Members
9/1/2009 10:40:30 AM
Hi Guys
With reference to enquiries made concerning the identities of members, Andrew 2 who joined on the 27th. of August is Andrew Short, if you expand the membership list his surname is shown, I have sent Andrew "1" a message asking him to identify himself or confirm that we have a double entry, but have had no reply to date.
It would be nice guys, those of you who have not done so to date, to provide a little more info on your profiles, a piccy or two would be good, your surnames and years you attended the Tec.
Many thanks Stu
Comments
- 9/1/2009 11:43:30 PM
Hi Bill and all.
I hope you will forgive me for eavesdropping on your request for info on transport in Somerset.
I'm sure you are well aware of some of the following, but just in case, you can always research the following:-
The Somerset coal canal, from Lmpley Stoke to Camerton, The Camerton branch of the GWR was constructed on parts of the abandoned canal bed. There is still a short arm off the Kennet and Avon at Linpley Stoke, used as moorings I believe, that was originally the start of the coal canal.
The docks at Bridgwater being the terminal of the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal, this is now reopened for pleasure traffic. Dont forget the Bridgwater branch of the S and D which linked into the dock network as did the GWR.
The S and D at one time extended from Hghbridge down to Burnham with an extension on to the pier there, now long gone, to complete the link with South Wales via a steam ship service. The main freight handled was coal and steel, there was also a passenger service.
Incidentally the S and D crossed the GWR at Highbridge on the level, there was a short spur enabling GWR excursion trains to join the S and D metals here enabling them to run direct form Bristol to Burnham on Sea. The branch down to Burnham also used to cross the A38 at a level crossing in the centre of highbridge town.
Some of the drains on the Somerset Levels were navigable and were used in the past for the transportation of aricultural produce, reed, peat etc. by boat.
I have yet to mention buses, There is so much you could write a book, in fact several people have. The County was very rich in bus operators. Of course there was Western National and Bath Services but there were numerous local operators as well. The Yeovil area was particularly interesting with Western and Southern National but Hutchings and Conelius of South Petherton and Safeways of Sparkford were also players.
Hope I've given some food for thought, If not, nothing wasted!
Incidentally the cliff railway in Bristol is the Clifton Rocks Railway. It linked Clifton at the top to Hotwells at the bottom and was rather unique as it was tunneled all the way. During the war floors were installed at different levels throughout and were occupied by Bristol Aircraft,BOAC, BBC, and several Governmet departments.
Got to go now, beddy bies calls!
John.
PS.
Just had a thought.
Don't forget the WC and P, no I'm not being personal!
It's the Weston Clevedon and Portishead Railway.
One of Col Stevens' outfits, worth further research.
And I got up for this? tch........tch........
- 9/2/2009 6:54:51 AM
I think it was it was Colin Maggs' book on Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Light Railway that retells the apocryphal story of a straight laced Victorian lady who approached a member of the station staff and asked which was the platform for Portishead, to which she received the undoubtedly shocking reply "Cross the bridge to the WC and P".
In addition to Colin Maggs' Oakwood Press book there is an excellent collection of photographs in Mitchell and Smith's book "Branch Lines to Clevedon and Portishead" published by Middleton Press. Both excellent buys (although not cheap).
Mike
- 9/2/2009 9:24:06 AM
Morning All
Transport in Somerset, here's one often overlooked for you Bill, "The West Somerset Mineral Railway", which ran from Watchet harbour up onto Exmoor, run on standard gauge rails and included an steep incline which wagons were hauled up and down, the engine house at the top, near Raleigh Cross, is currently undergoing renovation and reconstruction. To the best of my knowledge it never had a permanent physical connection to the GWR, ( now West Somerset Railway ), at Watchet, iron ore being taken directly to the docks. The track bed from Watchet to Williton is currently a cycle path.
For more info try either, http://www.irsociety.co.uk/Archives/26/WSMR.htm or http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/Mineral.html
Stu
PS See also entry in Wikipedia. And don't forget the trolleyway that took Bath Stone from the mines at Hampton Rocks to the canal at Bathampton, the Dry Arch carried the track over the road on the outskirts of the village, and if you follow the footpath from that location up onto Bathampton Down there used to be in a couple of places the cut stone blocks that passed for tracks for hauling the wagons up and down. I don't know anything else about this trolleyway but being a bit more local you may be able to some research closer to home.
If you ever get to include Devon there's a wealth of stuff in this area, not just the Lynton & Lynmouth, narrow gauge lines from the clay works near Torrington, the Bideford, Westward Ho & Appledore Railway, and mineral lines in South Devon as well. not forgetting Brunel's Atmospheric Railway.
- 9/2/2009 9:43:18 AM
Ever thought about the tram system in Bath Bill, from some of my limited research it ran up to the Glasshouse and out to Bathhampton, might even have another look at it myself, did you get the last update on Stuart Place/East Twerton Terrace, hi all as you can see I,m back from Charmouth and sunny Lyme Regis after taking two of the grandsons fossil hunting, off out now to take mum for lunch.
- 9/2/2009 10:09:17 AM
Starters for Bath Trams, try, http://www.swehs.co.uk/swehs-trams/index.html This site covers Weston Super Mare and Taunton as well as other SW counties.
Stu
- 9/2/2009 7:02:38 PM
Got another one for you Bill, you mat already be aware of it though, http://www.trainweb.org/railwest/etc/info/geninfo.html this one gives info on the Clandown branch of the SDJR, little more than a large siding it ran from Radstock to Clandown colliery.
Stu
This takes you to the home page from there go to Companies then the SDJR
- 9/2/2009 7:03:01 PM
Phew...!, thanks a lot for those areas to investigate, some of them have already been included into my article. The rest I will do the research on. See?, it pays to advertise on here. I never knew we had so many people into transport. I shall be venturing out in the camper for a few days tomorrow, so I`ll catch you guys later on next week.
P.S.
I have it on authority from the MET office that my share of the bristish summer is being delivered soon, hence the reason I am off with the wife, and her sister Janice. Oh, did I forget to mention Janices husband Paul is coming as well? .. Just in case anyone thought I was going for "three in a bed".
See you soon ...
- 9/2/2009 7:08:01 PM
If you're relying on the MET office Bill you must be going to France, ha.ha. The weather's been awful here today and not much better predicted for the next few days, Saturday looks promising but personally I think they're lying.
Stu
- 9/2/2009 7:16:07 PM
Just watched the weather on TV Bill and it seems we are on the edge of the remains of a hurricane from the Atlantic, should clear in the next few days though, make sure you load a couple of land anchors or park up next to a telegraph pole, its blowing a gale up at Frome at the moment.- 9/2/2009 7:24:23 PM
Hey Tony, remember when Bill last went away in the camper,? he went to Devon and ended up in Dorset, think I'll stay at home this weekend !!
Stu
PS our local COOP closed down this week, 30% of everything so I'm currently nursing a rather nice bottle of malt.
- 9/2/2009 8:18:55 PM
Hi all.
Hey, Bill enjoy your next few days in the camper and hope the weather is better than predicted.
Hope your transport investigations go well!
Well guys, I'm impressed that you all had such useful info on the transport in Somerset theme.
I guess I'm not the only one interested in our transport history after all.
Like you said Stu it was a shame that the remit excluded so many of the other interesting transport features that existed here in the West Country. Still, maybe next time.
You have to admit though, Bill really got us all going for a bit!
Have to go.
Bi for now.
John.
- 9/3/2009 8:21:38 AM
Hi all,
Bill, I have a book called Reflections on the Portishead Branch by Mike Vincent. Where it came from I can't remember but if it's any good to you, I'll post it to you. It's over 200 pages and is full of maps, photos etc. Let me know with your address at Williams Towers. If you're not interested and anyone else is, well let me know.
Rich.
- 9/3/2009 3:47:14 PM
Hi Stu, next time you have a look Transport in Somerset at wikepedia click on the history tag and see who the co-editor is- 9/3/2009 6:36:48 PM
Hi Tony, no wonder he's sneaked off to parts unknown in his camper is it? Francis E, everywhere, not a mention of those of us selflessly doing his research for him is there. Seriously though he'll be getting himself a name as a historian if he's not careful. Must go got to get on with the travelogue I'm writing on our trips to Asia.
Stu
- 9/3/2009 10:58:01 PM
Hi All.
Asian travellogue is it now Stu?
I won't mention the fact that I worked at Tianjin PRC for about four months in the late eighties, or that I worked in Taiwan for about two months in the nineties and have passed through Hong Kong in transit on numerous occasions. If I do the next you know we shall be starting in depth conversations about Asian travel and boring the pants off everyone else. Suffice to say fell in love with the Star Ferry and the trams on Central, HK Island.
A work mate happened to mention to me today that the yard at Appledore are building sections for the new aircraft carrier, so plenty of work down your way! What with that and the grockles in the summer it must be buzzing.
As long as you can still see the horizon it's OK to carry on with the cheap malt.
By the way, Anth, a lot less exotic I know, but when I was an apprentice, back in the mid sixties I used to work at Frome quite a lot, K. E. Beswick, Alert Works, also Singers near the centre of town and Butler and Tanner to name but a few. There was also a metal pressings company almost next door to Beswicks, the name escapes me now, but I fell over a pair of knickers in their car park once. In those days I was based at Yeovil and covered Westbury, Warminster and Frome in the North, down to Portland in the South, as far West as Axminster and East to Salisbury. Incidentally when in Frome we used to get in to 'Johns' cafe down near the railway station, also used to frequent Joe and Mabel's transport cafe out at Nunney, now a little chef or something like that I beieve.
Do these names mean anything to you or was I dreaming, maybe its just senility, who knows?
All for now.
John.
- 9/1/2009 9:54:06 PM