Surely no-one living or moving about within a few miles of the route of the West Somerset Railway can have failed to notice an increase in visitors over the two recent weekends. Was this a coincidence or not that the Railway staged its Spring Steam Gala over the same period? Certainly there were not many vacancies in the B&B establishments - perhaps those that were not full need to look again at their facilities, prices and attitude? People just will not return if they are treated poorly. Happily the Railway does see lots of returning visitors with many commenting on internet chat sites about the incredibly welcoming, friendly and efficient manner of the WSR staff. Returning to my opening remark, it is good to see the Railway prosper and equally good to see the spin-off improving the lot of local businesses.

The great and good of West Somerset gathered at Minehead Station recently to celebrate the WSR again being voted "Independent Railway of the Year" as it was back in 2005. It was "Heritage Railway of the Year" in 2005. Official and public recognition of what many of us have known for years - the WSR is doing a really good job. The appearance of the great and good also shows how valuable is the contribution made by the Railway to the local economy. Some might say such notables only turn up to get their picture in the papers. Maybe so, but the reason they turned up is because of the Railway and the people who run the Railway day in day out and all the volunteers and supporters who have worked tirelessly for years and years.

Watersmeet or Water Meets

The Ordnance Survey has it as "Water Meets" whereas the Great Western Railway named the nearby railway bridge "Watersmeet Bridge". I'd expect to find at least two notable watercourses at the location . Hmmm. Whilst the obvious feature, "Back Stream", is sizeable the other is little more than an insignificant drain coming down the short valley from Pixford. Anyway, I'm surprised the area isn't called "Waters Split". Before the railway was built, the leat for a mill at Bishops Lydeard cut off from Back Stream around this area. and wound along the western valley sides - the course can still be seen and culverts under the railway still exist. Later, a new leat was constructed downstream which still provides water for the present mill. The other "split" still in use, provides for the ornamental ponds at Watts House, whilst most water continues in a realigned watercourse along the roadside wall. Back to the name, the question is whether the bridge should be renamed "Water Meets Bridge".

Not the Station Gardens Week 2007

Is this event going to happen or not? After at least three years of lobbying for a low-key event I was delighted when the Railway agreed in mid 2006 to add a Station Gardens event to the 2007 calendar. I understand a full consultation with each station master was undertaken and a leaflet designed. The event was also to be added to the main timetable leaflet. So why the negative title to this posting? Well, for one thing, the event was not added to the timetable leaflet "due to lack of space" (not enough room for one line?); the event leaflet does not seem to have progressed beyond someone's hard disk; and persistent questioning of the department that "took over" the planning of the event has drawn either a "tomorrow" response or no response at all. This is all very very frustrating. I am convinced that a low-cost promotion, which encourages gardening enthusiasts to visit our already open stations with no other costs whatsoever, would bring a new set of visitors to our line and perhaps increase the passenger figures. It may also bring new blood to our volunteer force. Who knows? Meantime, nothing seems to be happening. The image above is something I knocked up last year. So do I go it alone? It is very very tempting.

What's in a name

Recent Rule Book update work by certain WSR folks has raised questions, again, about the names of several bridges on the line. And I've been pleased to provide my thoughts.

For example, the bridge to the south of Leigh Loop - the overbridge with a very narrow arch for trains - is commonly known as "Leigh Bridge" and yet the GWR Survey of 1912 has it as "Leighwood Bridge".

That same survey has the rail-over-road bridge between Doniford and Williton as "Water Lane Bridge". This name is sometimes confused with another bridge "Water Bridge" which is at the north end of Leigh Loop, next to Water Farm. A lot of WSR people refer to the one near Doniford as "Liddymore Bridge", after the nearby locality. All a bit confusing. It could be assumed that "Water Lane Bridge" carries the railway over "Water Lane", but no map has been found to confirm the name of the road.

Another act of confusion has been my own doing. Over the years I have taken many a photograph from the un-named bridge to the west of Washford Station. This bridge gives access, over the deep railway cutting, from the main A39 to the fields to the north. I've long considered this elegant bridge to deserve a name and so "Halscombe Bridge" (after the nearby house) appears on photo captions and also on several maps I have produced.

I guess the updated Rule Book will show for each of these bridges one name and one name only.

Is it me?

Do West Somerset Railway volunteers do it for themselves or for the good of the Railway? A mild-mannered discussion has gently raged on the WSR Yahoo Group about this question. Some postings explaining the detail of the training programme for Guards. Quite a long process with a bit of testing along the way and a formal examination at the end. Seems fair enough to me.

I have to admit my own training as a Guard was a bit more laid back, but is was over 25 years ago when the approach to training was somewhat different as indeed was the world we lived in. Nevertheless I learned the trade the hard way. Modern trainees learn about shunting in a classroom and then some hands on work. For me, I was just thrown in at the deep end. Shunting during the day, after dark, with just me and a driver (and maybe a fireman) and no other staff for miles.

Nowadays, folks get proper tuitition and quite right too!

Back to the original question. Yes I think volunteers do it for themselves but I also think they do it for the Railway. My mother (78 this year!) volunteers at the local charity shop in the Dorset village in which she lives. She enjoys the social side on the one hand, and feels her time is well spent in support of a worthy cause. And why not.

I suggest WSR volunteers are much the same. It's a chance to do something worthwhile for themselves - it hones old and new skills, it provides an social side, it keeps them feeling part of a community, they meet new people; and they also know that their efforts, big or small, further the cause of the Railway. I also think this applies to armchair supporters, those who cannot get to the Railway to physically help out, who talk about the Railway, publicise the Railway, provide funds and so on.

A mild debate is fine but at the end of it one thing is evident. We each get a buzz from being part of this fine Railway...

How many passengers?

The WSR have reported "...at the end of the year we had reached 200,477 passengers as the total number carried compared with 203, 297 in the record year of 2006." At the same time, I am hearing of some very good news from Dorset with the Swanage Railway carrying 200,100 passengers last year. Well done, Swanage. I have a place in my heart for the Dorset railway - my railway volunteering efforts began with the Swanage Railway back in 1975 at a time when there was a Society and a Campaign but nothing else. But the two strands of news about passenger figures raises, yet again, the risk of comparing one with another, since there is no standard method of calculating passenger loadings. For example, is a visitor with a return ticket making a trip out and a trip back one passenger or two? I'm not suggesting the Swanage is making a big deal of their breaking the 200,000 mark, but other railways make a lot of their own figures in marketing and publicity perhaps to the disadvantage of others who may, in fact, be carrying more. It really is about time a body such as the Heritage Railways Association took this particular bull by the horns and laid out a consistent process.