The Bristol Railway Archive

Ref.: thisisthewestcountry

http://www.thisisthewestcountry.co.uk/t ... EWS10.html

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Railway vandals put lives at risk

VANDALS, who have been carrying out a series of attacks on a railway crossing in Watchet, are being warned they are putting lives at risk.

Staff at the West Somerset Railway are becoming increasingly concerned that signs warning of trains at the busy Goviers Lane foot crossing to the east of Watchet station are being regularly blotted out by graffiti, damaged and torn off.

Residents are being urged to be vigilant when crossing the line, and also to report any incidents of vandalism to the police.

Despite the main tourist season for trains drawing to a close, the line is used throughout the year by works trains.

Pat Langan from the railway told the County Gazette: "Although the incidents themselves are of a fairly minor nature, the cumulative effect is both annoying and time consuming, as we have to straighten metals and clean off graffiti when we could be doing more productive work for the benefit of the railway and the local community.

"More worryingly, if signs are removed or damaged there is a danger to users of the crossing.

"Even though our main train operating season ends in early November there are likely to be works trains and other movements on the line at any time," he added.

"We would hope that the vandals will either think better of what they are doing or be apprehended.

"We will continue to keep an eye on the situation but we also urge users of the crossing to be vigilant."

Can't understand the "official" policy of the WSR "Company" concerning signage, which seeks to emulate the utterly unimaginative style of the modern network, lettering sprayed or stuck onto bits of tin. It's asking for trouble in Watchet which is where all our problem families are housed, just beyond this boarded crossing.

I know members here have connections with foundries, and could so easily cast "proper" signs which state in bold raised capitals of cast iron "BEWARE OF THE TRAINS". I could lend them one. And who could rip up an 8ft length of rail post!!?

But the good people of Watchet are in no danger really, for the crossing is right on the end of the platform, and steam trains can hardly be lightly ignored, barking and whistling as they habitually do.

Have other people noticed that the signs on the WSR are a bit rubbishy? Painted on, stuck on, especially at Minehead. At Blue Anchor they are all modern cast signs though they insist that they are GWR originals (which were nothing like these). Even the ones in the museum there are dubious since Swindon used any old rubbish to cast these signs, which were rougher, larger and shallower. But as we say down here, "Ort's bettran nort!" Williton is very good though.

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