For more information on this train in the beautiful Somerset Countryside please click here.

Added 2nd April 2008

The New WSRA Chairman and Manager

Two new ‘high flyers’ have been appointed to the senior management team of the West Somerset Railway Association (WSRA), the volunteer supporter’s group on the 23-mile West Somerset Railway.

The new WSRA Chairman is Robin White (44) who takes over the all-voluntary post from Humphrey Davies who has served as Chairman for the last 10 years.

Although Robin has worked as a regular WSR volunteer since his teenage years, he is now a leading employment law barrister practising in London but still lives in the West Country.

And the WSRA has also just appointed Susan Kaufman to the new and important salaried post of Association Manager based at Bishops Lydeard.

She will help coordinate various activities for the WSRA and assist with developing commercial projects on behalf of the 5,000 member, largely volunteer organisation.

While Mrs Kaufman (53) hails from the USA, she served as a career officer in the United States Air Force (USAF) based in the UK and abroad, and now lives with her businessman and farmer husband near Wellington.

She presently works for North Somerset Council as a project commissioning officer and has considerable experience of the voluntary sector, plus working in partnerships with other agencies.

Commenting on his appointment, Robin White said: “It is an honour to be asked to serve as Association Chairman and take over the reins from Humphrey Davies who has masterminded several major projects on the railway, such as the restoration of steam loco Braunton and the Norton Fitzwarren development.

“Through the efforts of its staff, both voluntary and employed, the West Somerset Railway is going from strength to strength, and there are exciting times ahead for us as a number of projects come to fruition.”

Susan Kaufman comments: “It’s a real thrill for me to be coming to work for the iconic West Somerset Railway. The railway’s volunteers work wonders every day keeping the steam trains running, and I look forward to working with and supporting them over the coming years.”

The West Somerset Railway has vacancies for volunteers in most departments and is holding a new volunteers event on Sunday 6th April 2008 from 10.30am. Potential recruits and would-be volunteers should call Bishops Lydeard station on (01823) 433856 to book a place.

Added 20th March 2008

JOHN BEESLEY ATTENDING SECOND WEEKEND OF SPRING STEAM GALA

The well-known supplier of railway uniforms and equipment, including guards and footplate crew bags, uniform hats etc,etc, will have a sales stand at Minehead Station on the second weekend of the Spring Steam Gala, March 15th and 16th.

Added 27th February 2008

.  It normally sees service on the Severn Valley Railway. The “Black 5’s” were one of the most successful of all British locomotive designs with no less than 842 being built and they worked between Inverness in the north of England and, via the Somerset and Dorset line, Bournemouth on the south coast.
45110 will be one of a large line-up of engines in action over the twenty miles of track between Bishops Lydeard (four miles from Taunton) and Minehead. Other “guests” specially hired-in for the Gala include the only surviving London and North Western Railway “Super D” heavy freight engine number 49395, and Great Western tank engine number 5619 which has recently been overhauled some forty years since it finished its BR career working local passenger and coal trains in the South Wales valleys. Another Great Western “guest” is 3802 from the Llangollen Railway which will feature alongside class mate number 3850, a resident WSR engine. Other engines due to see action will include Great Western designed numbers 1450, 4160, 5542, 5553,  and 9351 plus Somerset and Dorset 7F number 88. The small Peckett tank engine “Kilmersdon” will be shunting at the Washford Museum of the Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust.
Meanwhile Alan Hammond will be launching his latest book “Heyday of the Somerset and Dorset” with signings at Minehead station on all the days of the Gala whilst another Minehead resident author Richard Derry will be signing books at Blue Anchor. A new edition of John Stretton’s “Past and Present” survey of the West Somerset Railway is being launched also during the event. The Museums at Bishops Lydeard, Washford and Blue Anchor will be open and weekend visitors will have a chance to see behind the scenes of the workshops at Williton and Minehead, whilst work on the ongoing installation work of the turntable at Minehead can be seen from the station platform. Artist Alan Ward will be exhibiting and selling his work at Bishops Lydeard and there will be other trade stands along the line plus the Railway’s own well-stocked souvenir shops
West Somerset General Manager Paul Conibeare commented: “The Spring Gala is one of the first major events on the heritage railway calendar and once again we have had bookings from all parts of Britain and even a couple from Paris. However with the intensive timetable of trains and the things to see and do along the line we also welcome many members of the public coming to enjoy early spring in West Somerset.  We have once again arranged free shuttle bus services between Taunton station and the Silk Mills Park and Ride and Bishops Lydeard station and are expecting a very busy and enjoyable six days”.

Added 25th February 2008

The engines now planned to be in service will include the “Super D” and another LMS engine (from the Severn Valley Railway – details still to be finalised) whilst SDJR number 88 will also feature on the first weekend at least before departing to the SVR for their grand re-opening event. Great Western heavy freight will be represented by 3802 (making a welcome return from the Llangollen), 3850 and 5224. The mixed traffic part of Swindon’s designing will feature 9351, 4160, 5619, 5542 and 5553 whilst the 0-4-2T number 1450 will once again be out and about with the auto coach.

Interestingly this may be the first WSR Gala to field a line-up without a single “namer” although visitors to Williton will be able to obtain an update on 34046 “Braunton”.

For more Gala Information please see the Gala Pages

Added 20th February 2008

This will be the first time that the WSR has run trains over its full length between Bishops Lydeard and Minehead for the February half-term holiday. A special timetable is in force for the six days with a diesel multiple unit (DMU) train from Bishops Lydeard at 10.40, steam at 12.40, dmu at 14.25 and steam at 16.10. Departure times from Minehead are steam at 10.30, dmu at 12.30, steam at 14.15, and dmu at 16.00. The locomotive in use will be 5553 shown in the picture above.

If you are starting your journey at Minehead please allow some extra time to park your car and walk to the station. With the ongoing turntable and other development work parking alongside the station itself is not possible. If you have trouble walking any distance and are staying in the Minehead/Exmoor area you might like to consider Dunster as your starting point or Blue Anchor.

The adult return fare over the whole of the line is £13.40, senior citizen is £11.40 and children (aged 5 to 15) £ 6.70.  We also offer a family return ticket which covers 2 adults and up to 4 children for £33.70. (Children under 5 travel for free). Dogs are carried at a flat rate of £2 and bicycles accompanied by their owners are carried at quarter fare.

Added 13th February 2008

When the workmen leave the site will also include a Great Western Railway water tower and cast iron lighting standards, plus interpretation information on how it is possible for one man to turn one of the giants of the age of steam by his own unaided efforts.

Once the turntable is in use the attractiveness of Minehead and the West Somerset Railway as a destination for main line steam hauled excursion trains will be transformed as the ‘table and the triangle at Norton Fitzwarren will finally obviate the need for incoming engines to run to Bristol, Paignton or Westbury to turn and the “dead” mileage entailed which has to be incorporated into the costs of the tours.

For more information see our Turntable appeal page or for more pictures please see the Minehead Shed News page.

12th February 2008

“We need assistance in several areas”, said Minehead Stationmaster Alan Scott, “and with this in mind we will be pleased to welcome potential new volunteers to the station on Sunday February 24th between 10.00 a.m. and 2.30 p.m.  Areas where help is particularly needed are in the station office, dealing with bookings for special events, personal and telephone callers, mailshots and general administration, and out on the platforms, helping passengers with information and seeing that they safely board and leave trains.  For those who are good with figures and like talking to people there are also vacancies in the Booking Office roster where we would very much like to have two clerks on duty for as much of the time as possible.  We’re a friendly group of people and we give training as necessary. Most of those who start tend to become slightly “addicted” and often call in on days when they aren’t working to see how things are going.  If anyone cannot make it on the 24th please ring the station on 01643 704996, leave your details, and I will be in touch.

Added 11th February 2008

The Latest information is that the turntable will held in Taunton overnight 9th/10th February.

It is presently timed to leave Taunton at 0900 on 10th and travel the A358 to Williton and then A39 to Minehead where it is timed to arrive in the Mart Road site between 10.30 and 10.45.

It is highly likely to cause traffic congestion during that time.

Somerset County Council have announced that the turntable is due to be installed at the Mart Road site at 11am on Monday 11th  February. 

The Pictures on the left show the turntable pit at Minehead with the rail and the centre pin being installed (01/02/2008) and the completed turntable at Dudley ready to move.

He is married to Lesley – who is Cornish, having been born and brought-up in Wadebridge – and they have two sons, Matthew (16) and Martin (14).

Richard is due to take up his new position as General Manager with the Bodmin & Wenford Railway – one of the most respected heritage railways in the country – on 01 June 2008, though his employment with the Company will commence on 01 May 2008 to allow for a period of handover and familiarisation.

Last year, the Bodmin & Wenford Railway – which runs steam (and heritage diesel) trains for 6½ miles from Bodmin Parkway to Boscarne Junction via Bodmin General – celebrated its best ever year in 2007, attracting more than 45,000 visitors.   It is one of the county’s top all weather attractions and is the only working standard gauge heritage railway in Cornwall.    It is considered by those involved within the railway heritage movement as one of the finest examples of an authentic branch line in the country.

Richard Jones replaces the current General Manager, Roger Webster, who is retiring at the end of May, having successfully led the Bodmin & Wenford Railway for eleven years through a period of tremendous growth and achievement.

Richard, who has a strong railway background in both the heritage railway movement and on the national network, started as a volunteer on the West Somerset Railway in 1977 – the year after the line re-opened and a time when the Cornish branch was still open for freight traffic to Wenford Bridge – and is a former Director of both the West Somerset Railway plc and West Somerset Railway Association, and was also Editor of the WSR Journal.    For several years he has been the Chairman of the WSR’s Special Events Planning Team, which has been responsible for the hugely successful programme of galas that are a feature of the Railway’s calendar.    He is also a regular steam and diesel locomotive driver on the WSR.

Prior to becoming a full time railwayman – where he served as a Driver and Guard with Virgin Trains and FM Rail – he spent nearly eighteen years in the teaching profession, his last education post being Primary Mathematics & Numeracy Adviser for Dorset County Council.

Richard explains:  “I am absolutely delighted to be joining the Bodmin & Wenford Railway as its new General Manager.   Roger Webster will be a hard act to follow, but I am really looking forward to the challenge.    I have watched from a distance the railway develop since the mid-1980’s, when the project to re-open the line was first mooted, and have tremendous respect and admiration for all those who have worked so hard to get the Railway to where it is today.    I have always had a soft spot for the Bodmin & Wenford – it is an excellent heritage railway with a unique and special atmosphere.”

“We are very much looking forward to working with Richard in the future,” comments Alan Moore, Chairman of the Bodmin & Wenford Railway plc, “and know he will bring much to the railway and build still further on the great progress and achievements of the B&W over the past twenty or more years.”
 
Paul Conibeare, General Manager of the West Somerset Railway, says:  “Richard has enjoyed his time with us and we are very sorry to receive the news of his decision to move to pastures new – the WSR has, after all, been an integral part of his life for over thirty years – but his appointment as the new General Manager of the B&WR is richly deserved, and he leaves with our sincere thanks for all he has achieved and our very best wishes for the future.    The relationship between the West Somerset and Bodmin & Wenford is excellent and we look forward to this continuing in the future.”

For more information on the Bodmin and Wenford Railway please click the logo below:

Added 25th January 2008

Spring Steam Gala Bus Service - Help needed

During the upcoming Spring Steam Gala, the West Somerset Railway will be operating a free bus service from both Taunton Station (under the Station Bridge adjacent to the ticket office) and the Silk Mill Park and Ride car park.  This service will operate from 09.30 each of the six days at least every 30 minutes up until the last train arrival at Bishops Lydeard each afternoon.
Travellers should also be aware that a half hourly service operated by First Group runs from the bus stop off platform 2 at Taunton Station starting at 09.03 on all days except Sundays.  On Sundays there are services at 0952, 11.52, 13.52 & 15.52.   Single Fares are £2.70 for adults and £2.05 for children, £4.40 return for adults and £3.25 for children.

To assist travellers to locate where the free bus collects from, I am looking for a volunteer or volunteers to be at Taunton station from 09.30 until 12.30 on each day. If anyone can help with this important new venture, could they contact me on 01643 700383 or email by clicking here.

For more information on the Gala Please click here

EVIDENCE OF FORMER LOCOMOTIVE SHED EMERGES
AS TURNTABLE INSTALLATION WORK CONTINUES AT MINEHEAD STATION

Parts of the Original GWR turntable: Top; the old pit is uncovered; centre the metalwork which joined the track to the table and; bottom the centre pin on which the whole table turned

As work presses ahead with the preparatory work for the installation of the locomotive turntable on a site at the West Somerset Railway’s Minehead headquarters evidence of the former Minehead locomotive shed and the people who worked there has been emerging from the diggings.
“We won’t be rivalling “Time Team” for the range or excitement of the discoveries”, said WSR General Manager Paul Conibeare, “but the diggers have been turning-up a range of artefacts from the shed site, which was closed and demolished in the 1960’s.  As expected engineering bricks and items of track work have featured but the biggest engineering relic is the original central mounting pin on which the former turntable was mounted. A new pin will carry the replacement turntable but we will preserve the original for future visitors to see. On a smaller scale we have found plenty of evidence of the former locomotive staff and other lost bits of Exmoor including a beer bottle from the long-closed Arnold and Hancocks in Wiveliscombe, a milk bottle from D. Dansie of Minehead and another bottle about which we’d like to know more. It’s a half pint one and stamped into the glass is “Bray Valley Clapworthy” and we would be curious to know what it held and who produced the contents.  Once the work is complete we plan to have a display case on the station to house these small items from the past of Minehead and Exmoor”.

Overall winning entry was judged to be a striking view (by night lighting) of locomotives at Barrow Hill Shed (near Chesterfield) by Tom Adams.  This was also awarded the best entry of a railway heritage scene.  Second place overall went to Alan Randle, for a view of a double-headed passenger train near Bishops Lydeard on the West Somerset Railway.

Tom Adams won First and Second Prizes in the Heritage Railway section of the prints, with the Barrow Hill scene and a stunning backlit view of heavy freight locomotive 3850 working a passenger train near Cedar Falls;  Tom Adams also won the Modern Railway section, with a mainline scene near Dawlish, with Peter Darke coming second with a shot of a heavy freight train on a viaduct in Idaho, USA;  in the Non-Railway section, Tom Adams won First Prize with a vivid shot of one of the Red Arrows in action and Peter Darke took second place with a view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge at night.

In 35mm slides, Alan Randle won First and Second Prizes in the Heritage Railway section, with views of steam trains on the West Somerset Railway, taken at Cedar Falls and at Nethercott;  Mike Pollard won the Modern Railway section with a view of locomotives in a mountain scene in Austria, and John Sparkes took second place with a view a stone train discharging ballast at Norton Fitzwarren on the WSR; and in the Non-Railway section, Mike Pollard took First Prize with a view of a church set in mountains while Alan Randle won Second Prize with a stunning view of the moon behind an iceberg in Greenland. 

About 25 members attended the meeting.  As a group we are grateful to Mr Bishop for his decisive judging, and for his complimentary and constructive comments on the photography, and to the GWRSA for hosting the meeting.

A brand new S&D book called Heyday of the Somerset & Dorset Railway is being specially launched at the West Somerset Railway Spring Gala on March 8-9 & 13-16 at Minehead Station Buffer Shop, where the author will be signing copies of this brand new book.

With over 230 superb photographs and a wide range of splendid personal anecdotes from staff and enthusiasts it is a must for the railway enthusiast. There is also an excellent history of the line written by John Simms of the WSR.

This book is a limited edition book of only 2,500 which are all hand numbered and has been foreworded by Prince Michael of Kent.

This book will available shortly for mail orders by post or by phone from Minehead's Buffer Stop shop (01643 700387) . Cost including postage and packing is £22.50 and orders will be sent out as soon as the books are to hand.

For more items from the shop please see the shop page by clicking here.

Added 9th January 2008

 “Not merely was this an increase of 13,000 over our total for 2006”, said WSR General Manager Paul Conibeare, “it was 10,000 more than our previous record set in 2005 when we reached 203,297. The new record marks a terrific effort by our volunteers and staff, both in bringing people to the Railway in the first place and also giving them such a good day out when they do travel that many come back for further visits. We knew that our main season had gone very well but we also had excellent numbers of passengers on our pre-Christmas special trains and our services between Christmas and New Year also loaded very well with 1,100 visitors to our Winter Steam Festival on December 29th”
The Railway is now looking ahead to 2008. “We don’t run passenger trains now until the mid February half-term holidays. This year they will be run for the first time over the whole length of the line on 16th, 17th and 19th, 20th and 21st  of February as well as the 23rd and 24th”, said Mr Conibeare, “but we will be very busy with winter maintenance of our equipment getting ready for the new season whilst commercially we shall be attending the “Excursions” travel trade fair at Alexandra Palace on January 12th to spread the word about the West Somerset Railway and the areas we serve to new markets in South East England.. Other promotional activity is going ahead and we look to consolidate and build on our record year as we go into 2008.  Our major projects including the installation of the timetable at Minehead and the turning triangle at Norton Fitzwarren are also progressing with implications for growth in steam hauled excursion trains from the mainline network into West Somerset for future years. There are exciting times ahead and we will be pleased to see new faces joining our 600 active volunteers.

Added 8th January 2008

The theme has been confirmed as “British Railways Steam 1948-68” and will seek to tell the story of how the newly nationalised railways eliminated steam in the space of just twenty years, enabling a good variety of locomotives and train types from across all the former regions of BR to hopefully feature.
The Gala will feature a feast of steam, with at least twelve locomotives expected to be in action, including a number of ‘guest’ engines being hired-in especially for the event.
The highlight for many will be the appearance of LMS ‘Jubilee’ Class 4-6-0 No 5690 Leander, its first appearance in Somerset for over forty years since its days with British Railways when it was based at the former Bristol Barrow Road shed.   The popular engine has worked on a number of heritage railways, and worked charters on the national network, over recent years and is currently based on the East Lancs Railway at Bury.
Other visiting engines so far confirmed are the return of the sole surviving LNWR ‘Super D’ 0-8-0 No 49395 (now part of the National Collection) and BR(W) 4-6-0 No 7822 Foxcote Manor from Llangollen, together with two very popular Great Western auto-fitted tank engines – 2-6-2T No 5542 and 0-4-2T No 1450.      
At least two further ‘guest’ engines are currently being sourced.   The Railway had reached broad agreement to hire SR Bulleid ‘West Country’ 4-6-2 No 34007 Wadebridge – which proved extremely popular at last year’s Spring Gala – but the planned visit is now in some doubt following the very unfortunate fire suffered on the footplate of the locomotive in late December whilst stabled at the Mid-Hants Railway.   “This is really disappointing for all concerned, not least for the owners and all those who worked so hard to restore the loco, and we wish them well on carrying out the necessary repairs”, comments Richard Jones, Chairman of the WSR’s Special Events Planning Team.
Also in action from the resident fleet will be GWR ‘heavy freight’ 2-8-0 No 3850, the WSR’s own Great Western ‘Mogul’ No 9351 and a pair of GWR ‘prairie tanks’, Nos 4160 and 5553.
Completing the line-up will be Peckett 0-4-0ST No 1788 Kilmersdon – the last steam loco to work in a Somerset coalfield – which will be giving shunting demonstrations at Washford during the event.   Another of the smaller locomotives will be similarly employed shunting the small yard at Dunster during both weekends.
A very intensive timetable will be in operation on all six days of the event.   On both Saturdays and Sundays, the timetable will see regular 50-minute interval departures from both Minehead and Bishops Lydeard, with passenger services running between 08:30 and around 19:00  (18:15 on Sunday) and every available path being utilised.   All services will be worked by steam and there will be many opportunities for visitors to “swap trains” at the intermediate crossing places at Blue Anchor, Williton and Crowcombe Heathfield in order to sample travel behind all the locomotives in action each day.
On the Thursday and Friday, as well as the “whole line” trains operating between Bishops Lydeard and Minehead, the timetable will also feature the Great Western auto train – hauled by either No 1450 or No 5542 and again featuring two auto trailers – a typical branch line train working a shuttle service between Minehead and Blue Anchor and the Railway’s demonstration heritage goods train.    The auto train will also operate during the weekends.
Full bar and buffet facilities will be available on most train services during the weekend, serving a good range of high quality hot and cold food, tea and coffee, and a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks – including real ale.   In addition, the “Quantock Belle” will be serving its customary popular range of all day breakfasts, together with a range of other hot meals, on selected trains on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Visitors will be able to inspect the main workshops at Minehead – where the overhaul of BR(W) 4-6-0 No 7828 Odney Manor is taking place – together with the chance to see the yard and engineering workshops at Williton, where progress can be glimpsed on a pair of Bulleid ‘Pacifics’, Nos 34046 Braunton and 35011 General Steam Navigation, together with GWR 0-6-2T No 6695 and 0-6-0PT No 6412.   For visitors also interested in more modern traction, the excellent Diesel Heritage Centre at Williton will also be open.    Also not to be missed will be the railway museums at Bishops Lydeard, Washford and Blue Anchor, together with the chance to see the layouts of the Taunton Model Railway Group in action at Bishops Lydeard.    A number of other attractions are also promised.
Efforts are being made to source a main line train operating company to again run a special connecting shuttle service between Taunton and Bishops Lydeard on the Saturdays and Sundays.   
In addition, a special regular free bus service will operate linking Taunton Railway Station, the Park and Ride Car Park at Silk Mill – where plenty of car parking is available – and Bishops Lydeard Station.
For visitors arriving by car, both Bishops Lydeard – where limited car parking will be available – and the Silk Mill Park and Ride car park will be fully signposted from Junctions 25 and 26 of the M5 motorway.
A special souvenir programme – which will include full information about the event, together with the full working timetables and locomotive diagrams – will be available in advance of the event and during the Gala itself, priced £2.50.
Undoubtedly the best way to enjoy the Spring Steam Gala is to purchase a Rover Ticket, which gives complete freedom to travel on the line for the validity of the ticket.   Discounted prices apply for all ‘Rovers’ purchased in advance of the event – Adult tickets, for example, cost £18, £27 and £54 for one, two and six days respectively.    Tickets can be purchased by telephone from Minehead Station and through www.ticketweb.co.uk, using a Credit/Debit Card.

Richard Jones comments:  “We again look forward to welcoming everyone to the West Somerset Railway for our Spring Steam Gala, which promises to be another excellent event.”

Added 7th January 2008

New Events for the 2008 Season