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Title: Colonel Holman Fred Stephens (31 October 1868 – 23 October 1931) Post by: Lee on August 03, 2007, 12:11:18 Article on the former Weston , Clevedon and Portishead Railway (link below.)
http://thisissomerset.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=147472&command=displayContent&sourceNode=242195&contentPK=17998731&folderPk=113662&pNodeId=242222 Title: Re: Portishead - Clevedon Line Historical Article Post by: Lee on August 06, 2007, 11:35:09 Members of Weston , Clevedon and Portishead Railway Group are planning to mark the 100th anniversary of its completion on Tuesday (07/08/2007 , link below.)
http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=18014158&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922 Title: Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Railway - an excellent DVD Post by: Chris from Nailsea on December 25, 2009, 16:26:46 I would like to say that 'her indoors', who is generally not a particular fan of anything to do with the railways, produced a lovely Christmas gift for me: a DVD entitled 'Somerset's Lost Railway' - the story of the Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Railway.
We sat down and watched it earlier - and we agreed, it's a fascinating tale, of a quirky branch line which spent most of its time (over 30 years!) in receivership, but provided a much loved service between those three Somerset towns between 1897 and 1940. It had 19 stations over its 14 mile length - most of them just huts at level crossings! I recommend this DVD to anyone with an interest in the good old days of the light railway branch lines. C. ;) :D ;D Title: Re: Weston, Clevedon & Portishead Railway - historic interest Post by: Chris from Nailsea on October 02, 2010, 21:06:34 There is an excellent website for the Weston, Clevedon & Portishead Railway, by the way: see http://www.wcandpr.org.uk/ ;)
Title: Colonel Holman Fred Stephens (31 October 1868 – 23 October 1931) Post by: grahame on October 31, 2023, 08:37:19 From WikiPedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._F._Stephens)
Quote Colonel Holman Fred Stephens (31 October 1868 – 23 October 1931) was a British light railway civil engineer and manager. He was engaged in engineering and building, and later managing, 16 light railways in England and Wales. In our area, the Weston Clevedon and Portishead (https://www.northsomersettimes.co.uk/news/20402813.weston-clevedon-portishead-light-railway-history/), and not too far away the Shropshire and Montgomershire were amongst his motley collection. I have posted in "Heritage" because he had involvement with the Kent and East Sussex and the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland, open today (or at least in summers) in a heritage mode. I don't think any of his lines are in the national network these days . Title: Re: Colonel Holman Fred Stephens (31 October 1868 – 23 October 1931) Post by: Chris from Nailsea on October 18, 2024, 22:32:19 I'm going to post a rather butchered reply here, but I do remember that I read about this story from, I think, our local rag, the Mercury:
A lady in the station at Weston-super-Mare allegedly approached an official on a platform to ask, "Please, where can I find a convenience?" He replied, "Just go over there, to the W C & P ". ;D Title: Re: Colonel Holman Fred Stephens (31 October 1868 – 23 October 1931) Post by: chuffed on October 19, 2024, 04:07:35 My recollection of the joke was that the official was a policeman and she hit him over the head with her umbrella.....readers of a certain age may see Giles' Grandma from the Express in their minds eye.....
Title: Re: Colonel Holman Fred Stephens (31 October 1868 – 23 October 1931) Post by: Andy on October 19, 2024, 07:23:50 From WikiPedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._F._Stephens) Quote Colonel Holman Fred Stephens (31 October 1868 – 23 October 1931) was a British light railway civil engineer and manager. He was engaged in engineering and building, and later managing, 16 light railways in England and Wales. In our area, the Weston Clevedon and Portishead (https://www.northsomersettimes.co.uk/news/20402813.weston-clevedon-portishead-light-railway-history/), and not too far away the Shropshire and Montgomershire were amongst his motley collection. I have posted in "Heritage" because he had involvement with the Kent and East Sussex and the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland, open today (or at least in summers) in a heritage mode. I don't think any of his lines are in the national network these days . I think Bere Alston-Calstock-Gunnislake (PDSWJR) was one that he was involved in, though not sure in what capacity. Title: Re: Colonel Holman Fred Stephens (31 October 1868 – 23 October 1931) Post by: grahame on October 19, 2024, 09:02:19 From WikiPedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._F._Stephens) Quote Colonel Holman Fred Stephens (31 October 1868 – 23 October 1931) was a British light railway civil engineer and manager. He was engaged in engineering and building, and later managing, 16 light railways in England and Wales. In our area, the Weston Clevedon and Portishead (https://www.northsomersettimes.co.uk/news/20402813.weston-clevedon-portishead-light-railway-history/), and not too far away the Shropshire and Montgomershire were amongst his motley collection. I have posted in "Heritage" because he had involvement with the Kent and East Sussex and the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland, open today (or at least in summers) in a heritage mode. I don't think any of his lines are in the national network these days . I think Bere Alston-Calstock-Gunnislake (PDSWJR) was one that he was involved in, though not sure in what capacity. https://colonelstephenssociety.co.uk/the%20colonels%20railways/bere%2520alston%2520to%2520calstock%2520light%2520railway/ - fascinating read. Quote Holman Fred Stephens, a light railway pioneer, was appointed consultant engineer. [snip] Stephens advised the PD&SWJR board of director about all aspects of the lines construction and conversion being reasonable for all station design and construction, acquiring rolling stock (both goods, passenger and locomotives) and the signalling for the whole branch. The branch eventually opened officially to passenger traffic on 2 March 1908 and Stephens was appointed as engineer and manager with a salary of £250 Also from that site Quote The Railways of Colonel Holman Fred Stephens Ashover Light Railway * Burry Port & Gwendraeth Valley Light Railway Cranbrook & Paddock Wood Railway East Kent Light Railway Festiniog & Welsh Highland Light Railway ** Bere Alston to Calstock Railway PD&SWJR Edge Hill Light Railway * Selsey Tramway - West Sussex Railway Weston Point Light Railway ** North Devon & Cornwall Junction Light Railway Rye & Camber Tramway Snailbeach District Railway ** Weston Clevedon & Portishead Light railway Sheppey Light Railway * Shropshire & Montgomeryshire Light Railway Rother Valley Railway - Kent & East Sussex Railway My geography suggests ... ** - "core" GWR area * - wider (ex, old) GWR area Title: Re: Colonel Holman Fred Stephens (31 October 1868 – 23 October 1931) Post by: grahame on October 19, 2024, 09:14:43 It has never been quick or easy to get a railway to Portishead ... again from The Colonel Stevens Society (https://colonelstephenssociety.co.uk/the%20colonels%20railways/weston%20clevedon%20%26%20portishead%20light%20railway-2/)
Quote The WC&PR was originally proposed as a standard gauge tramway in 1884 by the Weston-Super-Mare, Clevedon & Portishead Tramways Company to link the three small coastal towns ... Building of the Weston-super-Mare to Clevedon section of the railway began in 1887 but due to various legal and financial problems, progress was very slow ... The extension to Portishead had been planned from the beginning, but financial constraints delayed its construction. It required another Act of Parliament, which was passed in Aug1899, There were many objections to the proposed extension, one of which was that the line was to run through the streets in Clevedon. These objections were overcome, but a man with a flag had to lead trains across the street at 4 mph. The extension to Portishead was built as a light railway and opened on August 7, 1907. This, be it noted, before Col. Stephens got involved ... Title: Re: Colonel Holman Fred Stephens (31 October 1868 – 23 October 1931) Post by: Chris from Nailsea on October 19, 2024, 14:59:49 I've managed to dredge up a previous topic relating to the Weston, Clevedon and Portishead line which I posted on, many years ago, and merged it here in this latest discussion.
Purely for continuity - I hope this helps! ;) Title: Re: Colonel Holman Fred Stephens (31 October 1868 – 23 October 1931) Post by: grahame on October 19, 2024, 15:11:53 I've managed to dredge up a previous topic relating to the Weston, Clevedon and Portishead line which I posted on, many years ago, and merged it here in this latest discussion. Purely for continuity - I hope this helps! ;) Mucks up "on this day" for 31st October, as on this day works by thread ID, but easily (and already) fixed, Likes work by post number and merger properly. Title: Re: Colonel Holman Fred Stephens (31 October 1868 – 23 October 1931) Post by: Chris from Nailsea on October 19, 2024, 15:15:36 Oh, sorry!
I'm a Luddite. ::) Title: Re: Colonel Holman Fred Stephens (31 October 1868 – 23 October 1931) Post by: grahame on October 19, 2024, 15:24:09 Oh, sorry! I'm a Luddite. ::) I'm not bothered - easily fixed and I usually spot such things - just noting some of the archiving stuff that goes on in the background, and asking folks to let me know of any broken links within our site. They can usually be fixed very quickly. Title: Re: Colonel Holman Fred Stephens (31 October 1868 – 23 October 1931) Post by: Chris from Nailsea on October 19, 2024, 15:26:33 I now have that DVD on the desk in front of me: I shall watch it again this evening, so you will all be able to enjoy 90 minutes without me breaking the Coffee Shop forum (again). ;)
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