West Somerset Express
The unofficial on line newsletter of the West Somerset Railway
Issue 21 – April 2004
Issue 15 - October 2003 Issue 16 - November 2003 Issue 17 - December 2003
Issue 18 - January 2004 Issue 19 - February 2004 Issue 20 - March 2004
West Somerset Express homepage
This page is part of the newsletter archive, photos of the year on the line can be seen on
WSR 2004 Spring Steam Gala 2004 Autumn Steam Gala 04 Diesel Gala 04
Dates in March/April
25 to 28 March: Spring Steam Gala - see below
30 March: WSRA Bristol Group: Members evening - slides, quiz and photographic competition.
5 April: WSRA Taunton Group - "The Atlantic Enigma" - Roger Hennessey
17 April: Through special from Watford, hauled by 2 Class 37 diesels - see Steamy Affairs for details
17 April: "Fish & Chips" special from Bishops Lydeard.
17 & 18 April: Class 33 D6566 will work the diesel diagram.
18 April: New Volunteers Day at Bishops Lydeard, see www.wsra.org.uk for full details.
27 April: WSRA Bristol Group "Railway Horses, Railway Art" - Ian Cryer
Services continue with with the Spring Steam Gala on 25 to 28 March, and then services on 1,3,4, 6-18, 20-22, 24, 25, 27-29 April. Train Timetables and other Services on www.wsr.org.uk has full details for the year.
Spring Steam Gala
This year is on Friday 26 March to Sunday 28 March with a preview day on Thursday 25 March. Visiting West Country "Taw Valley" will be renamed "Exmoor" for the event on Thurs. 25 March to mark the 50th. anniversary of Exmoor National Park. The West Somerset Railway Spring Steam Gala has established itself as one of the heritage railway events of the year, the 2004 event promises to live up to the high quality successful Spring Galas over recent years. A four day feast of West Country steam!
The theme of the Railway’s 2004 Spring Steam Gala will be “The Big Four”, with a representative engine from each of the four main railway companies established at the 1923 Grouping.
Up to ten engines will be in steam and working trains at the Gala...
· LMS Black 5 4-6-0 no 45407*
· BR Class 4 2-6-0 no 76079*
· GER J15 0-6-0 no 65462**
· SR West Country Pacific 34027 "Taw Valley" (running as 34022 "Exmoor" for the Gala period)***
· GWR 4575 Class 2-6-2Ts no 5542 and 5552 - it is hoped that 5553 will also be back on the line in time.
· BR(W) Manor Class 4-6-0 no 7820 "Dinmore Manor"
· BR Class 4 2-6-4T no 80136
· GWR 64xx Class 0-6-0PT no 6412
* courtesy of Mr Ian Riley
** courtesy of the North Norfolk Railway
***courtesy of Mr Phil Swallow & the Severn Valley Railway
It is also hoped that the Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust’s Peckett 0-4-0ST no 1788 "Kilmersdon" will be in steam and giving shunting demonstrations at Washford on all three days of the Gala.
For full details see www.wsr.org.uk
Volunteers
The next New Volunteers’ Day – when prospective new recruits have an opportunity to visit the Railway for a day to learn more about what is involved in volunteering on the WSR and meet key personnel – will be held on Sunday 18 April, starting at Bishops Lydeard at 11am. A warm welcome is assured. Please contact the WSRA if you would like to come, would like more details, or would like to know more about what is involved.
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, e-mail the West Somerset Railway Association or Tel: 01823 433856.
Visiting Locos
The visitors at present are:
80136 BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T which is on the line for a long stay.
5553 ex GW 4575 Class 2-6-2T from Waterman Railways - is currently at Tysley for maintenance but will return shortly.
See above for details of the visitors for this year's Spring Steam Gala.
Resident Locos
The lines resident steam locos currently operational are:
5542 ex GW 2-6-2T small prairie
6412 ex GW 0-6-0PT -back "home" for the early part of the year, including some of the February Half Term services and the Spring Steam Gala.
7820 Dinmore Manor ex GW Manor Class 4-6-0.
The creation of a small-boilered "Mogul", a locomotive designed by the Great Western Railway but never built, continues to make progress with entry into service planned this year. Still no news on whether it will be 5193 or 9351 though! Good progress is also being made with the S&D 2-8-0, 53808/88 which is also in the works at Minehead. Work is also progressing on 34046 Braunton at the WSRA's works at Williton, her boiler has recently arrived back from Pridham's.
The sheds at both Minehead and Williton will be open during the Spring Steam Gala so you will be able to see progress on these locos for yourselves, details of opening times etc. on www.wsr.org.uk .
The frames of ex GWR 2-8-0 3850 have now been moved to Tysley to be reunited with the boiler, the plan is for 3850 to return to the WSR when restoration is completed.
Large prairie 4160 is now away at Buckfastleigh on the South Devon Railway for overhaul, return to the WSR is expected to be in about 15 months. 7828 Odney Manor is at Minehead, she is at present up for sale by her owner, the WSR has made an offer and an announcement is expected very soon now. Small prairie 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
The other resident Hymek, D7018, is undergoing a major overhaul at Williton.
Work in Progress
During the "close season" work is under way to provide a crossover in the bay platform at Minehead to enable locos to run round saving the need for shunt releasing at busy times. The railway is also installing their own cabling for the Electric Key Token block between Minehead and Blue Anchor which will replace the BT lines used at present. There will be an intermediate instrument at Dunster which will aid working in and out of the Permanent Way yard there. Following on from this EKT block will replace Train Staff and Ticket on the Blue Anchor to Williton section. There are photos of the progress on www.wsr.org.uk .
This Month's Photos...
...are of some of the visiting locos for this years Spring Steam Gala. First off is 34027 "Taw Valley" (to be 34022 "Exmoor" for the Gala) passing Bridgwater en route to the West Somerset on 22 March 04.
Next is BR Std. 4 2-6-0 76079 on a previous visit, leaving Blue Anchor with a down train. Photo by Alan Meade.
The next visitor is ex LMS Black Five 4-6-0 45407 on a main line excursion. Photo by Paul Sharpe.
One that has already arrived is exGER/LNER J15 0-6-0 65462 which is seen here arriving at Crowcombe Heathfield with an up train.
Another visitor which has recently been on the West Somerset and should be back for the Gala is GWR small prairie 5553, seen here at Washford double-heading with 7820 Dinmore Manor on an up train.
Photos of these locos and many more at the Gala will be on Trains, ferries, buses... and the other WSR websites.
Note: you need to be connected to the Internet to view these photos.
West Somerset Railway Association
Area Group Meetings:
Taunton Group:
In 2004, 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.
5 April: "The Atlantic Enigma" - Roger Hennessey
3 May: Visit to the BRISTOL HARBOUR RAILWAY & INDUSTRIAL MUSEUM – at 5pm [Joint visit with WSRA Bristol Group and GWS Taunton Group]
7 June: "Ten Years of Main Line Steam" - Peter Doel
For the full programme for 2004 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:-
30 March: Members evening - slides, quiz and photographic competition.
27 April: "Railway Horses, Railway Art" - Ian Cryer
25 May: “Diesel Railcars” - Stuart Smith
For the full programme for 2004 see West Somerset Railway Association, for further details email.
Events for 2004
The next big event is the Spring Steam Gala on March 25 - 28, after that there is the Spring Diesel Gala on 7 - 9 May followed by "Days out with Thomas" on 7-9 May.
The full programme for the year is now available on Stop Press, now you can plan ahead to get to all of the West Somerset's great events!
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 diesel group on the line.
wizzer.me.uk is a new site about the West Somerset Railway by a fellow volunteer, Jon Tooke. He often finds odd places to take photos from and even odder things to take them of so check it as it grows!
The next issue is due 27 April 2004.
© 2004 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.