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| Great railway! | 11 May 2005
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Just spent last week in a cottage at Blue Anchor with the railway
forming the theme of our holiday. Great railway! The scenery is stunning, staff great and the journey
from the country to the seaside brings back fond memories. Each station
has its own unique character and location, country halts, harbours and
seaside terminus. I'm a member of the Severn Valley and the North Yorks Moors ( which is
our local railway) and each has its strengths, but the WSR exceeded my
expectations by a mile - as did the general area. Shame its 350 miles
away - but we'll be back.
Paul
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| Friendly and helpful | 10 May 2005
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I would like to take this opportunity to say that the three times I have visited your excellent railway in the last eight months the staff have been very helpful and friendly and the whole experience was very good. Well worth the trip to get to you!
Mike
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| The Diesel Gala | 9 May 2005
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A selection of comments...
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• Great Gala, everyone is talking about it.
Please pass on the thanks of the whole of SWRG to those concerned.
Bashers and Photters alike had a great time! Brian Garrett (Taunton Trains)
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Have just returned to Cornwall after today's version of the Diesel Gala,
bedevilled by problems, but most things happened - just a bit later than
planned! The 73s were superb, in their GB Railfreight livery, and 31 seemed to behave
impeccably. I couldn't understand why she and her train had to sit in
Crowcombe for about an hour before going on to Williton, without any
crossing at Crowcombe; then in the afternoon had to wait at Blue Anchor for
not just one train to cross, but for the next as well. Still, a bit more
time to enjoy the Exmoor Gold from the buffet! All in all, a great variety of motive power, and superb weather. Heartfelt
thanks to those who organised it all and must have had an especially hard
day's work today. John Ball
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Just returned from a thoroughly enjoyable two days of the Diesel gala - Friday as a TTI and today (Saturday) travelling, and I agree...the locos all looked in fine condition. It was every bit as successful as the steam gala from the point of view of range of engines and the timetable, it was just a shame that there were not a few more people about. I hope it was financially successful. Still, there's tomorrow yet....For me, the stars of the show were the 31 and 37 - just the right sized engines for 6 or 7 coaches on our line. The larger ones are great, but they have to shut off power too quickly after leaving stations. It was also a different experience travelling on the HST. The line looked a whole lot different through double-glazed windows from an air-con coach! Ian Monkton
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Just like to say well done to everyone involved with the Diesel Gala. Had an excellent time, got some superb phots and I don't think the weather could have been any better. Well suited with the engines in particular the HST & the GBRF 73's. Shame about the double Loco failure this morning with 50007 & D7017 but sending the HST down to Norton Fitzwarren made up for it. The only thing i heard people having a grumble about was the use of a steam engine today. In away they have a point as i dont think steam enthusiasts would be too happy to see a diesel out on a steam gala. Apart from that it was a really good show and hopefully I will be able to get down for either the summer gala or next years gala. Well worth the 5 hour drive from Yorkshire. Andrew Wade
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• Thanks for a great event with a good mix of motive power! Nick Warren
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| Pictures | 26 April 2005
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Excellent photos of 43094/123 on test. Looking forward to riding on them at the diesel gala with other members of the 125group.
Andrew
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| The Spring Steam Gala | 22 March 2005
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A selection of comments...
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• Enjoyed the Gala today. Good to see the crowds. Best bit for me on the
trains was the Auto Coach and the linside condition was great - well done to
everybody. Thought the ride on the Autocoach was the best I have ridden on, wonder if
that is the suspension or the track. The Milk tanker on the 9.15 caused a lot of comment from punters some of
which was about its rotting/rusty state - perhaps a candidate for a make
over at Williton soon?
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• Having just come back after enjoying Friday plus Saturday morning...must congratulate the organisers for an
excellent programme. I've been to Severn Valley last weekend, and Keighley
and Worth Valley last month; WSR is still the winner in my book, although
they are all pretty brilliant! However, the Gala may be a victim of its own success - when you have such an
intensive timetable, a mishap such as 3440's problems (was it stalling on
Washford bank?) can throw everything out of joint. Overcrowding is a
consequence of having got into the big league. I must say the attachment of
a coach behind 1450 on its last auto run on Friday evening was most
unfortunate for the photters. 1450 side by side with 5542, both with
smokebox to the camera, crossing at Crowcombe would have been a lovely shot
- sort of thing that might have happened on the Exe Valley in days of yore. Anyway, I think most people accept that you're going to get the odd hiccup,
but from my conversations they seemed to be enjoying themselves. Maybe I
only talk to people who look cheerful!
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• Firstly, many many thanks for a superb gala, with a brilliant selection of locomotive power. I thoroughly enjoyed my day out on Sunday, and the culmination was a dream come true, with a ride behind a King and a Castle!
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• If you had asked me what I thought of the Gala and WSR just after lunch yesterday, the reply would not have been repeatable after they put two diesels on the front of the steamers. I vowed we would not take our usual trip on the railway when we stay down there next month. I quickly relented, however, after a scintillating performance from 4612 at Leigh Bridge and then a dramatic slog up Nethercott by 9351. The fickleness of steam fans!
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• Saturday wasn't sunny or warm in Minehead and Truro was Troublesome elsewhere. Good show of loco's and WSR did well to run more or less on time after Truro's slipping.
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• What a great spectacle the Gala was, I was only there for Thursday and
Friday but enjoyed what I saw.
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• Just to say thanks to all the volunteers on the Railway. I had two
wonderful Railway days...and some lovely
weather.Will I ever forget 6024 dragging her train out of BL
to where I was waiting? No
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• I visited the WSR for the first time last weekend and was most
impressed, and I shall return again as soon as possible.
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| Thanks | 24 February 2005
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Thank you for your information on the railway, I find it very interesting to keep in touch with everything that is going on during the closed season, and what I have read it is a great deal.
I have only just purchased a computer so I am quite new to the modern world so to speak, I have always enjoyed my visits to the raiway, and cant wait for my next visit, the last time I was there was the last steam gala, and what a day it was, I finaly had the chance to ride over the section to Norton Fitzwarren, something that I always seemed to miss.
I cannot go without saying what joy I get out of visiting the station at Crowcombe Heathfield, the finest station in the whole of England in my opinion, and a great credit to Walter Harris and his helpers, I have stopped off at most of the stations in the past, and I sadly miss my chats with Harry Horn, a loverly man, but his wife Iris still keeps going and long may she do so.
Like most visitors I always come away from the railway with good impressions of the whole operation, I think that one of the main reasons why people like the West Somerset, is that you are made to feel welcome, not like some who think that the attitude of weve got your money now go away.
May I close in thanking everyone on the railway for bringing me so much joy over the the last 20 odd years, and may your success continue in the future.
Kind regards
Mike Weston
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| Pictures | 29 January 2005
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As you may know I come the railway very regularly; indeed this week I am involved in various working parties at Minehead Weds, Churchlands Thursday and BL Friday and this is supposed to be the quiet season! Despite my regular trips to the WSR I was enthralled to see the pictures of the new EKT installation at Williton/BA on your website. Without your contributor's pics the "gubbins" would remain a mystery as I pass on service trains throughout the year. I have emailed Peter Darke thanking him for his pictorial catalogues are genuinely useful and much appreciated - at least by me. And thanks to you for maintaining the best website in cyberspace ;-)
Kind regards
Peter Gleed
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