bike2steam Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 Are the ferries ever going to come back to Weymouth as all seems to be running well at thier new location ,and its less distance for people to travel to acess them and a rail connection if they came back probably would not be needed. ?? http://www.heart.co.uk/dorset/news/local/condor-ferries-back-weymouth/ 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsforever Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 Not living in this part of the world and not seeing anything on the news did not know what was happening thanks for the info. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted October 20, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 20, 2013 You only have to travel from dover to realise how little ferries rely on railway traffic We went to calais last year for the day while we were on hols in dymchurch using our priv passes, caught the train from sandling to dover and the connecting bus from priory station, the driver said we were the first paying passengers he'd had all day, the only other people on board the bus were sealink employees! At the ferry terminal we were 4 of only 20 foot passengers going on board, i found it sad to walk through the terminal and see the baggage carousels, check in desks and waiting areas all empty, cordened off and devoid of activity whatsoever Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike2steam Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 Indeed, the old Dover Marine station is now the cruise terminal, it seems strange driving along the filled in space that used to be between the platforms, and dropping off the cases. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 According to Realtimetrains, it seems that today's working was cancelled? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Indeed, the old Dover Marine station is now the cruise terminal, it seems strange driving along the filled in space that used to be between the platforms, and dropping off the cases. Even in the early 1980s, I remember being the only foot passenger on an evening boat from Dover Marine; I think it may have been one of the train-ferries that I crossed on. I remember going to the dining room, and being served at table. Most of the former rail/foot passengers now travel by coach from London, with a lot of these passing via the tunnel. There is still one rail track left at Dover Marine; when the contractors were converting the building, the road at the western side was carefully protected with thick polythene sheet, and then backfilled. Sadly, there's no other track in place to link to it. VSOE did inquire about reinstating the link (the erstwhile MD used to commute on the same train as my wife, which is how I heard) but were put off by the price they were quoted. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted October 21, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 21, 2013 i was in weymouth this morning and i saw was a GBRf............... ........driver walking down the road as we were driving to the weymouth tower, spookily enough it was one of my former work collegues from fastline! only a couple of pics on the phone, the rest are on my decent camera almost like being in work!! we drove down the tramway past all the iconic photo locations, under the bridge and back round over the top to the other side of the harbour before heading back to the observation tower which is on the site of the ferry terminal and the old station from the weymouth tower 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium DLT Posted October 21, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 21, 2013 Brilliant Jim, I spent a lot of time in Weymouth as a child, and still go back occasionally . Intended to go and have a ride on the Tower asap! Cheers, Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Realtimetrains indicates that, today, the workings have been cancelled too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Oxlade Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Brilliant Jim, I spent a lot of time in Weymouth as a child, and still go back occasionally . Intended to go and have a ride on the Tower asap! Cheers, Dave. Uh, how long has there been an observation tower there? I don't remember that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 The "Disused Railways" Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/128305767323978/?fref=ts) has an interesting post from Steve Hooper at about 5.30pm today showing some images of the Quay line from the main line to the road having had lots of undergrowth removed very recently. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted October 22, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 22, 2013 Uh, how long has there been an observation tower there? I don't remember that. June 2012 according to wikipedia http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weymouth_Sea_Life_Tower Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanks522 Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 The "Disused Railways" Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/128305767323978/?fref=ts) has an interesting post from Steve Hooper at about 5.30pm today showing some images of the Quay line from the main line to the road having had lots of undergrowth removed very recently. Interesting pictures, I was in Weymouth back in August and that whole area was 4ft deep in weeds! Graham. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derekl Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Big Jim's top photo demonstrates the safety issues that cause concern with these tracks, mentioned way above. Even the fat tires on the Audi convertible would neatly be caught so that the tire straddles the two rail surfaces on one line - probably not both as the track on the car is not "standard gauge" - and these are wide tires. One side on the track, the other on tar, and a brake application has caused one or two (not many) accidents as the driver loses control. This is less likely in a car like the Audi (and most recent cars) which have the clever technical gubbins to detect the different friction levels available to the wheels and do things to retain stability and control. Note the not very visible warning sign on the right "Deep rail tracks", presumably aimed at cyclists and, perhaps, motor cyclists or any drivers of 1904 Renaults (or similar). The sign seems to post date the latter, though. There have been one or two car accidents (again, not many) on the Sheffield tram system on street running areas, where the tires on one side of the car are on the steel rails, the other on tar, resulting in loss of control on brake application. It does seem to me that you have to be not exactly hanging about to get a loss of control in these circumstances. A bit of driver education on the issues would probably not be amiss, but it is not a situation many will come across often, which is probably a good reason to be a bit careful when it arises. All of which does not prevent me saying that it would be good to see the quay tram line in use, although I am in a bit of difficulty in seeing what use. Its main usefulness was the import of fruit and potatoes from the Channel Islands, and that traffic has gone elsewhere. The passenger boat trains were a bit of an adjunct, rather than the prime purpose. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium DLT Posted October 22, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 22, 2013 Uh, how long has there been an observation tower there? I don't remember that. It was built in time for the Olympics last year. Cheers, Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1059 Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 Big Jim's top photo demonstrates the safety issues that cause concern with these tracks, mentioned way above. Even the fat tires on the Audi convertible would neatly be caught so that the tire straddles the two rail surfaces on one line - probably not both as the track on the car is not "standard gauge" - and these are wide tires. One side on the track, the other on tar, and a brake application has caused one or two (not many) accidents as the driver loses control. This is less likely in a car like the Audi (and most recent cars) which have the clever technical gubbins to detect the different friction levels available to the wheels and do things to retain stability and control. Note the not very visible warning sign on the right "Deep rail tracks", presumably aimed at cyclists and, perhaps, motor cyclists or any drivers of 1904 Renaults (or similar). The sign seems to post date the latter, though. There have been one or two car accidents (again, not many) on the Sheffield tram system on street running areas, where the tires on one side of the car are on the steel rails, the other on tar, resulting in loss of control on brake application. It does seem to me that you have to be not exactly hanging about to get a loss of control in these circumstances. A bit of driver education on the issues would probably not be amiss, but it is not a situation many will come across often, which is probably a good reason to be a bit careful when it arises. All of which does not prevent me saying that it would be good to see the quay tram line in use, although I am in a bit of difficulty in seeing what use. Its main usefulness was the import of fruit and potatoes from the Channel Islands, and that traffic has gone elsewhere. The passenger boat trains were a bit of an adjunct, rather than the prime purpose. Similar issues at Porthmadog and the WHR road crossing - despite warning signs ordering cyclists to dismount, inevitably they are ignored and several idiots have fallen off - the result, locals up in arms and demands to have the rails removed. I think they were even filled in for a while before regular services commenced. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 June 2012 according to wikipedia http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weymouth_Sea_Life_Tower A blot on the landscape. Weymouth used to be a better place to visit (my memories from late 50's when the beach was the major attraction) I had relatives in Weymouth and Portland and they were an easy cycle ride from Dorchester (catch the train back to avoid the climb up Upway). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike2steam Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 Someone has just posted on Facebook that it's running Monday to Thursday. https://www.facebook.com/groups/583363171677532 It's part of engineering work to be done in Weymouth station, the works train is to be parked on the quay siding by B&Q. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted October 24, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 24, 2013 (edited) A blot on the landscape. personally i dont think so, hardly a huge concrete white elephant like rhyl's depressing "childrens village" or the "sky tower" that has stood dormant since the mid 2000s although it does seem strange that the weymouth tower is basically sited in the corner of the condor ferries carpark! i've only been to weymouth a couple of times, both this year, but as seaside towns go it doesn't seem too bad, no doubt helped by the sailing events during 2012, ok ive not seen the real "seedy underside" that obviously exists but the whole "kiss me quick" side of the town is clean, tidy, well maintained and on the whole a pleasant place to visit, certainly didnt see any boarded up, fire damaged, vandalised buildings or units on the seafront compare that to the north wales coast where i used to work in holiday camps and bars as a dj (rhyl, towyn etc) and even back in the late 1990s/early 2000s they were dieing on their feet, and if truth be told not a particularly plesant place to spend a friday or saturday night working, at the time i had no children but there was very little for families to do in the day, the childrens village just never really took off, sky tower shut, sun centre pretty run down, aquarium not too bad but a tad expensive and ocean beach on the brink of closure, oh and rhyl miniture railway at the time under threat too, also add to that lot the "ripping the heart and soul out of frith beach" in prestatyn and turning it into a concrete monstrosity! fast forward to today, childrens village plods on with a "fun" fair only bolstered by the complete closure and flattening of ocean beach but with many closed retail units and restraunts, sky tower may become a "piece of public art!", sun centre i'll be honest dont know whats happening to it, aquarium still going but on the plus side rhyl miniture railway has had a new station, shed etc thanks to lottery funding, if anything i think rhyl and prestatyn's fortunes have moved over the foryd bridge into towyn where during the season there is a good funfair at tir prince raceway, a few eateries etc and all very close together, ie walking distance which in this day and age is a huge bonus, we are all getting lazier and when budgets are becoming tighter getting a taxi or indeed bus from say pontins in prestatyn to rhyl town centre can add quite a bit to a families holiday spends, towyn has numerous cheap static van sites all within walking distance of the attractions which is what families on budgets want Its a real shame to see "my resorts" headed that way, especially so as im north wales born and bred (only moved from there in 2005!), my grandparents lived in prestatyn and barmouth respectivly, it makes me sad to drive through rhyl or visit my aunt in prestatyn remembering them as they were, ok it was only the 1980s and older members will probably scoff at me when they look back and remember the same places in their real heydays of the 1950s and 60s but i do find it sad to see once great proud centres of entertainment and fun on their knees going back to weymouth, the tower is operated by merlin entertainments who also run the sealife centre at the other end of the town (lodemore park?), they also have attractions such as alton towers, legoland, warwick castle but also other seaside attractions such as blackpool tower (including all the attractions within, ballroom, circus, indoor play area) as well as madame tussauds in blackpool and the sealife centre there too, we have merlin annual passes which get us entry into all their attractions for a whole year, now they werent cheap but thanks to them we have visited places that we would not have done so without them, weymouth being one of them, i have no affinity with the town, no family ties, not even visited til february this year but the passes were the reason we visited the town for the first time in february and i'm glad we did because it prompted a return visit this week to sample the excellent sealife centre and this time round the tower coz i'll be honest without them i wouldn't be interested in going up the tower (as its quite expensive!) but im glad i did, in fact being as the weather changed today and it was really sunny i was tempted to revisit again! and merlin didnt get all my money, we paid to park, had food, ice creams etc outside of the attractions so the local economy benefitted too sorry to go a bit off topic! Edited October 24, 2013 by big jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium DLT Posted October 24, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 24, 2013 sorry to go a bit off topic Not at all Jim, thats a very interesting/enlightening first-hand account of the rundown of the seaside town. Thanks, Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike2steam Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 And this is what it's like at the moment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neal Ball Posted February 14, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 14, 2014 This Quay line should be saved for posterity and operated from time to time Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bert Cheese Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 This thread certainly brings back some memories....I haven't been back to Weymouth by train since 1987! Being lucky enough to have a priv card the miles didn't matter, and I'd happily set off from Eastleigh to Weymouth and get some chips on the seafront before getting a "front row seat" behind the driver of a WR DMU up to Westbury/Warminster and come home via Salisbury......all sorts of long gone traction involved. For some reason I can distinctly remember my last trip as 33107 unusually struggled into Weymouth with loss of power, a quick look found an engine room thick with diesel vapour due to a cracked union on the fuel rack, IIRC another pusher was sent down light from Bomo to rescue us before the next train arrived proper...although there were some delays incurred. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulmjstone Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 In the news.... http://www.southdevonrailwayassociation.org/News-and-Press-Releases/1369bell.html 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bailey Gate Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 Things may be stirring, http://www.viewfrompublishing.co.uk/news_view/33026/11/1/weymouth-steam-train-attraction-could-boost would be great to see. Geoff 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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