Weymouth Quay

[petethemole]

Some pictures and memories here:

 

http://www.davidheyscollection.com/page31.htm

 

Pete

[Ceptic]

I was thinking it would be fun to get hold of a Wickham Trolley or a road rail vehicle and have a run down the line in the middle of the night when there were few cars about!

 A Wickham Trolley ride,..yes...  starting from the Bincombe tunnels' summit....down the Upwey bank,....no propulsion required,...relying on a clear road and brakes only,?.....

....I'm riding it now,.......An early bath (without a coat)... is the only outcome 

Edited May 23, 2013 by Ceptic

[Pacific231G]

Yes I know this; it's the same with tugs (probably more so) which change ownership frequently. Many of the Richard Dunston, Hessle built tugs, for example, ended up in places like Greece. "Northsider" is a classic example of a Dunston tug that went to several countries and changed names accordingly, last heard of in Isreal. No, what I found surprising with my encounter with the ferry in Spain, was that it was one I had seen lots of times in the UK under Sealink ownership, but it was unrecognisable in its new colours.

 

All the best

Simon

If you can get hold of a ship's IMO number this remains with it throughout all its changes of ownership and name. A sort of maritime equivalent of a car's VIN number

[Michael Delamar]

Colour rail  has lots on nice shots of panniers on the line..

 

 

http://www.colourrail.com/Preview.aspx?ImgRef=BRW1543

 

http://www.colourrail.com/Preview.aspx?ImgRef=BRW1371

 

http://www.colourrail.com/Preview.aspx?ImgRef=11193

 

http://www.colourrail.com/Preview.aspx?ImgRef=BRW2421

 

http://www.colourrail.com/Preview.aspx?ImgRef=BRW623

 

there are more, just type in Weymouth in the location box.

[clecklewyke]

"I wonder how the line was worked ?"

 

There was a 4mph speed limit on the Tram which was largely adhered to so little likelihood of an actual collision. Although the original rules specified Pilotmen and the like in practise from the 50's on it was basically the yard phoning the quay and visa versa and a deal of common sense from the crew. The shunters were there to check clearances to badly parked cars and to stop enthralled visitors from throwing themselves under the wheels.

 

Stu

Thank you, Stu.

 

The Wikipaedia article confirms that the class 33s had a bell warning system.

 

Did the panniers have such a system? I suspect they didn't and that it was more likely that the pilotmen had shunters' horns or whistles?

 

I'm very glad to find that workings were so lax - that's exactly how I work Humber Dock, although the pilotman walking ahead of the train is a bit of a problem...

 

Ian

Edited May 24, 2013 by clecklewyke

[Horsetan]

The panniers did have bells - there are are photos of the 1366s showing the bell mounted on the nearside running plate.

[Mallard60022]

I've just been browsing the David Hay site - what a gem.

P

Edited May 24, 2013 by Mallard60022

[R A Watson]

Looks like Playland are set up for rail deliveries, then! 

Never seen Purbeck stone Leggo bricks before, they must have some big kiddies down there!

 

Wally

[Earlswood Nob]

Good morning all

I remember a holiday in Weymouth c1958 age 11-12, and we were walking through the town and suddenly a Pannier tank came hauling a train down a street towards the docks. It was quite a surprise.

Earlswood nob

[andy stroud]

I was thinking it would be fun to get hold of a Wickham Trolley or a road rail vehicle and have a run down the line in the middle of the night when there were few cars about!

 

 

Well now here is your chance. There's one for sale on Ebay... ..and a famous one apparently

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wickham-Trolley-No-6857-Railway-Great-St-Trinians-Train-Robbery-Speeder-train/121113094626?_trksid=p2045573.m2102&_trkparms=aid%3D555003%26algo%3DPW.CAT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D15137%26meid%3D7881859794767566320%26pid%3D100034%26prg%3D7313%26rk%3D1%26

[Pacific231G]

On 23/05/2013 at 01:28, bingley hall said:

I wonder if its the same camp I went to in Guernsey during August 1967? My first ever mainline train journey was behind a Class 47 on the Channel Islands Boat Express in Bulleid stock. Still numerous dumped steam locos to be seen at sheds along the way and Hymeks at Weymouth. Haulage of the branch from memory was by a Class 03 shunter.

We went to Guernsey in I think 1966 having had a camp next to Stalag Luft 3  Pontins at Osmington Mills the previous year but though we went into Weymouth I don't recall seeing the tramway on that occasion. The first time I saw it was when I travelled on it. The Guernsey campsite was possibly in the parish of St. Martin but I don't recall if it had established facilities or was just a field.

Edited October 7, 2020 by Pacific231G

[rob D2]

Playland at swanage , has regularly eaten my 2P coins...

[Great Western]

A signal controlled entry to the tramway and another controlled exit from it onto the main line.  I believe those signals may still exist.  The rest was line of sight with all movements accompanied by a pilotman in possession of the train authority and walking ahead of it with assistants to ensure a clear way.

 

When two train were on the tramway together as has been illustrated above then neither may move without the pilotman present. 

 

In other words basic single line working arrangements.

I'm currently route learning Weymouth, the signalling is still in place to allow access to and from the Quay branch, controlled from Dorchester South SB.

 

I took a walk down to the ferry terminal the other day, the rails are still in place all the way down to the terminal. Although a few of the points are tarmaced over on places.

 

Great Western

[Guest oldlugger]

One of the former BR Sealink ferries from Weymouth now working in Spain. This photo was taken in Barcelona.

 

Simon

[The Stationmaster]

One of the former BR Sealink ferries from Weymouth now working in Spain. This photo was taken in Barcelona.

 

Simon

Nice pic Simon - seems the ship is now called 'Bari', its fifth name (!!), and on its seventh owning company (although some of those changes have been due to re-organisations rather than sale to a new owner).  But most of its original lines are still there.

[Red Fox]

One of the former BR Sealink ferries from Weymouth now working in Spain. This photo was taken in Barcelona.

 

Simon

 

That is the former 'St Anselm' which went on to become Stena Cambria. Although she is a former BR Sealink ferry she never ran from Weymouth, too big. She was one time BR Sealink flagship on the Dover-Calais service but was moved on to other routes. Her last UK service was for P&O Stena on the Newhaven-Dieppe service.

 

Off the top of my head BR Sealink and Sealink British Ferries ships from Weymouth were Caesarea, Sarnia, Normannia, Earl William, Earl Godwin and Earl Harold.

[andy stroud]

 

Off the top of my head BR Sealink and Sealink British Ferries ships from Weymouth were Caesarea, Sarnia, Normannia, Earl William, Earl Godwin and Earl Harold.

 

...and Caledonian Princess in the mid to late 70's. Ended up as a nightclub in Newcastle.

[Guest oldlugger]

That is the former 'St Anselm' which went on to become Stena Cambria. Although she is a former BR Sealink ferry she never ran from Weymouth, too big. She was one time BR Sealink flagship on the Dover-Calais service but was moved on to other routes. Her last UK service was for P&O Stena on the Newhaven-Dieppe service.

 

Off the top of my head BR Sealink and Sealink British Ferries ships from Weymouth were Caesarea, Sarnia, Normannia, Earl William, Earl Godwin and Earl Harold.

Sorry to disagree with you but it did sail from Weymouth and I have this info from a very reliable ferry enthusiast source.. not a railway person. The vessel is not too big for Weymouth; the harbour can accommodate two large Condor ferries, which when placed together are far bigger than the Isla de Botafoc.

[Red Fox]

Sorry to disagree with you but it did sail from Weymouth and I have this info from a very reliable ferry enthusiast source.. not a railway person. The vessel is not too big for Weymouth; the harbour can accommodate two large Condor ferries, which when placed together are far bigger than the Isla de Botafoc.

 

I am 100% certain she did not sail from Weymouth or Portsmouth for Sealink, She is a short sea ferry - double deck loading (though fitted with an internal ramp I believe), no passenger cabins, no stern or bow ramp (Eastern Channel ports tend to have a ramp which lowers on to the ship) . Until 1990 she rarely strayed from Dover.  A good site to read about her and her sister is http://www.hhvferry.com/doversaints.html

 

The size limit is manouvering in an out of the harbour not the length of the quay, the Condor Express, Vitesse and Rapide are 86m long and 26m wide vs 129m length and 21m wide of the St Anslem. I suggest the maximum practical length for a vessel using Weymouth is in the region of 110m (which is what Earl Harold, Havelet and the unstretched Coutances were).  St  Anslem and her sisters would also have been too big for the harbour at St Helier in use during the Sealink era. Even the new terminal can only take v/l's of 129m

[Pacific231G]

I am 100% certain she did not sail from Weymouth or Portsmouth for Sealink, She is a short sea ferry - double deck loading (though fitted with an internal ramp I believe), no passenger cabins, no stern or bow ramp (Eastern Channel ports tend to have a ramp which lowers on to the ship) . Until 1990 she rarely strayed from Dover.  A good site to read about her and her sister is http://www.hhvferry.com/doversaints.html

 

The size limit is manouvering in an out of the harbour not the length of the quay, the Condor Express, Vitesse and Rapide are 86m long and 26m wide vs 129m length and 21m wide of the St Anslem. I suggest the maximum practical length for a vessel using Weymouth is in the region of 110m (which is what Earl Harold, Havelet and the unstretched Coutances were).  St  Anslem and her sisters would also have been too big for the harbour at St Helier in use during the Sealink era. Even the new terminal can only take v/l's of 129m

There's a very thorough list of her activities both as the St. Anselm and the Stena Cambria on http://www.doverferryphotosforums.co.uk/

This doesn't include Weymouth but she did briefly work on the Newhaven-Dieppe service where the shape of the harbour also placed restrictions on the size of ferries until the ferry terminal moved.

 

I'm pretty sure it was the Caesarea and the Sarnia that I travelled on to Guernsey and back during the mid 1960s

Edited June 6, 2013 by Pacific231G

[lmsforever]

I seem to remember the camp site on Guernsey had everything prepared when we arrived bell tents and straw filled mattresses ,we cooked over a camp fire remember this was the fifties and comforts were not recognised in the boy scouts then.Enjoyed traveling around on the small buses on the island ,most days we did our own thing providing we could convince Skip that it was related to scouting! Coming back I was amazed at the veg being loaded on the ship for England and crates of tomatoes as we didnt see quantaties like that at home,the ship was not very nice I seem to remember smelly and dirty and horrible food.

[Michael Delamar]

this is a cracking shot, not sure if its been posted yet..

 

http://railwayherald.com/imagingcentre/view/241357/IS288660011370901403

[Michael Delamar]

few more nice shots

 

http://railwayherald.com/imagingcentre/view/242532/IS288660011370901403

 

http://railwayherald.com/imagingcentre/view/246062/IS382622011370950936

[avonside1563]

A couple of photos of a tour on the tramway in '93 have just appeared on this facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/273117852729940/?hc_location=stream

[DLT]

Coming back I was amazed at the veg being loaded on the ship for England and crates of tomatoes as we didnt see quantaties like that at home,

I can remember walking along the quayside with my grandmother, on a day when a whole load of tomatoes must have fallen from a crane.  There were tomatoes everywhere, strewn, rolled and spread all along the quay, and in the epicentre an enormous pile which to a small child looked like a tomato mountain.

Dave.