West Somerset Railway - Bishops Lydeard, near Taunton, to Minehead

[whole diary]

[broadgage]

For clearing vegetation etc from the lineside, I feel that use could be made of convict labour, "chain gangs" even if not actually chained up.
Do this on non operating days in order to avoid the need for track safety training.

Such work could provide healthy outdoor exercise and with limited access to drugs and alcohol for those with drug or alcohol problems.

Also applicable to network rail routes, but most of these do not have regular non operating days. When a line is closed for engineering work etc, perhaps convict labour could be used for lineside clearing.

[lympstone_commuter]

I had my first ever ride on the WSR^▸ (West Somerset Railway - heritage line between Minehead and Bishops Lydeard) last week (and thoroughly enjoyed it).

Ironically enough, I remember thinking to myself "My goodness, this lineside looks magnificently neat and tidy [compared with the national network]. There's clearly been recent and significant vegetation clearance. If only Network Rail could achieve these high standards on the Exmouth branch!"

(I worry about vegetation emerging from the brickwork at, for example, the Lympstone Village overbridge. Postponing dealing with this strikes me as a false economy.)

[broadgage]

On the recent HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) running weekend I observed that both power cars were used. That sounds rather extravagant in engine hours and fuel consumption.
Considering the short train formation and low permitted speed I would have expected that a single power car would have provided ample power.
Whilst the intention was no doubt to test and "exercise" BOTH power cars it would have been simple to use only the leading one, in whatever direction the train was travelling. Change over at the end of the route before returning.

[broadgage]

The HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) that was at Minehead has gone. Presumably FGW^▸ (First Great Western) needed it to cover for IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) that drowned at Dawlish.

[PhilWakely]

The HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) that was at Minehead has gone. Presumably FGW^▸ (First Great Western) needed it to cover for IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) that drowned at Dawlish.

It was always going to be a short term stay. Laira needed space to store all of the now-surplus CrossCountry HST stock. Now that has all been disposed of, the Castle sets can return to Laira.

[infoman]

Sunday 17 december featured on ITV west news.

[grahame]

First 2024 services - 23rd March. https://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/calendar

Services from Minehead to Bishops Lydeard - nothing onward to / from Taunton ;-)

[infoman]

most likely be on before,Alan Titchmarsh on the WSR^▸ (West Somerset Railway - heritage line between Minehead and Bishops Lydeard) on Channel 5 at 14:50pm Saturday 6th July.

[broadgage]

Has something gone wrong on the WSR^▸ (West Somerset Railway - heritage line between Minehead and Bishops Lydeard) today from about 17-00.
A steam hauled train was stopped near Blue Anchor for an unusual time. Could be seen on the webcam.
Trains often pause briefly at the signal protecting the level crossing, but only briefly until the crossing gates are closed to road vehicles and the signal cleared. And this stoppage was short of the signal.

[Witham Bobby]

Has something gone wrong on the WSR^▸ (West Somerset Railway - heritage line between Minehead and Bishops Lydeard) today from about 17-00.
A steam hauled train was stopped near Blue Anchor for an unusual time. Could be seen on the webcam.
Trains often pause briefly at the signal protecting the level crossing, but only briefly until the crossing gates are closed to road vehicles and the signal cleared. And this stoppage was short of the signal.

I'm not in a position to know anything about the reasos for such a stop.  But the Blue Anchor Up Home signal does protect the gates and also directs into the Up Loop.  If a down train was signalled into the Down Loop, the up train would have to stand and wait.  It is not permitted to signal trains travelling in opposite directions into the loop lines at the same time.  To do that, you'd need trap points at the exit ends of the loops to guard against over-runs.  This situation exists at Crowcombe

[Edited to correct text errors]

[Mark A]

Thanks, you've reminded me of the reason that railway operating regulations ban staff from deploying bird feeders at signalboxes on preserved lines and indeed on the national network.

Mark

[Witham Bobby]

Thanks, you've reminded me of the reason that railway operating regulations ban staff from deploying bird feeders at signalboxes on preserved lines and indeed on the national network.

Mark

I'll edit to avoid the page-3 connotations

For some reason my keyboard skills, such as they are, vanish when using my Mac at work

[Mark A]

Hadn't crossed my mind, but it made me think of an imaginary scenario, the terrible anxiety that the staff at Midford on the S&D^▸ (Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway) used to endure concerning their Whittaker apparatus and a very tame robin.

The apparatus set, the pair of locos on an express from Newcastle-on-Tyne, given the north easterly wind, distinctly heard to leave Combe Down Tunnel and open up, and the blasted robin, once again, without a care in the world, has perched on the pouch containing the token and is begging for the mealworms brought to the box that very morning by the plumber*, who called in again to sort out the leadwork in the ladies loo.

Mark

*Kudos if you can name the plumber...

[grahame]

An update on Facebook on the "Disused Stations" group reflects on the state of affairs that is so sadly friustrating to people who want to take a train journey to/from Minehead, to/from Taunton and the rest of the National Rail network.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1730959503584733/posts/29612784364975539/

That group's set up purely to record and talk about disused stations and not stray off into discussions of why they were closed, should they have been closed, and could they be re-opened so I expect commenting to be turned off soon, but still worth a read ... and updated comment welcome here

[broadgage]

Have just observed that short HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) is stabled near Minehead station, adjacent to the Seaward lane level crossing.
Is just being stored ? or is the intention to use it.