At last! A regular train between Minehead and the main rail network. On Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays from 20 July to 27 August 2007 a train will leave Minehead for Bristol. It calls all stations to Bishops Lydeard, then Taunton and then Bristol arriving at 1.46pm. A quick run up the other end for the driver - perhaps with a comfort break in between, before the train sets off at 2.06pm for West Somerset. It would seem to be a train for folks visiting Butlins - the operating days coincide with change-over days. The service is not too bad for a trip to Taunton for West Somerset folks as it allows a couple of hours in the county town before they need to board the train for the trip back along the Minehead branch. Publicity seems to be slow in coming, with the risk of passengers being slow in coming too. Full details can be found at http://www.wsr.org.uk/md2btm2007.htm I hope I can revisit this posting after the summer and report success!

How can Minehead attract more visitors?

If visiting Minehead was made even more attractive, the WSR should benefit from even more visitors. Fair enough? So what could we realistically hope for in way of improvements and additions? Here are a couple to start us off. First, if the Severn Barrage were to be built from North Hill (instead of from Brean Down) to Wales, this could provide for more watersports, cross-channel traffic, a WSR branch to Wales, a dock at the lock). Or, perhaps an attraction from the opposite environmental viewpoint, would be an increase or residency of the dolphins, recently sighted near Porlock. What else would "do it for Minehead"?

What's in a Name - again!

This is Leigh Bridge. Or is it Leighwood Bridge? Does it matter? Well, maybe it does. The debate over the names of a few of the WSR's many bridges continues as a new set of maps of the line are nearing completion ahead of inclusion on the revised Rule Book. "Route Knowledge" is important to those who operate the Railway. Using a name to describe a location is useful for many purposes. But it becomes critical during incidents. Especially if the emergency services need to be called to a particular location. So the question is, do we maintain the image of a "heritage railway" by using the names as given by the GWR. Or do we use modern names that mean more to those who really need to get there, sometimes in a hurry?