Station Masters Jottings
View special events below
Indian summers are very good if you have the time to enjoy
them. Thankfully, quite a lot of people did enjoy October’s bright
and dry spell on the railway, which helped hold up the passenger
numbers. On several days the trains were packed on leaving Bishops
Lydeard and on one occasion it was standing room only and some trains
were strengthened to eight coaches. It looks like we will make the 220,000
passengers mark this year. This will beat the railway’s previous best by some
7,000, thanks to the Tornado visit.
You may recall that I mentioned a GBRF diesels naming ceremony at
Minehead earlier in the year. Well, this firm will be taking over running of the
Cardiff Taunton -Taunton Cardiff services using diesel locomotives and
coaches. The railway will be part of this operation, as the train set will be
stabled overnight at Bishops Lydeard station, where the coaching stock will
be serviced ready for the mornings, Monday to Friday. This new venture for
the railway may have other spin offs for the future.
Talking of the future, the Barnstaple leg of the Norton triangle is now
completely finished up to Allerford Bridge, with the exception of the stop
blocks, and very smart it looks too. The aggregate trains will now be able to
push around onto this section to unload. This will mean that the railway will
have more flexibility to run other trains between Taunton and Bishops
Lydeard, whilst these trains are locked in clear of the main running line. The
permanent ‘way gang’ working on this project are all volunteers, which just
shows you what can be done if every one pulls together. Further changes to
track layout on the site are in the offing in the New Year.
The flowerbeds at the station have held up well and even as I write these
notes, one bed in particular shows no sign of giving up its summer beauty.
We are now sorting out some of the flower tubs with winter bedding plants -
even these are sprouting out in colour. We have been informed that we will
be entered into a different category in the Taunton in Bloom Competition next
year. This will involve the younger element of railway volunteers called
Trackers. This will be our first attempt to get them involved in the gardens.
There will be the Santa Express and Santa Special trains running each
weekend in December, including the 23rd and 24th. This will be followed up
after Christmas by the Winter Steam Festival, with trains running up to the 3rd
January - please check for details on 01643 704996
It only remains for me to wish all readers and their families a Happy, Healthy
Christmas and New Year.
Ian Aldridge former Station Master Bishops Lydeard
2009 Special Events
4-5th December Dunster by Candlelight
5-6,12-13,19-20,23-
24th December
Santa Trains
14-15-16th December Carol Trains
29-30th December The Winter Steam Festival