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Author Topic: Weymouth Harbour railway line - merged topic, ongoing discussion  (Read 26561 times)
JayMac
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« on: July 18, 2010, 02:10:41 »

From the Dorset Echo:

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NEW calls were made today to tear up Weymouth^s historic harbourside railway line.

Motorcyclist Becky Leeming blames the rails, known as the tramway, for an accident in which she was thrown from her bike in Commercial Road. She believes the redundant line should be scrapped as it poses a danger to road users.

The line was laid to serve Weymouth Quay but regular services stopped in the 1980s.

Since then it has been used occasionally by special trains carrying enthusiasts. The last one was several years ago.

Some believe the line has a future and should be included in integrated transport plans while others appreciate it for its heritage value ^ reflected in a 2001 Dorset Echo reader poll when people said they would like the tracks to stay.

However, it remains the bane of cyclists and bikers.

The tramway is part of the national rail network until it is closed, a lengthy operation requiring a public inquiry and government intervention. Weymouth and Portland Borough Council entered into negotiations with Network Rail to buy the lines so it could close them but the deal never went through.

Becky, 23, who lives in the Park District, was on her way to work at Debenhams where she is employed as a supervisor when the accident happened as she turned into the harbourside car park.

She said: ^I was careful going over the tracks because it had been raining and I^ve seen enough people come off before. As my wheels went over they locked into the rails. It was really scary. There wasn^t anything I could^ve done to prevent it. My bike started wobbling and I had no control so I let go and was thrown over the handlebars into the road.^

Becky escaped with bruises but an ambulance crew was called as a precaution. Motorists and passers-by stopped to offer assistance.

Becky said: ^Although I was not seriously hurt it could have been a lot worse, especially if there was more traffic about. The accident has affected my confidence and I haven^t ridden since. Something has to be be done about the lines. They^re not being used so let^s get rid of them. How many more accidents does it take before something is done?^

Dorset County Council which has responsibility for highways said the line is the responsibility of Network Rail.

A Network Rail spokesman said: ^A number of options have been discussed with various parties about the future of the line. None of these options are being progressed further at this stage and therefore the line will remain as it is for the foreseeable future. Any decision to take forward any of the options would likely be subject to consultation.^
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2010, 04:18:07 »

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However, it remains the bane of cyclists and bikers.

While I genuinely have every sympathy with Becky Leeming, I do think that her sentiments about 'getting rid of' those currently disused, but historic, tramlines (just for the sake of it) could be applied, rather more relevantly, to the present and rather more dangerous potholes and raised drain covers that we cyclists also have to deal with.

 Roll Eyes
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William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
eightf48544
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« Reply #2 on: July 18, 2010, 10:30:03 »

I tend to agree with Chris's sentinments.

It's intersting that the same thing used to said about tramlines in major towns.

I recall my mother saying she used to cycle into Southampton every day before the war and she was always very careful about crossing tramlines and they could be tricky in the wet.

But there is one thing to said about tramlines rather than potholes and drain covers they are always in the same place and don't appear suddenly in front of you.
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Timmer
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« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2011, 17:30:13 »

Update on this from the Dorset Echo
http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/9306448._Danger__Weymouth_quayside_tracks_to_be_filled/?ref=mr

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JayMac
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« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2011, 18:09:38 »

I've come a cropper twice while riding my bicycle along Bristol's harbourside where there are similar embedded tracks.

I get off and wheel my bike across at certain points now.
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paul7575
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« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2011, 18:22:25 »

One of the points raised elsewhere is that although it is known as a tramway, they are actually normal rails and parallel checkrails, so the gap is much deeper than you get with a normal street tram rail cross section.

It will never be used again now so I reckon they should just get on and dig it up...

Paul
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grahame
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« Reply #6 on: October 17, 2011, 20:41:07 »

The Highway Code places a clear responsibility on the road users who's reading the code (which will be cyclists, motorcyclists, car, van, lorry and bus drivers - presumably in addition to tram drivers) and having been given that responsibility, it's a bit rich to claim a danger.  Heck - lorries are a danger to cyclists too, but there's no proposal to ban them; we ask the cyclists to take care.

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146

Adapt your driving to the appropriate type and condition of road you are on. In particular ... take the road and traffic conditions into account. Be prepared for unexpected or difficult situations, for example, the road ...

306

All road users, but particularly cyclists and motorcyclists, should take extra care when driving or riding close to or crossing the tracks, especially if the rails are wet. You should take particular care when crossing the rails at shallow angles, on bends and at junctions. It is safest to cross the tracks directly at right angles. Other road users should be aware that cyclists and motorcyclists may need more space to cross the tracks safely.


Having said which ... as it stands, the Weymouth tramway is the worst of both worlds ... it's not used, but at the same time it probably adds an element of risk.  What a further tourist draw it would be if a shuttle passenger service were to run from the back of Comet down to the Quay. I was thinking "steam train" but one could also consider tram, with a terminal loop in front of the station. My heart says "keep it in that way" but my head says that if that can't be the case, then there is a case for taking it out.
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« Reply #7 on: October 18, 2011, 00:15:51 »

Does it cost any money to maintain? if not or if the cost is minimal how much would it cost to remove?

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StuartStIves
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« Reply #8 on: October 31, 2011, 21:48:22 »

How do the cyclists in Fleetwood, Wolverhampton, Sheffield, Manchester, Croydon (and soon to be joined by Edinburgh) - all of which have street running trams - cope when it seems cyclists in Weymouth cannot?

And cyclists in Porthmadog where the Welsh Highland line runs along the street to the Ffestiniog railway station?

Come to think of it, how do cyclists cope with all those potentially dangerous rails at level crossings on the national rail network?

Perhaps cyclists in Weymouth should take a tip from cyclists in these towns and take care to avoid the tram lines.  An appropriate warnng sign might help them.     
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paul7575
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« Reply #9 on: October 31, 2011, 23:23:02 »

How do the cyclists in Fleetwood, Wolverhampton, Sheffield, Manchester, Croydon (and soon to be joined by Edinburgh) - all of which have street running trams - cope when it seems cyclists in Weymouth cannot?

Despite the name, the line in Weymouth is not really a tramway, there are normal rails and sleepers buried under the road surface, the gap is more like that between a mainline running rail and checkrail.  Therefore the gap is significantly deeper than a modern tram rail, where the recess is only about the same depth as a wheel flange.

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Come to think of it, how do cyclists cope with all those potentially dangerous rails at level crossings on the national rail network?

They generally ride straight across the rails, not along them...   Roll Eyes
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inspector_blakey
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« Reply #10 on: November 04, 2011, 21:46:57 »

What's the use of keeping the Weymouth tramway? As far as I can see it's almost entirely pointless these days - there's very little shipping from the harbour, absolutely no demand for services and in any case they'd be a regulatory nightmare to reinstate on public roads. Add to that the fact that there's a signal or some other fairly permanent structure erected in the four-foot of the line just south of Weymouth station and it would seem to me that the chances of any sort of traffic running over the line is virtually zero.

The track really isn't all that historic, and just creates a risk for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists alike. Would anyone really genuinely miss it if it was removed?
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« Reply #11 on: November 04, 2011, 22:06:18 »

It's a waste of money removing it
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paul7575
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« Reply #12 on: November 05, 2011, 10:42:27 »

Concur. 

While it remains in situ 'enthusiasts' will carry on with all sorts of amazing ideas for how it could be used, but a few minutes online research suggests that the only official debate is centred on who should pay to remove it. 

NR» (Network Rail - home page) will probably be hoping that the local council bites the bullet whenever resurfacing of the road is needed.

Paul
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johnneyw
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« Reply #13 on: January 08, 2017, 17:00:32 »

Incidentally, the line from Weymouth Station to Weymouth Quay which served the Channel Island ferries is the subject of a rescue bid to save it from being ripped up. The aim seems to model it on the likes of the Bristol Docks Railway or the Chatham Dockyard railway. It's been started by quite a young chap who began it all with more enthusiasm than experience but has been gradually learning the ropes and has lost none of his drive to make something happen. The Weymouth Quay Heritage Campaign page on Facebook is quite informative.
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didcotdean
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« Reply #14 on: January 08, 2017, 20:37:50 »

Good luck to anyone trying that - there have been many attempts to turn it into a tramway of some kind most latterly for the Olympics; the main problem hitherto is that it doesn't do anything like a really useful journey end-to-end to make it financially viable.
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