Public invited to drop in to police beat surgeries

A NUMBER of beat surgeries are being attending during April by Police Community Support Officer David Rowe, where the public can meet him to discuss local issues.
They can talk in confidence with him regarding any concerns, or even just drop in to say ‘hello’.
PCSO Rowe’s schedule is as follows: Tuesday, April 17 - Hoburne holiday site reception, Blue Anchor, 11 am to 12.30 pm; Thursday, April 19 - Elworthy, Monksilver and Nettlecombe Community Hall, 10 am to 12 noon; Wednesday, April 25 - Willow Grove Community Hall, Washford, 11 am to 12 noon; Roadwater Village Hall, Roadwater - 12.30 pm to 1.30 pm, Wednesday 25 April.
PCSO Rowe has also recently already held a beat surgery in Withycombe Memorial Hall in conjunction with Withycombe Luncheon Club.

• Our photograph shows a PCSO on duty in Minehead. Photo submitted.

Excursions make a day to remember in heritage railway's history

ANOTHER ‘day to remember’ in the history of the West Somerset Railway occurred on Saturday, March 31, when for the first time the heritage line welcomed two mainline excursions to the branch line on the same day.
Kingfisher Railtours was the first to arrive with an excursion train from Eastleigh which arrived behind diesel locomotive 67020 and departed behind the 1926 built Southern Railway express locomotive number 850, ‘Lord Nelson’.
Departing in the early afternoon, the train passed at Blue Anchor a Nenta Tours special from Norwich, which was worked to and from Minehead by a Class 47 diesel locomotive.
Between them, the two excursions brought 526 passengers to Minehead, where they were able to enjoy time in and around the town on a sunny day.
WSR general manager Paul Conibeare said: “The two specials rounded off a hugely successful month for us which has also seen two other main line charters on and off the branch on March 10 and 24 and our most successful spring steam gala to date.
“Over the six days of the gala we carried over 10,000 passengers, and Saturday, March 24, was the busiest single day in our history with over 3,000 travelling.
“Nor should it be overlooked that many of the visitors to the galas stay in the area and that both gala visitors and excursionists visit local shops, pubs, and cafes and bring early season revenue into the area along the route of the West Somerset.
“We next welcome an excursion from Preston on April 14, while on April 28 another special train will leave Minehead for an excursion to York.
“Meanwhile we continue to operate our own services between Bishops Lydeard and Minehead and our evening programme of catering specials starts with a cancer charity fund-raising fish and chip special on May 5.”

• Our photograph (top) is by Alan Meade, showing steam locomotive 850 ‘Lord Nelson’ entering Bishops Lydeard Station on a Kingfisher Railtours journey to Eastleigh from Minehead.
• Our photograph (bottom) is by Brian Garrett and shows the Class 47 diesel locomotive at the junction at Norton Fitzwarren on a Nenta Train Tours trip from North Walsingham.

Long service award for three decades with heritage railway

TWO servants of the West Somerset Railway present on the day the heritage line reopened on March 28, 1976, are returning for duty at Minehead Station more than 30 years later on March 28 this year.
Don Spencer was on duty in Blue Anchor signal box on the opening day, and on March 28 this year he will be receiving a long-service award before the 10.15 train departs for Bishops Lydeard, running for 20 miles rather than the four which the very first train covered from Minehead to Blue Anchor, five years and two months after the branch line fell victim to Beeching’s ‘Axe’ and was closed.
He brought a wealth of experience to the safe operation of the train services and has since trained many volunteer signalmen who have served the WSR well down the years.
The 10.15 train will be headed by Great Western pannier tank number 6412 (pictured), the first working Great Western steam locomotive purchased by the West Somerset Railway Association.
The 6412 is a ‘Pannier Tank’ of a type which worked lightly loaded branch lines and suburban trains until the 1960s.
It was a mainstay of the WSR into the late 1980s, but as numbers of passengers on the West Somerset have grown, peak-season trains are now too heavy for it to haul.
However, it does its share of work in the early and late seasons, is often hired out to other steam lines for the summer, and has been a popular engine for the railway’s footplate experience courses, giving enthusiasts an opportunity to learn something of the driving and firing skills involved in handling steam engines.
Another regular duty for the engine is the ‘Quantock Belle’ dining train.
Railway general manager Paul Conibeare said: “After the hectic weekends of our Spring Steam Galas which bring thousands of visitors to West Somerset and Taunton Deane it will be good to look back on how the WSR adventure began over three decades ago and to mark Don’s pioneering contribution.
“We also will have time to reflect on the other early volunteers, some of whom are still contributing now and some of whom have passed on.
“Without them and the machines they have lovingly worked on and cared for there would be no West Somerset Railway today.”
Photo contributed.

Pledge to tackle global warming in Somerset

THE 'Nottingham Declaration', a voluntary pledge which commits to actively tackling climate change and reducing carbon emissions, is being signed on behalf of Somerset County Council today, Wednesday, February 21.
The leader of the council, Councillor Cathy Bakewell, is syumbolically signing the document at a meeting of the full council, an act which she says puts Somerset at the forefront of efforts to tackle the causes and consequences of climate change in the county.
At the same time, the council is revealing predictions of the significant impacts of global warming and sea level rises in Somerset.
Applying data from climate and flooding experts, it is predicted that:

• The chances of a severe tidal flooding event, large enough to overwhelm current defences and threaten the M5 and railway links through Somerset, could increase from 200/1 in any given year to 17/1 by 2060
  
• The threat posed to 32,500 properties across 2,394 square miles of the county currently vulnerable to flooding from a combination of coastal and river events could rise markedly
  
• Average July temperatures will have risen by four degrees Celsius in Somerset by 2080 if emissions remain high, with more damaging extremes of temperature and prolonged drought
  
• By 2080, there could be a net sea level rise of 3.1 inches per year in the South West if emissions remain high

The authority is also announcing a stakeholder and public consultation for a ‘Climate Change Adaptation Strategy’ (SCCAS) which is now in preparation, and which sets targets for the council to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its service areas and encourage and help partners to do the same.
Together, they will form a countywide approach to protecting infrastructure and services from climate change and reducing emissions, co-ordinated by the council.
The authority already has a range of award-winning projects and initiatives to reduce emissions and promote renewable energy, including the Somerset biofuels project, a ‘Watts On’ energy efficiency campaign within County Hall, and biomass heating schemes.
There are more to come this year, including the landmark ‘Rising to the Challenge’ climate change communications project and the rolling out of the pioneering Somerset Wind Energy Initiative.
As well as supporting the Environment Agency in its prioritising of flood defence works, the council will develop a countywide response through a water management partnership.
This will involve all stakeholders, regional and national agencies in developing a co-ordinated approach to combat future rising flood risk challenge.
Councillor Bakewell said: “Global warming will seriously affect Somerset. Our announcements today put into place initiatives to tackle the causes and consequences of climate change in Somerset. We must lead the way and help others to follow.”

• Our illustration above shows areas of Somerset, highlighted in mauve, at risk of tidal flooding, which include Minehead, Dunster Marsh, and areas near Blue Anchor and Watchet. Image submitted.