|
| Nick Jones explains...
|
| WSR enthusiasts already know how wonderful the railway is, and most probably know the story of the run-down of the line by BR through the 1960s leading to closure in January 1971. This lead to the formation of a new West Somerset Railway Company, supported by a volunteer-based organisation, the West Somerset Railway Association and a long struggle to take-over the line and gain statutory approval to run it as a "light railway".
During 1975, the elements leading to the purchase of the line by Somerset County Council and its lease to the West Somerset Railway Company, and the necessary Light Railway Order, were, at last, in-place. The long-haul leading to the high-class independent railway we have today could begin. During the period of closure, nature was gradually re-claiming the line and its structures. The undergrowth spread from embankment to track. The sides of cuttings slumped. Trees and scrub began to dominate the trackside and obscure the railway. Masonry crumbled, whilst roof slates cracked and blew off, admitting rain and wind into buildings.
Drains, gullies and culverts became silted-up, leading to flooding. Pointwork and signals seized. The process of restoring the line and its structures began. The early-days volunteers had a Herculean task, and very little by way of resources with which it could be accomplished. Money was short, and people, although very enthusiastic, were few in number.
By early 1976, the West Somerset Railway was readying itself for a public share issue, and the target of re-opening the Minehead to Blue Anchor section by the end of March that year was set. The overall objective was the complete restoration of the line and the provision of a Minehead-Taunton service all-year-round.
The first paid employees were appointed. Increasing numbers of volunteers became involved. The railway enlisted Government money in the form of a "Job Creation Programme", which paid for up to 50 otherwise unemployed people to be engaged for six months on restoration and repair. David Butcher (one-time BR Area Manager at Westbury) had been appointed General Manager. I was fortunate enough to be asked to join the full-time staff as Operating Superintendent at Minehead at the beginning of March 1976. Others had already made the transition from "volunteer" to "paid". Harry Lee, long-time prime-mover behind locomotive rescues from Barry, was Locomotive Superintendent. We were joined, on what was supposed to be a "part-time" basis by Harold Blackmore as Permanent Way Superintendent.
Although we were employed to get the line open and run the trains, we would not have been able to achieve as much as we did without the dedicated support of the Association’s volunteers. On the Signal & Telegraph side, John Jenkins gave freely of his time. Others laid-into the task. The stations had to be made safe and useable, the track and trackside had to be restored to a safe condition. There was no functioning signalling – the ‘boxes at Blue Anchor and Williton and their locking frames were structurally intact, but alterations were required. The automatic level crossing at Sea Lane, Dunster, (and later that year at Watchet) had to be designed, installed, tested and approved.
At Minehead, there were no locomotive facilities, no signalling equipment of any kind, and the seaward end of the run-round loop in the "main" platform had been removed by BR and required replacement. A ground frame had to be obtained and installed to control the lead at the Taunton end of the platform. Until the WSRA purchased no 6412 from the Dart Valley Railway, "Victor" was the only functioning locomotive on the line. The purchase of the pannier tank and also some Mark I coaches from BR Eastern Region was completed very shortly before the re-opening date, and there was a tremendous rush to get these onto the line in time. When the coaches did arrive, there was a race, led by Wilf Sly, a retired Minehead taxi driver, to get them cleaned-up and painted.
With a view to the "all year" diesel service to Taunton, operations staff were recruited, including Jim Elson (Signalman), Don Spencer (Guard), David Rouse (Steam & DMU Driver) and Roy Hartle (DMU Driver) who was later joined by Frank Houlding (Fireman/DMU Driver). John Sumbler who had been working partly as a volunteer and partly as a contractor with his JCB, was recruited to the Permanent Way Department. Administrative support to David Butcher and the rest of the team was provided by Kath Grainger. The decision was taken that, as we’d be running trains over BR metals into Taunton, the BR Rule Book would apply to the railway operation. We started a small "Mutual Improvement" class in railway operating rules, as this was an area that many of the volunteers were unfamiliar with.
The support of the volunteers was terrific. I cannot now recall all those names, but I mention a few as examples. Steve Martin (Guard), Graham Harwood (who led the WSRA volunteer effort on the Permanent Way), John Francis and Chris Osment (S&T), Bill Davies (Signalman), Ross Chamberlain (TTI) and many, many others all gave incredible amounts of time to the project. At the same time, the Association had to be kept-going, and the WSRA officers put in a great effort and raised a lot of money. Somehow, everything "came-together" in time for Major Peter Olver of HM Railways Inspectorate to formally inspect and approve the first section of the line in time for the March 28 re-opening. Although this had been a remarkable achievement, the work was not even remotely finished. The difficulties that lay ahead were unknown on Re-opening Day, and we all celebrated with great enthusiasm as the first passengers were carried "under new ownership"!
The public share issue was launched at the same time, to raise funds to "support a public railway service between Minehead and Taunton".
After the hub-bub of the re-opening, we had a period of five weeks when the railway’s main "target" passengers were the school parties staying at Butlins. Their custom was generated by a team of WSR people, led by Chris van den Arend, visiting the camp on Sunday evenings and giving a presentation to the school teachers. Also on the commercial side, a small shop and buffet, managed by Linda Butcher, was opened in what had been the parcels and luggage offices in the station at Minehead. At Blue Anchor, where most passengers spent ten to fifteen minutes whilst the engine ran-round and shunted stock, the WSRA had a commercial presence, in the form of a shop in the waiting room on the down side. John Wood was Association Sales Officer at this time running the shop at Blue Anchor and a regular volunteer fireman. Barney Forsdike was a volunteer guard.
I remained employed by the WSR for almost four years. I think I was looking for material to give a slide-show sometime during that period, and I was given, a cardboard box containing some slides showing the condition of several of the features of the line during the period of closure. They give an idea of the scale of the task which faced us in the early days. They also show what happens if the upkeep of the railway is neglected. When you look at the condition of the railway now, thirty years after these pictures were taken, you realise how much has been achieved since the restoration of the WSR began. I cannot remember who it was that gave me these slides to show, but I know that they will be of interest to the many supporters of the WSR. It seems that the slides come from two separate reels of Kodak Ektachrome film, processed in October and November 1972. Of course, I’d like publicly to thank the person who gave the slides to me, which has allowed me to share them with people interested in the WSR via this "unofficial" website.
|
|
|
|
