the West Somerset Railway which took place in November was proved a fine fundraiser. The Walk, in aid of the "Heritage Carriages Project" and the "St Margarets Hospice ,Somerset", raised a total of £5,500. After looking at each sponsor form and the wishes of those sponsoring the walkers, a total of £1,700 was raised for the St. Margarets Hospice, and £3,800 for the Heritage Carriages Project. Organiser Mike Webber and Ian Coleby from the West Somerset Steam Railway Trust, organised a small gathering in which the 1st prize of the Hornby locomotive, was given to the person who raised the most sponsorship money, with the runners up receiving some bottles of wine at Bishops Lydeard Station on Saturday 21 March. A cheque was presented to Diana Davies, Fundraising Manager from the St Margarets Hospice. Once again, organiser Mike Webber wishes to thank all those who sponsored a walker or who took part in the event, for making it such a runaway success.
7 April 2009
Details from WSSRT
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No 4936 gets a longer stay in Somerset
The recent signalling problems at Taunton have effectively blocked the link to and from the West Somerset Railway. Emergency work by Network Rail led to the cancellation of the trip by rail from Bishops Lydeard to Birmingham by GWR 4-6-0 no 4936 Kinlet Hall. The good news is that the Railway plan to use the Hall on the Minehead Branch, each day from 11 April to 17 April, starting at Bishops Lydeard. All subject to availability of course.
3 April 2009
Details from WSR Plc
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A record number of Spring Steam Gala passengers
The passenger figures for the Spring Gala have now been counted. A grand total of 10,636 passengers over the six days, a new Spring Steam Gala record for the West Somerset Railway. The final visitor locomotive line-up this year proved to be a winner with the magnificent Gresley A4 4-6-2 no 60019 Bittern sharing the glare of the spotlights with LMS 4-6-0 no 6100 Royal Scot as first time visitors to the Railway. The supporting cast - nos 34028, 34046, 6695, 45231, 4936, 9351, 88, 3850 and 5553 - could each rightly claim to top the bill. The next special event is the Mixed Traffic Weekend on 12 June to 14 June - with the brand new steam locomotive and media star Tornado running each day during the preceding two weeks.
2 April 2009
Details from WSR Plc
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The next Taunton Group meeting...
The Taunton Group will meet again on Monday 6 April. The meeting is at the usual time and venue - 7.45pm at the GWRSA Snug Bar, north east corner of Taunton Station. The speaker for this meeting is Ian Wright, well known to those working on the WSR, as a regular driver with a rich sense of humour. Ian is also a well-known railway photographer. Also committed to the Bluebell Railway in Sussex, Ian is due to speak about "Southern Steam in the '60s" As usual, all members and guests are welcome to attend.
2 April 2009
Details from WSRA
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Tornado Fortnight in West Somerset in June
Mid summer Tornado for West Somerset. The completion and entry into service of the A1 Class "Pacific" 4-6-2 no 60163 Tornado in 2008 was one of the major news stories of the year, attracting both national and international coverage as the first mainline express steam engine to be built for use in Britain since the 1950s. The West Somerset Railway are delighted to welcome this wonderful locomotive to the Minehead Branch for a fortnight's stay including the Mixed Traffic Weekend. From 1 June to 11 June, Tornado is expected to work the 11.40am and the 3.05pm from Bishops Lydeard, and the corresponding workings departing Minehead at 1.15pm and 4.55pm, then will work trains during the Mixed Traffic Weekend which runs from 12 June to 14 June. More information can be found on the official WSR website.
1 April 2009
Details from WSR Plc
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