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OPERATION SPRUCE-UP
WORKING PARTY DAY THURSDAY NOVEMBER 10th 2011
Fancy a day in the fresh air? Then join us for our
annual end of season day when we tidy up the station to prepare for
the visit of the man in the red suit in December.
We will provide the tools for clearing leaves,
pruning, planting, and if the weather is kind painting. Just come in
your old clothes from 9.45 a.m. Waterproofs and gloves would not go
amiss either.
Hot homemade soup is also on offer, as well as
tea, coffee etc- all FREE!
All FoCHS welcome [ indeed if you are not
yet a member]- bring a friend!
photo © Sue Stanger
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OUR LATEST ACQUISITION
No not our Catering & Retailing Manager, Sue
Stanger, but our new delivery bike. Malc Stacey saw the machine in a
Bridgwater shop, and after some haggling an acceptable price was
paid. Malc has replaced the chain and rear sprocket, but it still
has one brake only.
It does still require a paint job, and it is hoped
that in between the frames will have an advertising panel, perhaps
with the name of a long past Crowcombe Village butcher, baker or
candlestick maker.
The basket on the front would be adequate for the
station signalmen's sandwiches etc. Other possible uses would be to
sell teas & coffees along the platform to passengers. Sadly Health &
Safety would not permit such activities, so we will have to padlock
the machine.
photo © Tim Stanger
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RECORD TEMPERATURES - RECORD GALA!
Four days of unbroken sunshine, ensured like much
of the railway, our station had a record Autumn Steam Gala.
It was wonderful to see some many visitors
enjoying the atmosphere of the station, even if at times it did
resemble Cannon Street Station in the rush hour, as passengers
transferred from one train with another!
Our plan to run down our cold drink stocks, went
out the window as we had to order fresh supplied- thank you Jacquie
Green, and your team in keeping us stocked up. Also the standing
instructions to always have a coal fire in the Waiting Room, was
another plan that went awry!
As usual our cakes and bread pudding [of course]
sold at a record rate, as did the pasties, sausage rolls and bacon
baps. Our thanks go to Sue Stanger and all the volunteers who
staffed the [very hot]kitchen, and to Jo Fox & Beryl Ayres who
augmented our cakes with their homemade ones.
Our thanks go to all the station volunteers who
often worked very long hours to staff the booking office and the
station platforms. We hope to see old friends and new ones in the
autumn and also over the Christmas period when that large gentleman
in a a red suit will be making his usual visit. The Winter Gala
also, will, we promise, have a real coal fire!
photos opposite © Tim
Stanger.
The heritage goods arrives
from Bishops Lydeard on Thursday September 29th and below "Seeing
Double" as prairies 4160 & 5553 get away from the station on
Saturday 1st October.
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ALAN BAILEY
We were very sorry to learn of the passing away of
Alan on Thursday 22nd September 2011. He had become, in a very short
time, a very valuable member of the "Thursday Gang". Previously he
had spent a number of years in RAMS and he brought with him the
experience he had gained in that department, for which we were very
grateful.
The photograph opposite was taken by Malc Stacey
during the summer, as Alan surveys his handiwork having painted the
running in board at the Station.
UPDATE.
Alan's funeral took place today 3rd October
at Taunton Crematorium. There was a large congregation, and the
Railway was well represented mainly from Bishops Lydeard and our own
station.
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CROWCOMBE HEATHFIELD TOP STATION AGAIN !
Despite stiff competition from all the stations on
The West Somerset Railway, we were voted "Best kept Station 2011" By
the judges, who visited us, and all the stations, at least four
times during the season..
This is really a team effort building on our
winning "Most improved Station" in 2010. Everyone has played their
part The gardeners
with the terrific hanging baskets and flower beds [ despite the best
endeavours of the rapidly expanding local rabbit population, and
"busy Lizzie" virus which has swept the UK] ;
those who have mowed the lawns and mulched the banks;
those who have wielded the paint brushes
especially in the depth
of winter; RAMS who
have supplied us with replacement poster boards, repaired the "Flax
Bourton" hut and built the cupboard for our refurbished Victorian
Loo; those who have kept everything
clean and tidy in both Waiting Rooms and the Booking Office.
We look forward to hosting the 2012 presentations,
especially as it is the 150th Anniversary year of the Station
opening . However we know the competition will be as great if not
greater than before.
We know there are areas where we can still
improve, especially with regard to the ambience and authenticity of
a GWR branch line country station set in the late 1930's.
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D.P.M. & Beryl Ayres accepting the shield from WSR General Manager
Paul Conibeare , together with a certificate and a cheque for £100
from WSR Association.
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AUTUMN STEAM GALA September 29, 30 & October 1,2
Take a "Castle", a "Manor", a "Spam Can" , add a
couple of "Prairies" , a N2, then mix in, bacon wraps, soup &
rolls, cakes, bread pudding, hot drinks, a real coal fire, great
photographic locations, and you have the recipe for a great four
days at Crowcombe Heathfield Station.
We hope to see you there!
photo © Malc Stacey .
Gresley's GN Railway N2 1744 gets away from
Crowcombe on 22nd September. We welcome this visitor from "up-north"
to the Autumn Gala.
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SOME OF THE "THURSDAY GANG" AT WORK JULY 2011
Not all the maintenance work is carried out on Thursdays [and
anyway this is only part of the work that goes on at the station],
but we hope these pictures taken by Malc Stacey , himself a regular
Thursday volunteer, give some idea of the work undertaken.
If you have a spare Thursday, or Monday , Tuesday etc.then we
would be delighted to see you!
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WEDDING DAY 9TH JULY 2011
Newly weds Mr & Mrs N. Clark chose Crowcombe Heathfield Station
for some of their images for their big day. Whilst the official
photographer took the shots for their album our own snapper Trevor
Holland took these informal shots for our website.
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Photo Tim Stanger, taken at Nethercott, approaching
Crowcombe Heathfield |
"TORNADO" IS HERE!
This newly built A1 locomotive is
returning to the West Somerset Railway later this month.
It's new livery is Brunswick Green [not the apple green seen
here at Nethercott]. It will work services on
June 28,29,30, and will of course pass through Crowcombe
Heathfield. Most days it will work the 11.10 service from
Bishop's Lydeard and as it is an express it will "thunder"
through our station around 11.20.
This is a great opportunity to take photographs at the
station, and then sample our light refreshments
[including bread pudding]. It will also work
the 16.10 service from Bishops Lydeard and this time is
scheduled to stop at Crowcombe.
Take the train from Crowcombe
and avoid the busy parking at Bishops Lydeard. You can buy
your train ticket from our Booking Office, relax, have a tea
or coffee and some cake and maybe some bread pudding..
It will of course also work the return
services from Minehead, but we suspect it will be running
tender first on these trains. [ Unless it is turned on the
Minehead turntable!]
We believe the above information is
correct, but can be subject to change.
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12th May 2011
Class 33 passing through Crowcombe. Top left - propelling
the tender of "Port Line" towards Bishops Lydeard. The
tender had been in service for "Braunton" but anew one
has now been manufactured at Williton.
Lower picture shows the same diesel woth a P-Way train on
its return trip towards Minehead.
Photos: Malcolm Stacey [click on images for larger
picture ]
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3rd May 2011 ROYAL TRAIN AT CROWCOMBE
With The Duke of Gloucester on the footplate, Sir Lamiel,
part of the National Collection, brings the Royal Train into
Crowcombe.
Having been introduced to David Phillips-Mepham and Beryl
Ayres of Friends of Crowcombe , he had a brief guided tour
of the track display, with Paul Conibeare, before boarding
the train for lunch . At Minehead he was due to open the new
hospital, having unveiled a plaque to mark the 35th
Anniversary of the re-opening of the Minehead Branch, by the
West Somerset Railway.
Photos: Tim & Sue Stanger
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SUNDAY APRIL 17TH 2011
US ARMY PAYS US A CALL
The car park was filled with unusual vehicles took up
most of the limited parking at Crowcombe. 12 visitors [
actually English] dressed in American Army uniforms called
in for a cup of tea and cake. Apparently they were touring
local sites where the US Military had been located.
photo © Beryl Ayres.
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16TH APRIL 2011
Under gardener George Evans in caught on camera by Alan
Tupman, going about his gardening duties, complete with
bowler hat. George is in his 70's and the bowler hat was
owned by his grandfather!
Surely a candidate for "Best dressed gardener on the WSR"
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9th APRIL 2011
The stations gardens are really looking wonderful at the
moment. The recent warm weather and the attentions of the
gardening team have ensured a riot of colour to enjoy.
Photos Tim Stanger
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8th APRIL 2011 CROWCOMBE HOSTS A WSRA
PHOTOSHOOT
Organised by Geoff Cross , a WSRA Trustee
& Director, and photographed by Jacquie Green, Catering
Manager on WSR, Crowcombe played host to a photo-shoot for
recruiting volunteers. The leaflet that will be printed
shortly is designed to encourage new volunteers, and the
images will depict how many varied people are required to
run a train.
Glorious sunshine, meant that the
photography was challenging, but we are sure that the end
result will be a leaflet that is a valuable tool in
recruiting more into the team, whatever there age, sex or
skills.
The photo opposite was taken by Jacquie
Green on Malcolm Stacey's camera, and is not an image from
the brochure.
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photo courtesy of David Smith |
SPRING STEAM GALA 2011- New records set.
The glorious weather over the whole 6 days of the gala, the
generosity of our visitors, regular and new, and hard work
by all our station staff ensured we had a record gala.
No less than 47 bread puddings were baked by D.P.M. our
chairman [that is 470 portions consumed in 6 days! - we know
who you are! ]. By Sunday night, March 27th we had run out
of all our cakes, pasties, etc. except for half a dozen
bacon wraps.
A special thanks goes to Margaret Bartin and all her
catering team, not all of them women, for a really
spectacular result. The trouble is we will have to try to
better it next year!.
All this is very good news for station funds and for our
projects which are in the pipeline.
Ticket sales were also very good although, as this was the
first time at a SSG we had done this, we have no figures to
go on. Hopefully Hein Burger will be happy!.
We would also like to thank every visitor who came to see
us, and for their generosity- please don't give up the
habit.
Lastly if you have any pictures in and around the station,
which you are happy to see in our galleries on this site,
please email them to
info@fochs.org.uk
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31st March 2011 STATION LIGHTING.
Today, The yard style lamp that was at the Taunton end of
the up platform was replaced with a standard 8' GWR style
lamppost that matched all the other station lighting. The
lamp standard is a new casting by Steelway and we are very
grateful indeed that this has been donated by them to
the station.
W are very grateful to all the volunteers that took part,
and also for the help and guidance given to us by Ian
Aldridge who is fast becoming the railway's "Lamppost guru"
The replaced post is not lost to the WSR as it will be
used by the locomotive department in Minehead. This is very
appropriate as the post had been donated by Harry Lee's
widow, as Harry was very involved with the loco department
for many years.
photos. © Malcolm Stacey
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STORAGE SPACE NEEDED
Due to the unprecedented demand for Bread Pudding at
Crowcombe, the decision has been made for the lamp hut to be
converted into a store for the pudding. [ See the photograph
opposite of the temporary notice on the hut door]
Whilst not ideal, the FoCHS feel they have no real
alternative, if demand is to be met.
This has left both the Maintenance and Gardening
Departments with a real storage problem for their materials
and tools.
We urgently require a garden shed [8' x 6' would be
ideal]. If anyone has a shed they would wish to donate to
the station, would they kindly email the station on
info@fochs.org.uk as
soon as they can, with brief details.
!st April 2011
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photo Malc Stacey. |
SPRING GALA 1st. WEEKEND 19th & 20th MARCH
Wonderful spring weather, brought out the crowds for the
start of this year's gala. Just for a change the open coal
fire was not surrounded by visitors drying themselves out
and getting the circulation going . The station achieved a
record in catering receipts for a first weekend. No less
than 12 trays of Bread Pudding were consumed!
It was good to see familiar faces and many new ones.
This was also our first SSG selling train tickets which
did very well although obviously we do not have any figures
for comparison.
We would welcome any images taken at Crowcombe over the
gala for our ever expanding galleries.
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SPRING STEAM GALA
MARCH 19th, 20th & 24th - 27th
The Gala promises to be a great event this year, and
Crowcombe Heathfield station will be open every day of the
gala. You can be assured of a warm welcome, which includes a
real coal fire [Providing we can persuade our very friendly
loco crews to part with a lump or three.]
On offer will be Bacon wraps, sausage rolls, pasties and
soup, in addition to cakes and of course bread pudding. The
kettle is always on for tea and coffee, as well as soft
drinks for sale.
The hourly service, which enable trains to pass at the
station means there is often great photo opportunities, as
well as taking advantage of the station facilities.
We hope to see you there!
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March 11th 2011
Friends of Kidderminster Town Station
We have been exchanging Newsletters with this Severn Valley
Railway Station, and a printed copy of theirs [number 50 no less] is
available to read at Crowcombe. Whilst their station is much busier
and larger than ours, they have the same challenges as us. They too
are installing some Victorian Lantern Tops to their lamp-posts ,
based on gas lamps rather than oil lamps.
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18th February 2011 READY FOR NEW SEASON
After the final and productive Thursday workday before
the start of the 2011 running season, the station is looking
smart, as the waiting room shown here demonstrates with the
replacement carpet and redecorated walls.
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4th February 2011. PHOTOGRAPHS FROM BR DAYS.
Walter Harris, retired joint station master, has kindly
let us copy from his collection 3 images of the station
taken in BR days.
Top. Station in 1950 showing a scene not very different
from today. Note the building behind the station.
Middle. 11th June 1968. A wonderful view of the station
looking towards Minehead, with prairie 5503 entering with an
up train. This clearly shows the Goods Office on the up
platform, and one day we may see this rebuilt.
Bottom. 27th December 1962. A snow covered station,
reminiscent of December 2010. A DMU is seen in the distance.
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WORK IN PROGRESS Tuesday 25th January 2011
Work continues on the platform benches, fire buckets and
the station toilet. The Waiting Room is now redecorated and
will cease to be a workshop in the very near future.
Dates of the remaining work parties are as below. There
will be some work available indoors but we hope we can
complete some outside jobs, if only the weather would go up
a few degrees!
photos. Trevor Holland
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WORK IN PROGRESS Thursday January 20th 2011
On a glorious sunny day good progress made today, despite
tea breaks, on painting benches, re-furbishing the toilet,
and the construction of new fencework which will replace the
fence on the down side, where photographers like to
congregate to photograph the up trains.
Photos. David Bartin & Malc Stacey |
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photo Tim Stanger 14.1.11 |
WORK IN PROGRESS January 14th 2011
The Waiting Room in the Station building has been largely
redecorated and the floor stripped. The space is now being
used as a workshop for the repainting of benches, fire
buckets etc. The toilet is also being refurbished, but it is
in too awful a state to photograph!.
Working parties are as below.
Hopefully order will be restored, and normal service
resumed for the February half-term.
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