MINEHEAD STATION SHOP CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR 2006/07

New arrivals in the Buffer Stop Shop in Minehead include the following from Hornby:-  

  “Rebuilt West Country Pacific – 34003 “Plymouth”

Class 59 59201 “Vale of York”

“Lord of the Isles”

The re-issued GWR Railcars

Other items in stock include books from major railway publishers such as Middleton Press, Oakwood, Platform 5 and OPC.

There are also dvd’s and videos plus
other Bachman and Hornby model railway equipment.

The shop can be rung directly on 01643 700387. For those who would like to buy over the counter the opening times are 10.30 to 15.30 on December 20th, 21st and 22nd, 09.30 to 17.00 on Saturday 23rd and 10.00 to 15.30 on Christmas Eve.
After Christmas normal hours 09.30 to 17.30 will apply December 27th to January 2nd.

Thereafter for the rest of January opening hours are 10.30 to 15.30 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays

Book Online Now for the Winter Steam Festival

Tickets for the Winter Steam Festival are now available by Clicking on the logo below here for the Winter Steam Festival at the Advance Booking prices of £17.00 for Adults, £16.00 for Senior Citizens, £8.50 for Children and £35.00 for a Family Ticket. They will available for purchase until the 24th December after which tickets must be purchased on the day at Full Price of £20.00 for Adults, £18.00 for Senior Citizens, £10.00 for Children and £41.00 To find out more details please see the news story below or see the Winter Steam Festival Page.

A reminder that advance booking for the Winter Steam Festival and the opportunity to purchase Rover Tickets at discounted prices closes on December 20th.

Bookings may be made by phone to Minehead Station Office by credit/debit card (all accepted except American Express). The office is open 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. daily, including Sundays

WINTER STEAM FESTIVAL UPDATE

The West Somerset Railway’s final special event of the year will be the Winter Steam Festival on Saturday 30 December 2006.

The event will again be 100% steam and, for the first time, will feature five engines in action and working trains:-

• S&DJR 7F 2-8-0 No 88
• GWR 2-8-0 No 3850
• GWR 2-6-2T No 5553
• GWR 0-6-0PT No 6412
• BR 2-6-4T No 80136

Should the unique Southern Railway 4-6-0 No 850 “Lord Nelson” return to the WSR in time – though this cannot yet be confirmed – it will also join the locomotive line-up at the Gala, taking the place of No 80136.

An intensive timetable will see five up and six down trains running over the whole length of the line between Bishops Lydeard and Minehead.   This will be supplemented by our Great Western auto train – with No 6412 & trailer 178 – operating exclusively over the northern half of the branch for a change, working over the course of the day from Minehead to Blue Anchor, Washford, Watchet and Williton.  

A new innovation this year will see our excellent demonstration heritage goods train in action, which we are sure will prove to be another popular attraction.

The various museums will, all being well, be open, together with the Taunton Model Railway Group’s base at Bishops Lydeard – and there will be plenty of opportunities to spend all that money you will get for Christmas at the various retail outlets up and down the line!

All our passenger trains will be steam heated, so you can be sure of a nice, warm and comfortable day out enjoying the West Somerset Railway and the beautiful countryside through which the line travels in winter.

Rover tickets can still be purchased at discount prices in advance – £17, £16, £8.50, £35 for an Adult, Senior Citizen, Child and Family respectively.   Credit/Debit card bookings can be made by telephone – please ring Minehead Station (Tel: 01643 704996), 9am-5pm.    BOOK NOW – you will not be disappointed.
 
We look forward to seeing you………what better reason is there to get yourself out of the house after the excesses of Christmas and enjoy the warmth and comfort of West Somerset Railway trains in winter…

West Somerset Railway Liason Meeting

News of a WSR Liaison Meeting in January 2007. Chris Austin, Chairman of the West Somerset Railway and Humphrey Davies, Chairman of the West Somerset Railway Association would like to invite all volunteers, members and employees of the WSR and WSRA to a Liaison Meeting on Sunday 21 January 2007 in Bishops Lydeard Village Hall starting at 2.30pm. Questions that may require a little research or questions from those unable to attend should be sent to the WSR Office at Minehead or the WSRA Office at Bishops Lydeard a few days before the meeting date. The meeting will be an open forum and it is hoped many will be able to attend

Online Tickets now available for the Post Christmas Trains

Tickets are now available to purshase online for our Post Christmas trains running on the 27th of December until the 29th and the 31st December until the 2nd January 2007 via the Tickets.web website. On the above dates we will be running our Red Timetable of four trains each way. The Tickets available are Day Rover Tickets which allow unlimited travel for the day of issue subject to the timetable and concessions are available for Seniors and Children aged 5 to 15. Under Fives are free. Online Tickets are now available for our Winter Steam Festival on the 30th December and can also be booked over the phone on 01643 704996 or on the day at the Booking offices. To book online click the logo below:

Resignalling of Bishops Lydeard Railway Station brings second National Award of week for West Somerset Railway

On Wednesday December 6th the West Somerset Railway received its second National Award of the week when it was awarded joint first prize in the competition for the “Westinghouse Signalling Award for the Best Restored Operational Signal Box or Signalling Installation.”  The WSR gained the award for its installation of the signalling at Bishops Lydeard Station.
The resignalling work was carried out by WSR staff and volunteers from the West Somerset Railway Association to meet the demands of increasing numbers of trains and passengers on the WSR and also as part of the work to upgrade the links between the Bishops Lydeard – Minehead line and its link to the National Network at Norton Fitzwarren.
The award was accepted in the Merchant  Taylors Hall, Threadneedle Street, London, by West Somerset Railway General Manager Manager Paul Conibeare and Deputy Operating Superintendent Pat Langan.  Mr Conibeare commented:- “It is always pleasing to receive awards on behalf of the “family” of volunteers and staff who make up the West Somerset Railway, especially as the competition for the Westinghouse Award is truly national and includes Network Rail plus other “heritage” railways.  When the Bishops Lydeard project began we had a Great Western Railway signal box structure and some signal posts without any of the actual signalling arms. Now , after many years of hard work, the whole site is fully and correctly signalled with traditional semaphore equipment and as well as our own trains the Bishops Lydeard signalmen are controlling an increasing number of  excursion trains travelling to and from the mainline network.”
Mr Conibeare continued.  “Over the years many people have worked on the Bishops Lydeard project and all contributions have been invaluable to its success.
The joint winners of the Westinghouse Award were Network Rail for their restoration of Bury St. Edmunds Yard Signal Box.

A Hat Trick of Railway of the Year Awards
for the West Somerset Railway

For the third year running the West Somerset Railway has been awarded a top National Heritage “Railway of the Year” accolade.  In 2004 it was voted the Ian Allan Publishing Independent Railway of the Year winner, in 2005 it received the Heritage Railway award and now in 2006 it has once again won the Ian Allan trophy. 
WSR General Manager Paul Conibeare explained why the Railway is particularly pleased with its latest trophy.  “The Ian Allan judges pay an incognito visit to each of the preserved railways around the country, buy tickets and spend the day travelling as members of the public, with an interest in railways who are having a day out”. He continued, “They judge us on the quality of our service, the presentation and helpfulness of our staff, the stations, the catering, the toilets and the day as a whole. Nor have we got the field to ourselves. There are nearly 200 heritage railways in Britain, all working to present themselves as a quality day out to their customers, so to win a major award for three years in a row speaks volumes for the hard work put in by every member of our team of volunteers and staff.”
Paul is also looking forward to the next few years. “Since I took over the General Manager’s chair in March there have been some highly significant developments that will affect the Railway and the area we serve for years to come. Probably the most important is the completion of the upgrade of the signalling at the junction at Norton Fitzwarren to improve access to and from the main line network. We have already seen a major increase in the number of charter trains coming in to Minehead and two charter trains going out whilst the diesel “shuttles” that were operated by First Great Western Trains during our Autumn Steam Gala in October were very successful and showed our continuing ability to deal with regular operations between ourselves and main line companies. We are continuing to increase the amount of group travel using the Railway year on year and W.A. Shearings have, after many years of visiting the West Somerset and assessing their customers’ opinions doubled their level of bookings for 2007.  Our 2007 plans include an extra event aimed at the enthusiast market, which is the “Mixed Traffic Gala Weekend on the 15th, 16th and 17th of June, and for the non-enthusiast we are promoting a “Walking Week” in May. A major growth area for our business continues to be the “Steam Enginemen Courses” which give those taking part an introduction into the driving and firing of steam locomotives.
 All of this will continue to place demands on the time of everyone connected with the Railway and if anyone wishes to join the ranks of our volunteers they should contact the West Somerset Railway Association on 01823 433856.”
The West Somerset Railway carried over 1400 passengers to the Dunster By Candlelight event at the start of December and is currently running its programme of “Santa Trains”.  After Christmas it will run services over the line between Bishops Lydeard (near Taunton) and Minehead each day between December 27th and January 2nd with the Winter Steam Festival taking place on December 30th.

Famous British Director Retraces his Steps

Film director Richard Lester was back on the railway line to Minehead for the first time in over 40 years on Wednesday 6th December when a BBC unit visited the West Somerset Railway for the filming of a new series “A Comedy Map of Great Britain”.

Although born in Philadelphia in 1932 Richard Lester moved to Britain in 1954 and soon began to gain a reputation as a top director of television and film comedy. Able to work with talented people who were that little bit “different” and sometimes “difficult” he was a director for some of the Goons ventures into the visual media such as “Idiot Weekly” and “The Running, Jumping and Standing Still Film”.

Whilst neither of the above were exactly enormous popular hits they did appeal to the sense of humour of John Lennon and when a director was being sought for the first Beatles Feature Film “A Hard Day’s Night” the appointment of Lester to the Director’s chair was a popular one and viewed as a good move in the industry..

Up to that point feature films about pop acts had been about their “struggles to succeed” and the wonderful carefree life they led once success was in place.  Lester’s direction and Alun Owen’s script was funny, quite often sardonic in tone, but also showed the “Fab Four” as at least partially trapped by their very success.

Some of the key sequences in what one critic was moved to describe as “The “Citizen Kane” of jukebox movies” took place on a train and these sequences included shots taken in and around Crowcombe Heathfield station, hence the return of Richard Lester to the WSR.  A special train hauled by 3850 was run to allow in-train filming.

“A Comedy Map of Great Britain” is due to be shown on BBC2 on Saturday nights at 8 p.m. in 2007

7828 Odney Manor Progress

On the 29th November the main driving wheels of 7828 Odney Manor left the West Somerset Railway for Bootham Engineers at Avonmouth to have the Crank pins turned. Also completed is the shotblasting of the frames and work progresses on the horn faces (parts where the axles boxes slide) which is a significant step forward. The Tender is still running behind the the Railways much aclaimed and succesful mogul 9351. For more information on Odney Manor and how you can help with return this Stalwart to running order please click here.

First Run of the High Output Ballast Cleaner

Please click the image here for more details

Sales and Skating in Taunton

After Christmas the West Somerset Railway is running trains daily between December 27th and January 2nd and this coincides rather nicely with the Open Air Skating Rink in the centre of Taunton.

If passengers catch the 1015 train from Minehead and then the 28 or 28A bus from Bishops Lydeard into Taunton (through tickets for the bus and train can be purchased at Minehead, Dunster, Blue Anchor, Watchet and Williton stations) they can alight at the river bridge in the middle of Taunton from which it is a five minute walk to the site of the rink, between the Brewhouse Theatre and Somerset’s County Cricket Ground. 

Alternatively if you don’t wish for all this mid-winter open air athleticism then there are the post-Christmas sales in all the major shops and the bridge stop (or the bus station) puts you right in the middle of the town.

For information about the First Bus services during this period contact 01823 272033 or see www.traveline.org.uk or see the where to find us page.

International appeal of “Santa Trains” on the West Somerset Railway

Volunteers and staff of the West Somerset Railway are currently very busy with bookings for the programme of “Santa Express” and “Santa Special” trains in December but a form that arrived via the fax line on Monday 14th November came as a surprise when the address was read.
“Virtually all of our bookings for the “Santas” come from Somerset and the neighbouring counties”, said WSR General Manager Paul Conibeare, “but the Thompson family have sent in one of our leaflets from Providence Portal in New South Wales to book on the 10.10 Santa Express from Bishops Lydeard on the 10th December. We will be interested to meet them and to find out if we are part of a family visit to Great Britain and why they have selected the WSR for a festive outing. It’s rather nice to know that our reputation for quality has reached the other side of the world.”
Previous years Santa operations on the West Somerset have brought visitors from as far afield as Zimbabwe and the 2004 and 2006 “Days Out With “Thomas” events in July produced families from Japan where the little blue tank engine and his adventures have a major following.

Year of Achievement for West Somerset Steam Railway Trust

The West Somerset Steam Railway Trust, the charitable and educational trust associated with the West Somerset Railway, is one of those bodies that rarely finds its activities featuring prominently in the press. Normally its most public face is the charming railway museum at Blue Anchor which quietly welcomes visitors on Sundays during the Railway operating season and tells some of the story of the Great Western Railway. 2006 has, however, been a year which has seen the culmination of two 20-year projects by the Trust.
Firstly, the restoration of Great Western Railway Sleeping Car no. 9038 is in its final stages. Rescued from a bungalow at Stogursey in West Somerset in 1986 and painstakingly restored to show the elegance of long distance rail travel when Queen Victoria was still on the throne, it is expected to be on display at the Gauge Museum at Bishops Lydeard railway station for the 2007 season.
The other project has come to fruition this year is Ian Coleby’s masterful history “The Minehead Branch 1848 – 1971”. Ian is the Trust’s Archivist and two decades of research and preparation have produced a comprehensive 300 page book detailing the history of the line all the way from first beginnings up to closure in 1971. The volume is richly illustrated by the most comprehensive set of photographs of the line yet published. The book is an invaluable research tool for the local historian or railway modeller and also an absorbing read. Copies can be purchased from the station shops on the West Somerset Railway or post free from Lightmoor Press at www.lightmoor.co.uk and royalties go to the Trust.
“This has been a remarkable year of achievement for the Trust”, said Steam Trust Director Robin White. “The West Somerset Railway continues to go from strength to strength in past years and is now one of the premier steam lines in the country. We are now planning to see how the Trust can play its full part in that continuing success”.
Details of the Trust’s activities (and opening times of Blue Anchor Railway Museum) can be found on the Trust’s new website at www.wssrt.co.uk

Minehead and District Camera Club present Steam Recreations By Don Bishop LRPS

The Minehead and District Camera Club present Steam Recreations, our Railway Heritage, an ilustrated slide lecture by Don Bishop LRPS of Steam Recreations and whose pictures appear on many pages of this website. The Lecture will be held at the Church Institute Hall in Bancks Street in Minehead on Monday 20th November at 19:30 with the doors opening at 19:00. Admission is free though a collection will be taken and it will be a unique opportunity to see some of the best Steam Railway Photography from the West Somerset Railway.

Steam used on Freight

A STEAM POWERED FREIGHT TRAIN
RETURNS TO THE WEST SOMERSET COUNTRYSIDE

The sound of a Swindon-built Great Western steam engine working a commercial freight train returned to the West Somerset coast on Monday November 6th when “Pannier Tank” locomotive 6412 was to be found at the head of an engineering train.
6412 left Minehead and ran to the Permanent Way Department’s yard at Dunster from where it took wagon loads of sleepers for track relaying during the period when the 20 mile long “heritage” line is closed for the first part of its winter maintenance programme before the popular “Santa Trains” begin to operate in December.
The West Somerset is no stranger to freight operations, having in recent years carried large loads of stone for coastal defence and river bank protection on a contract basis on several occasions. However these have used locomotives from main line freight operating companies.
WSR General Manager Paul Conibeare expanded further on the theme “We run works trains as required throughout the year, but particularly in the winter months”. he said. “However we usually hire diesel locomotives from the Diesel and Electric Group at Williton for these. However no Williton engine was available for November 6th and so 6412 brought the sound of the branch line pick-up goods train back to the WSR for one day.  Maintenance always has to be fitted-in around passenger train operations so the November to March period is a particularly busy time for our staff and volunteers in the workshops and along the line”

Railway Runs at Night

EXCURSION TRAIN TO LONDON MEANS EARLY START AND LONG DAY FOR WEST SOMERSET RAILWAY

The operation of Past Time Rail’s steam hauled excursion train between Minehead and London Paddington on Saturday November 18th will mean an early start and a late finish for the volunteers and staff of the West Somerset Railway.
“The empty coaching stock for the excursion will arrive at Taunton at 3.59 in the morning”, said WSR General Manager Paul Conibeare, “and that means our conductor driver and guard will have to be booked on at Taunton ready to join their mainline colleagues for a trip along the branch line to Minehead.  And once the train is on to our line the signalmen will have to be in their signalboxes to ensure its safe passage”.
The train will leave Minehead at 7.00 a.m. behind the Great Western steam loco number 6024 “King Edward I” and is due to arrive in Paddington at 1.00 p.m.  Its return journey behind a diesel locomotive begins at 5.30 p.m. and the train is due back in Minehead at 9.30 p.m.  “However” said Mr Conibeare “our day is not over. Once the last of the passengers have made their way homeward the diesel engine and coaches will be heading back to the main line and that means that our crews will be on duty until around midnight before the working day is done. This is not the first time we have had signalboxes open during the night and no doubt we will have to do it from time to time in the future as the demand for excursion trains using the new junction arrangements at Norton Fitzwarren, recently funded by Somerset County, Taunton Deane and West Somerset District Councils, grows.” Seats are still available on the train and can be booked by contacting Past Time Rail on 0871 8714119.

2007 WEST SOMERSET RAILWAY CALENDAR IS APPROACHING A SELL-OUT

The West Somerset Railway’s 2007 Calendar is shaping up to be the best-seller to date with only some 250 of the original print run unsold.  If you would like to obtain one they will cost you £3.99 over the counter at the station shops and sales counters or £5.00 if you would like to purchase by mail order.  To place a phone order ring either the Minehead shop (01643 700387) or the Bishops Lydeard one (01823 432125).

POPULAR CHRISTMAS CARD DESIGN REPRINTED

The 2007 Calendar will not be reprinted but back in print for this year is the popular West Somerset Railway Christmas Card featuring Don Bishop’s photograph of 7820 “Dinmore Manor” in the snowas seen above. A packet of 5 cards costs £2.45 over the counter and £3.00 including p&p.

Salisbury Express leaves Minehead

At 09:30 exactly the Salisbury Express left Minehead for Salisbury hauled by a class 47 diesel and Black five Number 45231 'The Sherwood Forester' for its trip to Salisbury the Train was hauled with the Black Five facing Minhead with the Diesel facing towards Taunton. Once on the National Network the train will have the steam engine in front for the run down to Exeter and Salisbury. Please see the pictures below taken by Martyn Snell.

2007 Special Event details now available

The dates for the 2007 Special Events and links to some of the details are now on our Special Events page which can be viewed by clicking here. More details will be added as soon as we get them and any new events will be posted here as well as on this page.

New Book on the West Somerset Railway By Ian Coleby

The West Somerset Steam Railway Trust's book "The Minehead Branch" is being published on 6th October and launched at the Gauge Museum at Bishops Lydeard Station at 7pm - all are welcome. Author Ian Coleby will be signing copies all weekend in Bishops Lydeard Station shop.

Railtours from Minehead

On Wednesday 11th October 2006 a Steam hauled journey from Minehead to Salisbury stopping at stations along the West Somerset Railway will depart from Minehead at 09.30 and arrive at Salisbury at 13:45 with three hours before the return working. The train will travel from Taunton via Exeter and be banked by a Diesel up the steep gradient to Exeter Central Station. The train will be Hauled by Black Five number 45231 to Salisbury and return with Diesel Haulage. Further Booking details can be found on the Steam Dreams Website or by calling them on 01483 209888.

On Saturday 18th November 2006 a Steam Hauled Journey to London Paddington leaving Minehead at 06:45 and giving four hours in London before the return working. The Journey to London via Taunton and Reading will be Hauled by King Edward 1with a Diesel Hauled return. Further Details can be found on Past Time Rail's Website or by calling 08718 714119. MJS

Other Railtour operators Website Links can be Found by Clicking here. For more information about Railtours from the Wes Somerset Railway please see our Railtours Page.

From Broad Gauge to Broadband

Local Company Completes Installation of New Technology at Minehead Station

With an ever-increasing level of advance bookings, enquiries and other business being transacted by the West Somerset Railway over the Internet the West Somerset Railway has had its computer and communications network at Minehead updated to full broadband specification. In line with the WSR policy of using local suppliers wherever possible the contract for the work was placed with Edward Martin Computer Systems of Williton and the job was completed at the start of the second week in August.
West Somerset Railway General Manager Paul Conibeare commented on this latest development. “Although the heart of our business is the operation of vintage trains under the control of time-honoured operating systems we are ever-mindful of the need to embrace new ideas and technology in the spirit of Brunel and the other great engineers of the Victorian period. No doubt when they were handing work to the copy clerks for manual transcription and forwarding to lists of interested people they must have contemplated a means whereby they could do the job more quickly and would have appreciated the possibilities offered by computers and the Net. It is however ironic to note in this 200th Anniversary of his birthday that Brunel did not believe in electronic communications and let the early telegraph system on the original Great Western Railway to fall into disuse”. To mark the formal handover of the broadband installation Eddie Martin handed over a laptop computer to Paul Conibeare at 4.00 p.m. on August 16th at Minehead Station. PC

More Gala News.....

The West Somerset Railway’s Autumn Steam Gala is traditionally a smaller event than its Season Opener in March but courtesy of the upgraded signalling and junction at Norton Fitzwarren the Autumn Gala between October 5th and 8th will be featuring a line-up of up to a dozen engines working main line trains between Bishops Lydeard and Minehead.
Great Western designs will predominate with a list consisting of 1450, 3850, 4247, 5164, 5553, 6024, 6412 and 9351 (of these 3850, 4247, and 5164 will be making their WSR Gala debuts).  The Southern representative will be 850 “Lord Nelson”, whilst LMS “Black 5” 45231 will be available in the gap between main line excursion duties.  Somerset and Dorset 88 and B.R. Standard 80136 complete the line-up and the Washford Yard shunt will see Peckett 0-4-0ST “Kilmersdon” in action.
A new feature of the Gala will be a train link between Taunton and Bishops Lydeard operated by First Great Western. WSR Chairman Chris Austin has put a lot of effort into getting this in place and provisionally seven trains are planned for Saturday 7th October and six for Sunday 8th.  The trains will be operated by FGW who will also take the fares and will be the first chance for passengers to change trains for the Minehead line in 35 years.  Fuller details will appear on WSR websites when they are finalised. There will also be special bus links between Taunton Station, the Silk Mills Park and Ride facility and Bishops Lydeard station on all four days.
850 “Lord Nelson” and 6024 “King Edward I” both date from the period when the “Big Four” companies were vying for the title of owning “the most powerful steam locomotive in Britain” based on tractive effort and will offer an interesting contrast in designs which once worked the main expresses to the West of England.
The West Somerset has produced its usual Gala Information package including Lineside Photographic Pass Application Forms and local accommodation details. These can be obtained by ringing 01643 704996. JS

Lord Nelson Arrives.....

Another famous locomotive from the age of steam has arrived at the West Somerset Railway’s headquarters at Minehead, via the upgraded junction and signalling at Norton Fitzwarren.
Southern Railway Number 850 “Lord Nelson” was designed by R.E.L. Maunsell to meet a requirement to be able to haul a 500 ton train at an average speed of 55 miles per hour.  It was built at the Eastleigh Locomotive Works in 1926 and was the first of a class of 16 locomotives, all named after famous British Admirals.  They headed the main prestige express trains of the Southern, such as the “Atlantic Coast Express” and the Boat Trains to Dover and Southampton until succeeded by O.V. Bulleid’s “Merchant Navy” engines.  The “Nelsons” were withdrawn from service at the start of the 1960’s but number 850 was saved as part of the collection of the National Railway Museum.  It was kept in storage until the 1970’s and was then restored for work on Steam Railtours operations on the main line network in the 1980’s, including the Settle to Carlisle line.
After 10 years it was withdrawn for a heavy overhaul which was carried out by the Eastleigh Railway Preservation Society in the workshops where it was originally built. During this period Eastleigh Works was closed and so it was that “Lord Nelson” completed a century of locomotive overhauls at the Hampshire site.
The engine was towed to Minehead by diesel locomotives on August 16th and will be on static display there for the next couple of weeks. It will begin running –in work in September and should haul some West Somerset Railway trains in the autumn including a hoped-for appearance during the Autumn Steam Gala between October 6th and 8th.
WSR General Manager Paul Conibeare commented: - “Anticipation of the visit of “Lord Nelson” has been mounting for some months with our office staff fielding regular enquiries about its arrival. Significantly its arrival was the third movement in less than a week from the main line network as we have also seen coaches from main line charter companies arriving and departing between works on the National Network. Number 850 dates from a classic period of steam engine building and our locomotive crews look forward to comparing it first hand with the Great Western “Castles” and “Kings which date from 1923 and 1927 respectively. JS

For more information about the Eastleigh Railway Preservation Society Click here.

Autumn Steam Gala updates.....

Two Great Western tank engines – ‘5101’ Class 2-6-2T No 5164 and 14xx 0-4-2T No 1450 – have now been confirmed to appear at the Railway’s Autumn Steam Gala on 5-8 October 2006.   No 5164 – which has been resident on the Severn Valley Railway since 1973 – was built by the GWR at Swindon in October 1930, and between 1956 and 1961 was based in the West Country at Newton Abbot shed.  The ‘Large Prairie’ was returned to service after overhaul by the SVR last year, resplendent in Great Western livery.   Auto tank No 1450, owned by Mike Little and currently working at the Dean Forest Railway, will be making its second visit to the WSR.   The engine will share the working of the auto train during the Gala with 0-6-0PT No 6412.
The Gala line-up now comprises (in numerical order):  Nos 88, 1450, 3850, 4247, 5164,
5553, 6024, 6412, 9351 & 80136. JS