Thank you, First and staff

[grahame]

A big "Thank you" ... for First Great Western, to Network Rail, to the West Somerset Railway, to the brewery, the catering company, the donators of raffle prizes ... to those companies I have overlooked ... and to the people who made yesterday's Minehead Marauder the huge success that it was.

I left the most important THANK YOU to last, you'll note - to the people who organised and staffed the day out, who gave their time for free and while the rest of us were having a great time they were at work, unpaid, doing things like collecting the rubbish and answering yet another load of passenger's questions. And not only were they doing these things on what should have been a day off for free, but they were doing it with a happyness and joy.  It reminds me - as if I needed reminding - what a fantastic and dedicated team our local TOC has gat out there, customer facing.

Some railway pictures from the day ...


Day trippers lead the train at Minehead station and head for the town or beach


There's still nothing like a train - even if it's diesel not steam.


Entertainment for the children.


Awaiting returning passengers


The line from Taunton to Minehead runs through lovely countryside, around the harbour at Watchet, then along the beach - truely a beautiful journey that we all enjoyed.



Pickups from Trowbridge, Bradford-on-Avon, Keynsham, Nailsea and Backwell, Yatton and Worle gave SDO a good (and efficient, it turned out!) airing.  Not a huge number of passengers at each station, but put together it made for a great party atmosphere!

More pictures of Minehead from yesterday ... here.

[devon_metro]

Spot the forum member

Looks like an excellent trip!

[chris from nailsea]

Well, I've spotted me - and I wasn't actually on the train! 

Does anyone know how much was raised for the Railway Children charity, by the way?

[devon_metro]

Over £10000

[chris from nailsea]

... and, lest we forget the need for such charitable fundraising: see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7983880.stm

Italian police have found more than 100 immigrants, including 24 Afghan children, living in the sewer system beneath railway stations in Rome.

The children range in age from 10 to 15 years and are now being looked after by the city's social services.

They were found when the railway police followed up reports of children living near the city's stations.

The police say they do not speak Italian and broke into the sewers by removing manhole covers.

The charity Save the Children Italy says that more than 1,000 unaccompanied children arrived in Rome last year from various countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

[laird]

With thoughts of the need to generate more income for the valuable charity has anyone heard any news on a repeat of the special this year?

[John R]

I'm guessing, but the CLPG Excursion might be FGW's equivalent this year?

[Andy]

... and, lest we forget the need for such charitable fundraising: see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7983880.stm

Italian police have found more than 100 immigrants, including 24 Afghan children, living in the sewer system beneath railway stations in Rome.

The children range in age from 10 to 15 years and are now being looked after by the city's social services.

They were found when the railway police followed up reports of children living near the city's stations.

The police say they do not speak Italian and broke into the sewers by removing manhole covers.

The charity Save the Children Italy says that more than 1,000 unaccompanied children arrived in Rome last year from various countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

I saw a report on a similar problem in Paris on French TV last night concerning Afghan youngsters aged 15-17, many of them orphans, who are sleeping rough near the Gare du Nord and Gare de l'Est stations, hoping to make their way to the coast in order to get into the UK. 

[DevonTrains2008]

Where did this call at altoghether?

How much did it cost?

Will it run again next year?