West Somerset Express
The unofficial on line newsletter of the West Somerset Railway
Issue 13 – August 2003
Issue 1 - August 2002 Issue 2 - September 2002
Issue 3 - October 2002 Issue 4 - November 2002 Issue 5 - December 2002
Issue 6 - January 2003 Issue 7 February 2003 Issue 8- March 2003
Issue 9 - April 2003 Issue 10 - May 2003 Issue 11 - June 2003
West Somerset Express homepage
This page is part of the newsletter archive, photos of the year on the line can be seen on
WSR 2003 Spring Steam Gala 2003 Autumn Gala 2003 Cross Country Weekend
WSR Rally 2003 Teddy Bear's Picnic Great Trains
Dates in August
August 2 & 3: Steam Fayre and Vintage Rally - see below
August 2: "The Severn Coast Express" run in connection with the Steam Fayre - see below
August 6, 13, 20 & 27: Sunset Specials see www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk
August 8 & 9: Swindon Heritage Diesel Gala - see below
August 10: Minehead Toy and Train Sale at Minehead Station.
August 16: Fish & Chip specials from both Bishops Lydeard and Minehead see www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk
August 23: Fish & Chip special from Bishops Lydeard
Plus, of course, regular service trains running every day!
Steam Fayre and Vintage Rally 2 & 3 August
This event goes from strength to strength, there will be traction engines of all shapes and sizes, vintage cars, lorries, buses, motorcycles, fire engines and more - including shire horses and fairground organs! There's so much on it would take the whole of this newsletter and more to cover it all so why not have a look at VINTAGE RALLY AND STEAM FAYRE FULL DETAILS or better still come along and see it all!
A right old Swindon bash in August...
A two-day feast of diesel-hydraulic power on 8-9 August 2003. The successor to the old Great Western Railway, the Western Region, upheld the tradition of "doing things their way" at Swindon Works and constructed diesels with hydraulic transmission when everyone else built diesels using electric motors to transfer power to the wheels. The weekend will see three preserved examples of Swindon products hard at work on an ex-GWR branch line - D1010 Western Campaigner, D7017 and D9526. The full timetable is now available. Oh, and ex-GWR steam locos will also be in service! Further details on www.wsr.org.uk.
2003 Timetable
The railway's timetable for 2003 can be seen on line at WSR Timetable which also has the dates for all the special events on the line in the coming year.
Visiting Locos
The visitors at present are:
4936 Kinlet Hall has recently arrived and will be with us until the Autumn Steam Gala.
5224 ex GW 2-8-0T which will be with us for the year
80136 BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T which arrived back on the line in June for a long stay.
Resident Locos
The lines resident steam locos currently operational are:
5542 ex GW 2-6-2T small prairie
6412 ex GW 0-6-0PT - currently away at the GWR
7820 Dinmore Manor ex GW 4-6-0.
The creation of a small-boilered "Mogul", a locomotive designed by the Great Western Railway, continues to make excellent progress and the likelihood of an entry into traffic later this year remains good. Good progress is also being made with ex GWR 2-8-0 3850 and the S&D 2-8-0, both of which are in the works at Minehead. Work is also progressing well on 34046 Braunton at the WSRA's works at Williton.
Large prairie 4160 is now away at Buckfastleigh on the South Devon Railway for overhaul, its return to the WSR is expected to be in about 18 months. 7828 Odney Manor is at Minehead waiting a decision on when and where she'll be overhauled and 4561 is on display in the Gauge Museum at Bishops Lydeard while she awaits her turn in Williton Works.
Diesel Locos
The line's resident operational mainline diesel locos are:
Class 52 D1010 Western Campaigner
Class 35 Hymek D7017
Class 25 D7523 / 25 173
Class 33 D6566 / 33 048
Class 14 D9526 - fresh from overhaul
The other resident Hymek, D7018, is undergoing a major overhaul at Williton. Please note that the expected visit of D7076 has been cancelled.
D9526 made a grand return to traffic with its own special train, photos of it are on Teddy Bear's Picnic
This Month's Photos
We start with two views of newly arrived 4936 Kinlet Hall, seen here at a rather damp Minehead soon after arrival.
On the same unseasonably wet day BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T 80136 left Minehead with the 14.00 to Bishops Lydeard while D1010 waited to follow with the 14.50 to Williton.
The Western had been replaced by Hymek D7017 at Williton, the Hymek worked back to Minehead before heading the 17.30 to Bishops Lydeard.
After arriving at Bishops Lydeard the Hymek paused alongside another Type 3, BRC&W built "Crompton" D6566 during the shunting moves needed as there were two dining trains running that night.
In better weather, 5224 was away for a few days at an event at Barrow Hill, she returned in the morning of Saturday 19 July and is seen here on the low loader awaiting unloading.
These photos and many more can be seen on WSR 2003.
Note: you need to be connected to the Internet to view these photos.
WSR Screensaver
There is a screensaver of views of the Spring Steam Gala available for free download from www.wsr.org.uk. Others are available on CD-ROM from the WSRA shop at Bishops Lydeard station.
Fish and Chips
This year the popular Fish and Chips specials are running from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead and back on the following dates:- 3 May, 7 June, 12 & 26 July, 16 & 23 August and 27 September. One will also run from Minehead on August 16. Further details and bookings tel. 01643 704996.
Murder Mystery Specials
In 2003, “Murder Mystery Specials” will operate on 20 June, 11 July and 5 September. For further details see the Events page on www.wsr.org.uk.
West Somerset Railway Association
Area Group Meetings:
Taunton Group:
In 2003, meetings will be held on the first MONDAY of the month (July & August excepted) at the usual venue – the Great Western Staff Association Club (at the north east corner of Taunton station) – starting at 7.45pm.
Meetings resume on 1 September when Peter Skelton will give a talk "From monochrome to Fujichrome" at the usual venue.
For the full programme for 2003 see West Somerset Railway Association, for further details e-mail
Bristol Group:
The Bristol group meets on the last Tuesday of the month between September and April at the BAWA, Southmead Road, Filton, Bristol starting at 7.30pm for 7.45pm:-
Meetings resume on 30 September when Alan Drewett will give a talk "Railways around Gloucester".
For the full programme for 2003 see West Somerset Railway Association, for further details email.
This Year's Events
The programme of special events for 2003, in addition to the regular favourites – including the Spring and Autumn Steam Galas, Thomas, the Steam Fayre & Vintage Vehicle Rally and the Somerset CAMRA Real Ale Festival – three new events are planned for this year:-
“The CrossCountry Network: Past, Present & Future” on 10-11 May which was a great success.
“The Grand Trains Extravaganza” weekend on 25-26 October – deliberately timed to coincide with the school half term week – will be another joint steam and heritage diesel event, with lots of trains, using the Railway’s ‘in-house’ engine/rolling stock resources.
The third new event planned for 2003 is a “Winter Steam Festival” on Sunday 28 December – plenty of steam action, with nice warm, steam-heated trains! Fuller details of the 2003 programme of special events will be announced in future issues of West Somerset Express and on West Somerset Railway Association and The Official West Somerset Railway Web Site.
Volunteers
There are around 400-500 active volunteers whose contribution helps makes the West Somerset Railway 'tick'. Indeed, without their considerable input the West Somerset Railway would probably cease to tick!
There are many different jobs for volunteers on the line, you can join us at any time of year, if you would like to know more please write to: The Volunteer Co-ordinator, The Railway Station, Bishops Lydeard, Taunton, Somerset, TA4 3BX, visit www.wsra.org.uk or e-mail the West Somerset Railway Association.
The other groups on the line which would welcome support include:
5542 Limited
Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust
Diesel & Electric Preservation Group
Dinmore Manor Locomotive Ltd
4160 Limited
Friends of Minehead Station
Friends of Blue Anchor Railway Museum
West Somerset Steam Railway Trust - icoleby@tiscali.co.uk
Telephone the West Somerset Railway on 01643 704996 for contact details of these groups.
WSR Links:
West Somerset Railway - an unofficial site full of information and photos of the West Somerset
West Somerset Railway Association - the Association is the main support group on the line.
The Official West Somerset Railway Web Site - for trains times and fares etc.
West Somerset Railway, heritage steam and diesel trains - pages of photos of the WSR.
Diesel & Electric Preservation Group Ltd (DEPG) - the main diesel group on the line
The next issue is due 27 August 2003.
© 2003 Steve Huddy. This newsletter is independent of, and is not officially supported by, the West Somerset Railway plc or any of the affiliated organisations, unless specifically mentioned in the appropriate article. All information is believed correct but neither the publisher nor the Railway can be held responsible for any errors.