Talk:Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway/Archive 2

Timetables
After considerable agonising, I can't think of a way to make the timetable less intrusive, and I now agree with David Bailey's suggestion. I have removed it and provided a text summary. I might enhance it a bit -- it seems to have gone to the other extreme. Afterbrunel 20:31, 30 July 2007 (UTC)

Diagram and mileages
I've just noticed on the BS3 rail diagram template, you can add timings or kilometre distances to the left of station names. David Bailey 19:51, 19 July 2007 (UTC)


 * I have just finished extending the diagram to use the full BS4 template, so that we can add distances in kilometres and timings. I don't have the data, so could you (Afterbrunel) supply this?  David Bailey 21:41, 23 July 2007 (UTC)


 * What kind of timings do you have in mind? I definitely think we should find a way of merging the table and the alongside text description of stations etc. Each one is excellent, but together they are overkill. Afterbrunel 07:12, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * With regards to timings, the time taken to get between each station cumulatively from Bath Green Park. David Bailey 10:01, 24 July 2007 (UTC)

OK. Here come the mileages. I regret memory had deceived me and these are not milepost mileages (as marked on the ground) but they are official mileages from the 1961 working timetables.

But, er, time taken between each station??? For a typical all-stations train, or what?

Anyway here are the mileages -- miles and chains (80 chains = 1 mile, but then you knew that :-) )

Bath Green Park:0.00 Bath Jn:0.41 Midford:4.29 Wellow:6.61 Shoscombe & Single Hill Halt:8.46 Radstock North:10.52 Midsomer Norton South:12.42 Chilcompton:14.39 Binegar:17.05 Masbury Halt:18.51 Shepton Mallet, Charlton Road:21.68 Evercreech New:24.72 Evercreech Jn North Box:26.10 Evercreech Jn:26.34 Cole:29.16 Wincanton:33.36 Templecombe Jn:36.54 Templecombe Upper:37.05 Templecombe Jn:0.00 Templecombe Lower:0.23 Henstridge:2.14 Stalbridge:3.53 Sturminster Newton:7.51 Shillingstone:10.54 Blandford Forum:16.11 Bailey Gate:22.20 Corfe Mullen S Box:24.02 Broadstone:27.02 Creekmoor Halt:28.25 Poole:30.36 Parkstone:32.22 Branksome:33.47 Bournemouth West:34.64 Highbridge for B-on-Sea:0.00 Bason Bridge:1.51 Edington Burtle:5.10 Shapwick:7.24 Ashcott:9.17 Glastonbury & Street:11.73 West Pennard:17.16 Pylle Halt:20.47 Evercreech Jn North Box:22.25 Evercreech Jn:22.49

Afterbrunel 19:40, 25 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Thanks. I have started work converting the distances.  Didn't know about chains... I'm 31 and only learnt the metric system at school :-)  David Bailey 23:06, 30 July 2007 (UTC)


 * OK, distances are in for the stations you gave me. There are a few holes to fill, but I'm sure someone can work those out later.  Now on to the timings.  Is there a sample timetable online somewhere that I can use to work them out?  David Bailey 20:20, 9 August 2007 (UTC)


 * I don't think so. But is it timigs by stopping train you want, or passing times by fast train? I'm not sure I see the purpose of this, but happy to co-operate if it's helpful. Afterbrunel 18:14, 11 August 2007 (UTC)


 * The purpose of adding the timings into the diagram, is to provide this information without having to resort to placing an entire timetable online, which would take up too much space ordinarily, and would probably go against the spirit of Wikipedia by making this article over-long. Ideally, I'd like a stopping timetable, not one for the Bath-Bournemouth express train.  However, if we cannot find a suitable timetable, I could work out the timings from the average speed of a steam locomotive.  David Bailey 19:10, 11 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Still not sure I have grasped what you want, but this is the 1938 timing for a morning train:

Bath QS 6:50 Midford 7:00 Wellow 7:07 Radstock 7:16 Midsomer N 7:25 Chilcompton 7:34 Binegar 7:42 Masbury 7:46 Shepton Mallet 7:52 Evercreech New 8:00 Evercreech Jn 8:06 – 8:08 Cole 8:16 Wincanton 8:15 Templecombe 8:34 – 9:05 Henstridge 9:13 Stalbridge 9:18 Sturminster Newton 9:26 Shillingstone 9:33 Stourpaine & D 9:39 Blandford 9:47 Charlton Marshall 9:52 Spetisbury 9:57 Bailey Gate 10:05 Broadstone 10:18 Poole 10:26 Parkstone 10:36 Branksome 10:41 Bomo W 10:46

Afterbrunel 07:59, 13 August 2007 (UTC)


 * That's perfect... I'll get on to it soon! David Bailey 12:48, 13 August 2007 (UTC)


 * I have added the timings from Bath to Bournemouth West to the diagram. Excluding stops, the journey takes 3hours 23minutes.  David Bailey 15:56, 16 August 2007 (UTC)

1 chain = almost exactly 20 metres. (The beauty was that it is about right for finding locations -- if someone told you there was a broken fishplate at 13m 56c you could go there, pacing out the chains (26 sleepers) from the quarter mile post, and you'd be there within a few yards. The LMR preferred miles + yards but (a) that gave big numbers -- 13m 1330y -- and it was spurious accuracy, coz the other person hadn't got a tape measure out to quote the location.)

Afterbrunel 16:37, 2 August 2007 (UTC)

Maps and Diagrams
The diagram I have placed on this page would be improved by a BS4 template but until one is available this solution puts it into BS3. Anyone who can improve it is welcome as per usual practice. Britmax 21:56, 9 April 2007 (UTC)

Improved Diagram installed. Still not sure which order those halts are in though Britmax 00:50, 10 April 2007 (UTC)


 * I have reverted the diagram back to BS3 template as we really didn't need all that extra space at this time. David Bailey 09:24, 31 July 2007 (UTC)

I would be massively grateful if you or someone would explain this to me Afterbrunel 18:14, 11 August 2007 (UTC)


 * The diagram is made from a Wiki template that, when output as a normal webpage, gets converted into an invisible table holding and formatting the image files and text. The BS3 template has three columns set aside specifically for the images that make up the map, and the BS4 template has four columns set aside for the images.  You can have as many as six columns for the images, but we don't need that many here... just three.  David Bailey 19:15, 11 August 2007 (UTC)

Still to do
Here is a summary of what I think still needs to be done. I am not making any proprietorial claim to this page, but shucks, this is how I see it.


 * Some copyright free photos of S&D steam trains would be great. Ideas, anyone?
 * Ought to link to the Bath Green Park station page [Now done]
 * I'm still uneasy about all the dead station links. Every station has a link, but some of them aren't there when you click. I think this is counter-productive.

Afterbrunel 08:30, 19 July 2007 (UTC)

Still to do:

 * images: MUST get some images of the main line in action; any ideas, anyone?
 * The text list of stations at the end, and the line diagram, duplicate one another, rather. Any ideas, anyone?
 * I think the traction section is partly duplicated and needs some more detail
 * There were some other accidents; not sure if that will be information overload.

Afterbrunel 19:27, 23 July 2007 (UTC)


 * The S&D built locos at Highbridge until the 1930s - this is absent from the article.
 * I've started dabbing some of the links, but more could be added - especially in the locomotive traction section. Pyrotec 20:12, 23 July 2007 (UTC)

Location of Foxcote
I am now certain that this signal box was south of Shoscombe & Single Hill Halt, and north of the later Writhlington signal box. If you go to streetmap.co.uk you can see the village of Foxcote, which is south of S&SHH. I am sure the signal box was somewhat south of that.


 * This is now more definite; a book Rails to Disaster deals with a later accident, but it says that Foxcote was replaced when the line was doubled by a Braysdown signalbox serbving teh collieries; it later becasme Braysdown & Writhlington, and later Writhlington. All of these were in succession close to their predecessor's site, and all south of Shoscombe &SHH. Afterbrunel 17:30, 30 July 2007 (UTC)

Shoscombe delinked
Um, I hope you will agree with me, but in the line diagram, Shoscombe & Single Hill Halt was a red link, and I have removed the link. S&SHH was so insignificant that I can't ever imagine anyone writing an encyclopedia page about it. Ever. I mean, what would it say? I think Bawdrip Halt may suffer the same fate, but not Bridgwater North which might just about be important enough to get its own page. One day. Maybe. Afterbrunel 20:42, 30 July 2007 (UTC)
 * I'd be inclined to keep the red link to show that an article is awaited. The Oakley book cited has a couple of paragraphs on Shoscombe so there is material around. I can also remember getting out there once! Edington Burtle, BTW, is a blue link: the article is called Edington railway station, which probably isn't correct, since the original name was Edington Road. Johnlp 21:40, 30 July 2007 (UTC)
 * Well Butt (1995) has it as Edington Road from 1856 to July 1890; Edington junction from 21 July 1890 to June 1953; Edington Burtle from 8 June 1953 to March 1966. So in terms of longevity, "Junction" has 10 years over "Road". Pyrotec 22:03, 30 July 2007 (UTC)
 * Edington Junction railway station now redirects to the same place, as does Edington Burtle railway station. Johnlp 22:27, 30 July 2007 (UTC)

I know this was only a humorous remark, but for heaven's sake don't let's start arguing about what name to cite stations by! The tragedy of the UK Rail group in here is that -- as it seems to me -- they spend all their time arguing about arcane points like what counties to categorise stations by, and not enough time actually writing text.

Afterbrunel 16:44, 2 August 2007 (UTC)


 * I thought the above was text, it is certainly encyclopedic - it has names, dates and a verifiable reference. Sorry must go have more text to write (and to right). Pyrotec 18:59, 2 August 2007 (UTC)

And now there's an article on Shoscombe and Single Hill Halt. Bawdrip Halt next, anybody? Johnlp 11:49, 12 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Possibly next week or the week after.Pyrotec 11:58, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

Good-o. But I might even do it meself before that if my present state of boredom with the real-life work I'm meant to be doing continues. ;-) Johnlp 12:07, 12 August 2007 (UTC)