Not keen on the likely destruction of a rather pleasant meadow next to the Railway at Sandy Lane (aka Whiskey Trail) Crossing near Bishops Lydeard. It seem permission has been granted to build a whopping great solar panel "farm" in the field, complete with CCTV-topped eight-foot high black metal fence.

The original planning application seem to suggest WSR's "Chief Executive" (don't think WSR has one?) is happy with the proposals. And I thought the WSR was all about providing the heritage experience?

The heritage ambience offered by the rather photogenic post and wire fence on the west side of the line from Whiskey Trail Crossing to Greenway Wood, will be destroyed when replaced by a 2m high black metal security fence. Yuk! It'll seem like a prison boundary fence. Not what is wanted next to a heritage railway.

Furthermore, although I cannot see a reference in the planning docs, I reckon the superb heritage GWR kissing gate (and the adjacent and larger crossing gate) on the down side of Whiskey Trail Crossing would be swept away and replaced by some modern 2m high gateway.

These historic artefacts provide the perfect and appropriate backdrop to the railway.

Please leave the fence and crossing as it is and build your prison-like fence within your own land.

(top picture is a mock-up of what it could look like; compare with as-is picture underneath it)

More about Watchet crossings

A report in the West Somerset Free Press suggests the owners of the footbridge at Watchet, the local district council, may have agreed to demolish the structure. It was the council who declared it unsafe and closed the bridge in 2009. The report goes on to suggest the council are to be asked to fund the demolition and the provision of a brand new footbridge. Well, that took a bit of time for that requirement to sink in, eh?

If the OK is given it seems the footbridge - dating from the 1880s will be taken down before trains start running again on 19 February but I guess there are later gaps in rail traffic for that work; and to procure from a specialist company in Wolverhampton a new footbridge made of modern materials but to a "heritage" style. Installation would have to wait until November when the trains stop running for a few weeks.

Meanwhile, just to the east, the issue of the gates at Govier's Lane Crossing continues to exercise minds. Late last year, a meeting was held at Watchet between local people and the Railway. Representatives from the Railway Inspectorate (who lay down guidelines and approve railway works such as Govier's Lane Crossing) also attended. Some of the discussions can be seen on Admiralscorner's channel on YouTube. The outcomes are yet to be announced but the gates have been officially chained open (to pedestrians) during the current "no trains" period. What happens from 19 February when trains restart for the 2011 season has yet to be seen.

In the other direction, the Railway have embarked on a major renovation exercise on the Mineral Line Bridge. This skew bridge spans the trackbed of the erstwhile West Somerset Mineral Railway, the trackbed now forming the popular Mineral Line Walk to Washford. As far as I can tell, the Mineral Line Bridge works have not generated local comment. Good.

Going back to the footbridge, it is said the new structure will look much like the existing one, Which is good as the heritage ambience of that part of Watchet will be unaffected. Or will the design require modification to allow wheelchairs, mobility scooters and pushchairs to cross, for the first time at this point, the Railway? There is sure to be an Equality Assessment. And will the Equality Assessment require ramps as well as steps? There seems to be room for ramps but at what detriment to the view on the road approach to the town from the south and to what extra cost to the council taxpayers?

The saga of the Watchet crossings seems likely to continue for some time yet...