Spring Steam Gala 2009

21st & 22nd and the 26th to the 29th March 2009

Visting Loco's

Home Loco's

All locomotives are listed in Good faith and correct at the time of writing

The West Somerset Railway Spring Steam Gala is a great way to start your 2009 Steam Season and is now firmly established as one of the top heritage railway events of the year.

The 2009 event promises to be one of our best ever and be up to the very high quality of successful Steam Galas held over recent years. If you have never sampled a WSR Spring Steam Gala you just don’t know what you’re missing!

This year the event takes place over two weekends, each weekend being slightly different from the other.

Quick Links

• Highlights
• Locomotives
• Catering
• Restaurant Car
• Museums & Model Railways
• Shed Visits
• Turntable
• Souvenir Programmes
• Book Signings
• Free Bus Link
• Timetable
• Tickets
• Booking Form

Highlights

• At least 12 locomotives in service.
• Debut of at least three types never to have worked on the WSR
• More Guest Engines are being sought
• LMS 46100 Royal Scot
• A4 Pacific 60019 Bittern
• GWR King Class 6024 King Edward 1
• BR (S) Rebuilt Pacific 34046 Braunton
• GWR 0-6-2T No 6695
• Plus the WSR home fleet of engines
• Intensive Timetable
• Restaurant car service on selected trains every day
• Local Train in service
• New former GWR turntable in operation at Minehead
• Sheds/Workshops at Minehead and Williton open for inspection on Saturday and Sunday
• ‘Standby’ steam locomotive for close inspection in Williton Diesel Depot Yard
• Museums, model railways, gift shops, refreshments
• Free connecting bus link between Taunton Railway
• Station, Silk Mill Park and Ride and Bishops Lydeard station every day of the Gala
• Special new colour souvenir programme
• Day and Weekend Rover Tickets - cheaper if you buy in advance

Locomotives

The following locomotives are expected to be in action at the Gala:

• LMS Royal Scott 4-6-0 No. 46100 Royal Scot
• LMS Black Five 4-6-0 No. 45231 The Sherwood Forester
• LNER A4 4-6-2 Pacific No. 60019 Bittern
• GWR King Class 4-6-0 No. 6024 King Edward1
• GWR Hall Class 4-6-0 No: 4936 Kinlet Hall
• SR ‘West Country’ Rebuilt Pacific 4-6-2 No 34046 ‘Braunton
• GWR 56xx 0-6-2T No 6695
• S & DJR 7F 2-8-0 No 88
• GWR “4575” 2-6-2T No 5553
• GWR “2800” 2-8-0 No 3850
• WSR 2-6-0 No 9351

All locomotives subject to availability

Catering

Bar and buffet facilities will be available throughout the Gala on most trains serving a very good range of high quality hot and cold food, tea/coffee and a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
At Bishops Lydeard, light refreshments will be on offer in the W.S.R.A Wheel Tappers Buffet in the WSRA Shop. The Station Kiosk at Minehead selling a range of hot and cold drinks and snacks. There will also be food vans at Bishops Lydeard, Williton, Watchet and Minehead.

Restaurant Car Services

The W.S.R.A ‘Quantock Belle’ staff will provide a Restaurant car service of the popular ‘all day’ breakfast and other hot meals together with a bar and buffet service on every day of the Gala on the following services: Please note there is a small supplement of £1.00 per person for travelling First Class in the “Quantock Belle” salon payable to the Chief Steward on the train.

Museums & Model Railways

The Gauge Museum at Bishops Lydeard, Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust museum at Washford and Blue Anchor Railway Museum will all be open. Trackwork display at Crowcombe Heathfield. The Taunton Model Railway Group’s base at Bishops Lydeard will also be open (small separate admission charge payable).

Shed Visits

MINEHEAD shed will be open from 10am to 5pm on both Saturdays & Sundays (admission charge of £1 per person). Come and see engines ‘resting’ on shed in between their duties, and visit the workshop and view work on the overhaul of BR(W) ‘Manor’ 4-6-0 No 7828 Odney Manor.
WILLITON works will be open from 10am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday (Admission by donation). This is where the complete rebuild of ‘Braunton’ has taken place over the last 11 years.
WILLITON DEPG Diesel Depot Visior Centre and Yard will be open every day of the Gala from 10am to 5pm (Admission by donation). Several Heritage Diesel locomotives will be berthed on the depot plus the ‘standby’ steam locomotive that you will be able to ‘cab’.

Turntable

Following successful trials at Gala's late last year, you will be able to see steam locomotives turned on our fully restored former GWR locomotive turntable. A feature that was common in the days of mainline steam 40 years ago, yet rarely found on today’s Heritage Steam Railways. The bonus at Minehead is that you can stand on the platform and see the locomotives turn.

Locomotives 60019 and 6100 are currently above the permitted load for the turntable at Minehead and will therefore not be turned during this event. However below is a list of what will be turned and when; All turns are 180 degrees unless otherwise stated:

SATURDAY 21ST  START OF DAY
FACING MD – 6100, 60019, 45231, 34028, 5553
FACING BL – 6695, 4936, 34046, 88
TURNING TIMES

• 45231 – 0943
• 34028 – 1142
• 88 - 1410
• 34046 - 1505

SUNDAY 22ND  START OF DAY
FACING MD – 6100, 60019, 34046, 5553, 88
FACING BL – 3850, 45231, 34028, 4936, 6695
TURNING TIMES

• 34046 – 1150
• 45231 – 1410
• 6695 – 1820

THURSDAY 26TH  START OF DAY
FACING MD – 6100, 60019, 6695, 4936, 45231, 88
FACING BL – 34046, 34028
TURNING TIMES

• 4936 – 1135
• 45231 – 1505
• 6695 – 1730

FRIDAY 27TH  START OF DAY
FACING MD – 6100, 60019, 5553,88
FACING BL – 34028, 3850, 6695, 4936, 34046, 45231
TURNING TIMES

• 5553 – 1044 
• 88 – 1044 
  
• 4936 – 1140  
  
• 34028 – 1410
  
• 34046 – 1823
  
• 45231 - 1855

SATURDAY 28TH  START OF DAY
FACING MD – 6100, 60019, 34046, 45231, 34028
FACING BL – 88, 6695, 4936, 5553, 3850
TURNING TIMES

• 34046 - 1320 (Turns 360)
• 3850 – 1410 (Turns 360)
• 88 – 1510 (Turns 360)
• 34028 – 1610
• 45231 – 1720
• 4936 - 1747

SUNDAY 29TH  START OF DAY
FACING MD – 6100, 60019, 45231, 34046, 4936
FACING BL – 3850, 6695, 5553, 88, 34028
TURNING TIMES

• 4936 – 1142
• 45231 –  1251
• 34046 – 1251
• 88 – 1438

Souvenir Programme

Our new format colour souvenir programme which will include the complete working timetable & locomotive rosters for all four days will be available from mid-March from Minehead and at all stations during the event and priced at £2.50 per copy.

Book Signings During the Gala

At Blue Anchor Station local Author Richard Derry will be signing some of his many books from Thursday 26th March to Sunday 29th.

At Minehead Alan Hammond, author of many Somerset and Dorset Railway books, will be signing copies over all six days and David Williams will be signing his new book and accompaning DVD, the West Somerset Railway, Past and Present Companion on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th March.

Free Bus Link

It is likely that our car parks will become full very quickly during the forthcoming Gala.  Please give serious consideration to using one of the below methods of getting to Bishops Lydeard station  if that is to be your starting point.  On all  six days a special FREE BUS SERVICE will link to Bishops Lydeard from Taunton Railway Station and the free Park and Ride car park at Silk Mill (will be signposted from A38 and A358) The service which will run at least every 30 minutes starts from the Railway Station at 09.30 up until the last train arrival at Bishops Lydeard. Collecting point at Taunton Railway Station will be under the Station Bridge on exiting the station past the ticket office.  For a map of the Park and Ride location, go to www.tauntonflyer.co.uk/routes.html
The Timetable for this is as follows:

PLEASE GIVE THESE SERVICES SERIOUS CONSIDERATION

For a map of car parks in Minehead close to the station please visit www.stayminehead.co.uk/map.html

A special free bus service linking Taunton Rail Station, the Park and Ride car park at Silk Mill and Bishops Lydeard Station will run at least every thirty minutes on all six days. The service will stop for WSR passengers under the Taunton Station Bridge each day (those coming off Taunton Rail Station, there is no need to cross the road, simply leave the station and follow the pavement round to the overbridge) with the last bus connecting with the final train arrival at Bishops Lydeard.

Morning Service

Afternoon Service

FIRST BUS Service 28 bus collects from the down side of Taunton Station at 5 & 35 minutes past the hour except Sunday when it runs at 30 minutes past only. £2.90 single to Bishops Lydeard.

Service 300. This Sundays-only service is operated by Quantock Motor Services. The easy access, low floor open top double deck bus departs Taunton Castle Way at 8.45am, calling at Taunton Railway Station at 8.50am, and WSR's Bishops Lydeard Railway Station at 9.05am. The return bus calls at Bishops Lydeard Railway Station at 6.40pm, Taunton Railway Station at 6.55pm and Taunton Castle Way at 7pm. If planning to use this service, please check with Quantock Motor Services before you travel.

Timetables

Tickets

Please note that ALL privilege tickets, free passes and voucher facilities will NOT apply at the Spring Steam Gala. Special Event fares apply to all passengers. Discounts are available on Rover Tickets purchased IN ADVANCE - see the Booking Form or buy tickets online by clicking on the ticket.web logo below:

THE BEST WAY TO ENJOY THE SPRING STEAM GALA IS TO PURCHASE A
ROVER TICKET - WHICH GIVES YOU COMPLETE FREEDOM TO TRAVEL
ON THE LINE FOR THE VALIDITY OF THE TICKET.

All Information is listed in good faith and is subject to availability.

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