Join us for our annual celebration of all things diesels between Thursday 5th to Saturday 7th of June, plus a Mixed Traction Day on Sunday 8th June.
This year, the event is particularly special, with it being a major part of the Railway 200 celebrations - a nationwide event celebrating the 200th anniversary of the modern railway. At this event, we will be representing the Western Region, with a selection of locomotive types that could have been seen on the Western Region, or for that matter in the West Country.
The weekend will feature a wide selection of locomotives including visiting and home fleet locomotives which are looked after by the Diesel and Electric Preservation Group at Williton.
An intensive timetable will be operating on all four days allowing you to hop from train to train to travel behind all your favourite locomotives and enjoy a truly thrashtastic day behind some of the best heritage diesel traction available! Some trains will continue past Bishops Lydeard and run to the very end of our line at Norton Fitzwarren, utilising a stretch of the line that is very rarely used for passenger trains!
On Sunday 8th of June, we will be holding a Mixed Traction Day. This will be an extended day to our Summer Diesel Festival, with a mix of steam and diesel locomotives hauling passenger trains.We will be offering Kids for a quid on this day, for pre booked passengers only. This discount will be applied to the child one day rover for the Sunday only.
The Williton Depot Centre of the DEPG will be open during the event. Admission is by donation, which helps the Group to maintain and restore the fleet of vintage machines.
Confirmed locomotives for the Summer Diesel Festival:
- Class 03 No. D2133
- Class 14 'Teddy Bear' No. D9526
- Class 25 No. 25185
- Class 33 'Crompton' Nos. D6566 & D6575
- Class 35 'Hymek' No. D7018
- Class 45 ‘Peak’ No. 45108
- Class 50 ‘Hoover’ No. 50015 “Valiant”
- Class 52 ‘Western’ No. D1015 ‘Western Champion’
All locomotives and attractions are subject to availability and may be changed at short notice.
Highlights include:
- Intensive ‘high mileage’ timetable operating on all four days, with all 23 miles of route in operation.
- A mix of visiting and home locomotives in action, including both diesel electric and diesel hydraulic locomotives
- For the first time, utilising spare timetable paths, experience the front seat views from one of our heritage goods brake vans (additional T&Cs apply)
- Pairing of Diesel Hydraulics
- 126 miles of peak action on offer on the Saturday
- Class 33’s working in multiple on the Friday
- Shunter action with D2133 on the Friday and Sunday
- Cider Festival at Minehead on the 6th and 7th
- Williton Diesel depot open for visitors, with locomotives in various states on display, including Rail Adventure's Class 43s No. 43465 and 43484 on display.
Tickets are available to pre-book now at a discounted advance rate.
Please note that advanced ticket sales for each day will cut off at 10am the previous day.
West Somerset Railway Public Limited Company
West Somerset Railway,
The Railway Station,
Minehead Somerset,
TA24 5BG