点评:I actually avoided going on the first day and opted for a smaller railway due to previous experiences. I was talked into visiting on the Sunday 31st and opted to go and view the Railway with new eyes.
Length of visit was 9 hours but could have been longer
Crowd size: Small except on the Hymek's which were about 3/4 full.
Pre Visit : Ample information on the website and social media. Website has an annoying pop up on every page, slowing down what you are trying to do.
Email or social media questions: These have been answered every time with an air of you being a hinderance, which has made us visit alternative lines in the past.
Directions: On the website are clear, signage is clear unless you are approaching through Bishops Lydeard from the Bridgwater direction.
Carparking: Ample Gravel carpark which on this occasion was staffed by a pleasant and competent volunteer. .
Toilets: Ample on site, Be aware if arriving by public transport at bishops lydeard you have to walk back to the carpark away from the station. These toilets are clean and presentable , although looking tired and worn with some loose panels and damage.
Ticket office, clean and presentable, staffed by a pleasant volunteer A big bug bear is This is a Heritage Railway offering that Heritage experience so you can relive history and they hand you a shop till receipt a mile long instead of a nice small Edmondson Ticket ( yes they cost money to produce, charge a bit more to cover the cost). If every Heritage Railway drops the Edmondson ticket Heritage will be lost, what step next , replace the buffet car with a vending machine, replace the signal boxes with computers.
Cost £38 an adult ( £152 for the 4 of us, Trip including snacks and drinks for the day around the £300 mark)
Stations, clean Presentable and accessible. It was a shame ( although I understand they want to experience it to) that some volunteers were getting right behind the signaller doing a token exchange filming it on their mobile phones, meaning no one else could photograph it.
Trains : Clean, Tidy and comfortable. Locomotives spotlessly clean.
Timetable for this event: Reasonable, Had some room for improvement, but worked for what they were offering. Did come across that they had to run steam for holiday makers and had to run the Quantock belle as it is a money spinner rather than running another Diesel in that slot.
Williton Diesel Depot Very enthusiastic and most engaging Volunteers met. They explained that the WSR does not like blue diesels as doesn't fit their aesthetics
Williton Station Café had to close early due to Volunteer illness
Minehead Gift shop. Volunteers arguing with someone trying to return a locomotive ( this was then being openly discussed in front of visitors at Bishops Lydeard later in the day.
Would I visit a Diesel event here again ? . 50/50 . It was ok but didn't leave the we must go back vibe at the end of the day. Nothing unpleasant or untoward
翻译:实际上,鉴于以往的经验,第一天我原本打算不去,而是选择去参观一条规模较小的铁路。后来经人劝说,我决定在31日星期天再去,以便以全新的视角来欣赏这条铁路。
整个参观过程持续了9个小时,其实还可以更久些。
游客人数:总体较少,只有乘坐Hymek列车时车厢里大约有四分之三的位置坐满了人。
参观前:网站及社交媒体上提供了大量相关信息。不过网站上每页都会出现一个烦人的弹窗,拖慢了用户的操作速度。关于邮件或社交媒体的咨询:每次我们得到的回复都带着一种“您是个麻烦源”的意味,正因如此我们过去才会选择其他路线。
路线指引:网站上的说明很清晰,指示牌也很明确——除非您是从布里奇沃特方向经毕晓普斯·莱迪亚德前来。
停车场:有宽敞的碎石停车场,这次负责管理的是一位和蔼又能干的志愿者。
卫生间:现场有充足的卫生间设施。请注意:如果乘坐公共交通工具抵达Bishops Lydeard站,您需要从车站步行返回停车场。这些厕所虽干净整洁,但看起来有些破旧,有些面板已松动且存在损坏现象。
售票处同样干净整洁。由热情的志愿者们负责服务。不过有个大问题:这是一条旨在让游客体验历史魅力的遗产铁路,可他们却递给游客一张长达一英里的购物小票,而不是那种小巧精致的埃德蒙森票(没错,这种票的制作需要成本,多收点钱也无可厚非)。如果所有遗产铁路都不再使用埃德蒙森票,那么这种历史传承也将随之消失。下一步会怎样呢?或许会用自动售货机取代餐车,用电脑取代信号控制室吧。费用:成人38英镑(我们一家四口共花费152英镑;整个行程的费用,包括当天的零食和饮料,大约在300英镑左右)。
车站环境整洁、体面且便于进出。可惜的是(虽然我理解他们也想亲自体验一番),有些志愿者站在信号员身后,拿着代币进行交换,还用手机拍摄,导致其他人无法拍照。
列车:干净、整洁且舒适。机车也一尘不染。
本次活动的时刻表:合理。虽然还有改进空间,但基本满足了他们的需求。据了解,他们不得不为度假游客开行蒸汽列车,同时也必须运行“Quantock Belle”号列车,因为它能带来可观的收入;相比之下,在那个时段再运行另一列柴油列车就不划算了。
在威利顿柴油机车库,我遇到了非常热情且极具亲和力的志愿者们。他们解释说,WSR并不喜欢蓝色的柴油机车,因为这与他们的整体风格不符。
由于志愿者生病,威利顿车站的咖啡馆不得不提前关门。
迈恩黑德纪念品商店。志愿者们正在与试图归还机车的人争吵(后来当天晚些时候,这件事还在Bishops Lydeard向游客们公开讨论着。)
我还会再来参加这里的柴油机车活动吗?几率各半吧。活动还算不错,但并未给我留下“一定要再来”的印象。没有任何令人不快或反常的情况发生。