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Have you ever fancied the chance to drive and fire one of our fleet of historic steam engines…? Well now's your chance! The WSR runs special days when you can experience what life is really like on the footplate, including building up the fire, blowing the whistle and putting your hands on the regulator to drive your very own train down the line. An ideal present for your friends, your family or yourself! All tuition is by experienced enginemen, who have spent many years learning the craft. Several different types of courses are available:- "Stage One" course This is a two-day course where participants learn the basics of railway operation and safety, and how to drive and fire a steam engine. The course involves lighting up 'your' steam engine and preparing it for service, before then having the opportunity of driving and firing it between Minehead and Blue Anchor. There are a maximum of six trainees on each course, so you get plenty of opportunity to sample the action! The course fee includes tuition, teaching notes, lunches, insurance and VAT. The Stage One course will operate on the following dates in 2003:-
The cost of the Stage One Steam Engineman Course is £240.00 per person, which includes all tuition, lunch, tea/coffee, insurance and VAT. "Stage Two" course This is a one day course aimed at those who have successfully completed the "Stage One" course and who are eager to come back for more! The course includes a supervised firing and driving turn between Minehead and Williton. The course fee includes tuition, teaching notes, lunch, insurance and VAT. The Stage Two course will operate on the following dates in 2003:-
The cost of the Stage Two Steam Engineman Course is £202.00 per person, which includes all tuition, lunch, tea/coffee, insurance and VAT. "Stage Three" course For those who have already completed Stage One and Stage Two of the WSR Steam Engineman Courses and are wondering where to go from there, good news is at hand, for the Company have recently introduced a more advanced course - Stage Three. Now that Bishops Lydeard is fully signalled, here is the chance to work a steam locomotive and train over the Bishops Lydeard to Williton section, over some of the most demanding gradients, including the infamous Crowcombe Bank. Participants on the one day course take a railway safety refresher, prepare and clean the locomotive, practice starting and stopping at Bishops Lydeard. Then, to work a rake of six coaches over the line to Williton. There wil be no more than six participants per course and each will drive the locomotive on the outward trip and fire it on the return (or vice versa) for distance of ten miles in each direction. When not driving, participants can ride "on the cushions" pr visit one of the fully working signal boxes. The Stage Three course will operate on the following dates in 2003:-
The cost of the Stage Three Steam Engineman Course is £195.00 per person, which includes all tuition, lunch, tea/coffee, insurance and VAT. How do you find out more and book a place? Please telephone the WSR on 01643 704996 between 9am and 4pm on weekdays. For fuller details of all Steam Engineman Courses please click here. |
Updated: 30 December 2002