Join us for our much-loved annual celebration of all things Diesel, our Summer Diesel Festival, which this year runs between Thursday 4th to Saturday 6th of June. If you love Diesels, this is the place to be!
You can expect to experience a feast of Diesel action, which will include multiple visiting locomotives and our faithful home locomotives, all working hard hauling a variety of services through the Quantock Hills and along the Bristol Channel.
This year, the event is particularly special, as we celebrate our 50th anniversary of the railway. At the event, we will have a selection of Diesel types that have had a connection with the WSR over the years.
We will be operating an intensive timetable on all three days, allowing you to hop from train to train to travel behind all of 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 southern end of our line at Norton Fitzwarren, utilising a stretch of line that is very rarely used for passenger trains!
On Sunday 7th of June, we will hold a Mixed Traction Day. This will be an extention to our Summer Diesel Festival, with a mixture of steam and Diesel locomotives hauling passenger trains.
The Williton Depot Centre of the DEPG will be open over the event. Admission is by donation, which helps the Group to maintain and restore the fleet of vintage machines.
Visiting Locomotives
- Class 37 No. 37250 courtesy of Vince Minto and Wensleydale Railway
- Class 47 No. 47714 courtesy of Wensleydale Railway
Further visiting locomotives are in discussion and will be announced soon.
Home Fleet
- Shunters
- Class 14 No. D9526
- Class 33 'Crompton' Nos. D6566 & D6575
- Class 35 ' Hymek' No. D7017
All locomotives and attractions are subject to availability and may be changed at short notice.
We’ll be updating this page with more information soon.
Important information
We have 1-day tickets at an advance rate or multiple day tickets which offer a discount on the bundle available through our website.
Advance tickets are available to purchase up until 24 hours before the day of travel. This enables us to prepare your wristbands and to ensure all ticket information can be downloaded to our ticket machines. After the 24-hour period, tickets can still be purchased on the day from the booking office. Rover tickets will be at the on the day fare listed below.
If you would like guidance on how to book your tickets, please see the instructions below under the title 'How to Book Multiday Tickets'. Please ensure you check your multiday tickets are for the right day before proceeding to checkout.
Wristbands will be issued on your first day of travel from either Bishops Lydeard or Minehead stations for Rover tickets only. You will be asked to identify your preference for collection at the check-out of your order. Under 5's do not need to wear a wristband.
Our special offer 'Kids for a Quid' is back for Sunday 7th June only, These tickets can only be purchased through our website up to 10am on Saturday 6th June 2026. Otherwise, tickets for the full on the day child fare can be purchased from the booking office.
DATES & TIMES
Dates & Times |
|---|
Prices | |
|---|---|
| Adult Summer Diesel Festival Day Rover | £42.50 |
| Child (age 5 -15) Summer Diesel Festival Day Rover | £22.00 |
| Registered Carer Summer Diesel Festival Day Rover | Free |
| Dog Ticket Summer Diesel Festival Day Rover | £3.50 |
Prices in advance and on the day
|
Ticket Type |
In advance Price |
On the day |
|
Adult 1 Day Rover |
£42.50 |
£47.50 |
|
Child 1 day Rover |
£22.00 |
£24.50 |
|
Under 5 |
£0.00 |
£0.00 |
|
Adult 2 Day Rover |
£75.00 |
£80.00 |
|
Child 2 Day Rover |
£38.00 |
£41.00 |
|
Adult 3 Day Rover |
£102.50 |
£107.50 |
|
Child 3 Day Rover |
£51.50 |
£54.50 |
|
Adult 4 Day Rover |
£125.00 |
£135.00 |
Class 37 No. 37250
We are excited to announce the first visiting locomotive that will be joining us for our Summer Diesel Festival and additional Mixed Traction Day, taking place between Thursday 4th and Sunday 7th of June 2026.
Class 37 No. 37250 joins us courtesy of Vince Minto and Wensleydale Railway. Although we’ve had a number of 37s operate on our railway in the past, this is 37250’s debut and will join us in its striking EWS (red and gold/amber) Livery.
37250 entered service with British Rail in December 1964 as D6950 from English Electric Vulcan Foundry where it was built and was first allocated to Cardiff Canton depot. In February 1974 the locomotive was renumbered as 37250. 37250 was exported to France to assist with the construction of the new TGV Mediterranean high-speed line in July 1999 then returned to the UK in September 2000 and remained in storage until it was bought for preservation in 2008 and started for the first time in preservation in March 2012; it then moved under its own power for the first time in preservation a month later.
This popular locomotive joins us to represent the common sight of class 37’s on the line while working the Minehead stone traffic in the late 1990’s, where the West Somerset Railway played a key role in delivering more than 105,000 tonnes of rock to Minehead for use in the ‘Sea Defence Scheme’. The working known as the ‘Minehead Stones’ was operated mainly by a single EWS class 37 hauling a rake of open turbot wagons. The services operated between two separate periods in 1997 and 1998 where a total of 48 different class 37s visited the branch. Although 37250 didn’t operate one of these trains, it represents a key moment in our history – one of many that we’re looking to celebrate in our 50th year of operation, in 2026.
Class 47 No. 47714
47714 is one of 512 Class 47 diesel locomotives built between 1962 and 1968 by Brush at Loughborough and by British Railways at Crewe and was released to traffic in November 1966 as D1955. The loco was then renumbered to 47511 in 1974 and operated until 1985 when she was sent for a rebuild to a Class 47/7 locomotive for use in Scotland.
After use in Scotland 47714 was reallocated to the ‘network southeast’ territory and once NSE dispensed of their 47/7 fleet, 47714 was once again reallocated, this time to the infamous Rail Express Systems (BR’s Postal Team), where she enjoyed a further few years hauling parcel trains around the length/breadth of the county.
By the turn of the millennium 47714 could be found hauling trains around the Anglian region.
In summer 2024 47714 entered her most recent chapter when she joined the Wensleydale railway locomotive fleet, most recently being repainted into Rail Express Systems (RES) livery in 2025.
During a four-week period in August 1996, Rail Express Systems carried out a series of test runs using converted PCV (Propelling Control Vehicles) on the West Somerset Railway. Most of the test runs took place between Bishops Lydeard and Norton Fitzwarren, although some training took place over the full length of the line to Minehead. The test runs were carried out with a RES livered Class 47/7 loco, similar to 47714.
As we celebrate our 50th year of operation, 47714 helps to represent the key role the WSR played in postal traffic testing for the mainline. Our locally based DEPG also own and operate a Class 47 47077 – ‘North Star’ (currently in operation on the North Yorkshire Moors railway), so 47714 also flies the flag for one of the biggest diesel locomotives based on the WSR.
PURCHASING YOUR TICKETS INSTRUCTIONS FOR MULTIPLE DAYS
You have the option of a 2 day, 3 day or 4 day ticket.
When purchasing a multi day ticket, the system will add the first day automatically according to which 'Book Now' button you select. For example if you select the 'Book Now' button next to 4th June, 4th June will be added to your booking. You then need to select the type of multi day ticket you require: a two day, three day or four day rover.
Once you have selected which multi day ticket you require, you will then be required to select each additional day you wish to travel. Please remember, one day has already been added when you added the item to your basket. You must add each day individually to your ticket. Please make sure you check that you have not accidentally selected the same day twice and have booked for the correct days.
If you have any issues booking your tickets please feel free to contact us either by email via [email protected] or by phone on 01643 704996 and we will be more than happy to help you.
WRISTBANDS
Wristbands will be issued for each day you travel for adults and children. These will need to be collected on your first day's travel from either Bishops Lydeard or Minehead station only. There is also an option to collect your wristbands early from Minehead Station only and these will be available from Monday 1st June 2026.
Due to difficulty sending wristbands to other locations across the railway, we will be unable to have your wristbands for collection from any other station.
You can indicate whether you wish to collect from Minehead or Bishops Lydeard at the check out stage of making your booking.
Kids for a quid online offer Sunday 7th June 2026
Our kids for a quid ticket is back for the Sunday only and can only be redeemed in advance. To benefit from this discounted ticket this ticket needs to be added individually. The ticket is valid for children aged between 5 and 15.
If your child is travelling for the Sunday only, your discount will be added at the checkout.
If your child is travelling for two days, add two one-day rovers separately for the days they wish to to travel. The discount for the Sunday child ticket will be added automatically at the checkout.
If your child is travelling for three days, select a two day rover, select the two days (not Sunday) then add a separate child day rover for Sunday.
If your child is travelling for all four days then select a three day rover, add the days (not Sunday) and add a one day rover for the Sunday separately.
Ticket Options
Adult Summer Diesel Festival Day Rover
£42.50
Child (age 5 -15) Summer Diesel Festival Day Rover
£22.00
Registered Carer Summer Diesel Festival Day Rover
Free
DATES & TIMES
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