West Somerset Railway - Bishops Lydeard to Minehead (merged posts)

[whole diary]

[broadgage]

Has something gone wrong on the WSR 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 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.

[The Tall Controller]

Bit of both. The WSR is keeping it safe for GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) by giving it a temporary home, but with permission to use it occasionally. The set in question has been stored at Minehead throughout the winter, but has just been moved to the siding in front of the signal box. Presumably to have it out of the way ready for the Steam Gala.