WSR now!

[dhjgreen]

There appear to be 3 exhausts on the class 115, is anyone able to throw any light on this please. The WSR website page for the stock is dated 2014 and says 2 power cars in a set.

[Zomboid]

Each power car has 2 engines (and 2 exhausts). So if you've seen 3 that would suggest that the 4th engine was not running for whatever reason

[dhjgreen]

Each power car has 2 engines (and 2 exhausts). So if you've seen 3 that would suggest that the 4th engine was not running for whatever reason

Thanks, I will now look out for the 4th.

I really do not spend all day looking at the webcams

BTW quite a see saw at the level crossing at Blue Anchor in the up direction.

Edited August 1, 2018 by dhjgreen

[royaloak]

One of the transmissions is playing up so they have probably isolated it along with its engine.

[brianusa]

What's up at the WSR?  The ORR has apparently shut it down for while early next year!

 

Brian.

[Boris]

What's up at the WSR?  The ORR has apparently shut it down for while early next year!

 

Brian.

 

Pretty much

 

http://www.thisisthewestcountry.co.uk/news/17210076.west-somerset-railway-to-close-from-january-to-april-after-safety-inspection/?ref=rss

[MarkC]

What's up at the WSR?  The ORR has apparently shut it down for while early next year!

 

Brian.

As I understand it, the WSR has decided to extend its normal winter closed period for a few extra weeks, in order to rectify some items picked up by the ORR, who were invited to attend. The ORR didn't suspend the WSR's Operating Licence, so haven't closed the WSR down.

 

The extended closure does mean that the March Gala won't now happen, but apparently that one isn't always a guaranteed money-spinner anyway, so doubtless this has also been considered by the Railway when making their decision.

[brianusa]

Bummer, as they say over here!  This means my only opportunity to check out the WSR is over for a while.  Due to time differences, I can only see things early morning my time, which means late afternoon Minehead time, unless I want to stay up most of the night!

 

Brian.

[Steamport Southport]

Still open until January though. The Santa trains are still shown as running.

 

 

But it looks like the Atlantic Coast Express is cancelled.

 

http://www.wsr.org.uk/news.htm#1620

 

 

 

 

Jason

[locoholic]

Still open until January though. The Santa trains are still shown as running.

 

 

But it looks like the Atlantic Coast Express is cancelled.

 

http://www.wsr.org.uk/news.htm#1620

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jason

I think it's weird that whatever issues have been identified aren't so serious that they require immediate cessation of services, but serious enough to lose the revenue from Spring events. I look forward to reading the ORR report. Edited November 10, 2018 by locoholic

[Steamport Southport]

I think it's weird that whatever issues have been identified aren't so serious that they require immediate cessation of services, but serious enough to lose the revenue from Spring events. I look forward to reading the ORR report.

 

I would expect that they know how long it's going to take and they've decided that losing a bit of business in the spring is preferable than losing the Christmas market.

 

After all the Santa trains usually need to be pre booked and I doubt anyone wants to start disappointing children.

 

 

 

Jason

[avonside1563]

As has been mentioned, the ORR have made recommendations as to maintenance work required, some of which is urgent. It appears the WSR management have decided that they cannot undertake this work during the normal closed season so have opted to not operate at February half term or run the gala to ensure the necessary matters are dealt with. As long as the ORR are happy with the way the issues highlighted are being handled they will not prevent the WSR from operating as long as it is safe to do so in the interim.

[woodenhead]

The WSR page makes interesting reading in general - they've had a few issues this year including Board disagreements played out in meetings and letters that went up on the site.

 

It makes you think about how hard it is running a preservation society and a railway - beyond even getting the funds to run the basic railway, there is the long term strategy, the maintenance and the people.

Edited November 12, 2018 by woodenhead

[locoholic]

That's a very long-winded way of saying not very much. It would seem that the ORR did not insist on the three-month closure, but they have been used as the pretext for it, with no explanation.

[phil-b259]

That's a very long-winded way of saying not very much. It would seem that the ORR did not insist on the three-month closure, but they have been used as the pretext for it, with no explanation.

 

Without seeing the ORR report we are unable to know just how serious the deficiencies were. Equally it may be that the WSR have some interim solutions they can apply now which the ORR are happy with over Christmas, but which are not long term fixes.

 

In recent years the ORR have clamped down hard on the Heritage sector which has had plenty of time to fully implement all aspects of the ROGS legislation - and found quite a few railways lacking in certain areas. It is therefore extremly unlikely that this closure at the beginning of 2019 to address the shortcomings the ORR have identified is genuine.

[locoholic]

Without seeing the ORR report we are unable to know just how serious the deficiencies were. Equally it may be that the WSR have some interim solutions they can apply now which the ORR are happy with over Christmas, but which are not long term fixes.

 

In recent years the ORR have clamped down hard on the Heritage sector which has had plenty of time to fully implement all aspects of the ROGS legislation - and found quite a few railways lacking in certain areas. It is therefore extremly unlikely that this closure at the beginning of 2019 to address the shortcomings the ORR have identified is genuine.

If I was on the WSR staff this sentence, "At our last PLC Board meeting, and in the light of the ORR inspection, I proposed that the WSR should close for an extended period between January and April 2019 in order to allow us a period to re-group and seek to deal with as many of the ORR’s findings and recommendations to us for action as possible", would really annoy me, because I would want to be reassured that the issues to be addressed during the closure were those raised by the ORR. In all that waffle from Mr Jones-Pratt there is not one confirmation that that is the case. Did the ORR really think it was appropriate to close the railway so that the coaching stock could be cleaned and the lineside cleared of scrap? I fear that the political in-fighting at the WSR will be rekindled by this, as the impression has been given that there's something distinctly fishy going on.

[phil-b259]

If I was on the WSR staff this sentence, "At our last PLC Board meeting, and in the light of the ORR inspection, I proposed that the WSR should close for an extended period between January and April 2019 in order to allow us a period to re-group and seek to deal with as many of the ORR’s findings and recommendations to us for action as possible", would really annoy me, because I would want to be reassured that the issues to be addressed during the closure were those raised by the ORR. In all that waffle from Mr Jones-Pratt there is not one confirmation that that is the case. Did the ORR really think it was appropriate to close the railway so that the coaching stock could be cleaned and the lineside cleared of scrap? I fear that the political in-fighting at the WSR will be rekindled by this, as the impression has been given that there's something distinctly fishy going on.

 

The ORR are not going to be demanding a shutdown because the coaches are dirty - however if, for example (note this is not meant as an allegation) the ORR have found that the C&W maintenance records showing when coaches last revived a proper maintenance,  or the system for logging and defects (remember a child was almost killed on the SDR this year because of inadequate procedures) then the ORR will most certainly be demanding serious action be taken.

 

Again I repeat, as we don not know exactly what the ORR said in their letter, we cannot know what the issues are - but as you say they are not going to trivial ones like carriage cleaning (though the clearance of scarp materials from the lineside could be if its felt vandals might be able to use them to derail a train).

 

However the WSR (and all other businesses) are entitled to keep their own council on these matters and in general its not good practice to air your dirty linen in public (precisely because most of the public are very irrational in their fears and do not understand technical matters) - whatever has gone on the ORR are happy the railway is safe to operate at Christmas, but it seems that long term there are other areas that need addressing. Perhaps it might be best to think along the lines of RAIB recommendation - they usually have a couple of quick wins, followed by more challenging ones to be implemented over a longer timescale. I imagine the ORR do a similar thing....

[Steamport Southport]

That's a very long-winded way of saying not very much.

 

Yes. It is a bit management speak isn't it? It could have come out of the mouth of David Brent.

 

We could have played Corporate Jargon Bingo. I'll just run that one up the flagpole and see if anyone salutes it.

 

 

Minus points for using the phrase "upskill" though, that's one of my pet hates. 

 

 

 

 

Jason

[locoholic]

 

Again I repeat, as we don not know exactly what the ORR said in their letter, we cannot know what the issues are - but as you say they are not going to trivial ones like carriage cleaning

Whilst I agree with the points you make, it is unfortunate that even a summary of the ORR's letter has not been made available. Instead we are left to assume that the list of bullet points in Mr Jones-Pratt's long letter are the points raised by the ORR. The "laundry" cannot have been all that dirty, otherwise the trains wouldn't still be running, so I do wonder why Mr J-P is being so coy. Perhaps it is just that his skills in corporate communication are sub-optimal?

[pheaton]

Yes. It is a bit management speak isn't it? It could have come out of the mouth of David Brent.

 

We could have played Corporate Jargon Bingo. I'll just run that one up the flagpole and see if anyone salutes it.

 

 

Minus points for using the phrase "upskill" though, that's one of my pet hates. 

 

 

 

 

Jason

 

you must be a civil servant....

 

stovepiped....

[Steamport Southport]

you must be a civil servant....

 

stovepiped....

 

Nah. Apart from a spell in Royal Mail.

 

 

It's just that I've had a few managers over the years that think that management speak is the way to talk to employees. Whilst most of the staff walk out of the meeting wondering what the hell he was on about. Usually keeping schtum as they don't want to look stupid.

 

It's almost always men as well. Very rarely do you hear woman speak like that.

 

 

Jason

[brianusa]

A lot of hand wringing for something we know little of except for what has been speculated on.  As has been mentioned, since trains will be running over the Christmas season, surely it can't be all that bad.  It would seem that there are plans in hand to comply with whatever needs attention (a couple of carriage roofs, for sure) and to get it done in the time frame mentioned.  In that case, it will probably be best to wait and see what materialises and look forward to Springtime and the trains running once more.

 

Brian.