West Somerset Express
The unofficial on line newsletter of the West Somerset Railway
Issue 28 – November 2004
Issue 21 - April 2004 Issue 22 - May 2004 Issue 23 - June 2004
Issue 24 - July 2004 Issue 25 - August 2004 Issue 26 - September 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 November and December
1 November:- WSRA Taunton Group, "Roaming the Regions" - Richard Icke
27 & 28 November:- Santa Steam Specials
30 November:- WSRA Bristol Group, The Vision for the WSR x 2 - Mark Smith & Humphrey Davies
3 & 4 December:- Dunster by Candlelight specials
4 & 5 December:- Santa Steam Specials
6 December:- WSRA Taunton Group, Christmas Quiz
11 December:- Santa Express
11 & 12 December:- Santa Steam Specials
13 & 14 December:- Carol Trains
18 December:- Santa Express
18 December:- Christmas Murder Mystery Special on the "Minehead Flyer"
18 & 19 December:- Santa Steam Specials
22 December:- Santa Express
23 & 24 December:- Santa Steam Specials
29 December:- Winter Steam Festival
Regular services finished for the season on Sunday 31 October, they resume on 27 December 2004 until 2 January 2005. Train Timetables and other Services on www.wsr.org.uk has full details for the year.
Dunster by Candlelight
This year Dunster by Candlelight is on 3-4 December, there are two steam services from Bishops Lydeard on both days and an additional diesel service on the Saturday, further details on Dunster by Candlelight - advance booking essential. There will also be a through special from Bristol, Bath and Weston-super-Mare operated by Past Time Rail.
Santa Steam Specials
A great occasion for all the family and an ideal way to start Christmas. Take a steam train ride through the countryside and have fun meeting Santa.
Take a train from Bishops Lydeard to Crowcombe Heathfield to meet Santa in his Grotto on any of the following dates:
November: Saturday 27 and Sunday 28
Prices: Adults £6.50
Children £6.50
Babes In Arms £3.50*
December: Saturday 4, Sunday 5, Saturday 11, Sunday 12, Saturday 18, Sunday 19, Thursday 23 & Friday 24
Prices: Adults £9.50
Children £9.50
Babes In Arms £3.50*
Departure times from Bishops Lydeard: 10.15am, 11.50am, 1.50pm & 3.25pm
Or take a train from Minehead to Blue Anchor to meet Santa in his Grotto on any of the following dates:
December: Sunday 12, Sunday 19, Thursday 23 & Friday 24
Prices: Adults £6.50
Children £6.50
Babes In Arms £3.50*
Departure times from Minehead: 10.20am, 12.05pm, 1.55pm & 3.30pm
* Children under one year of age, referred to as Babes In Arms, are the only passengers eligible for concessions.
Advance booking essential for all these trains.
Details from www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk
Santa Express
The new Santa Express travels from Bishops Lydeard to Williton and Santa rides on the train with you, visiting the children during the journey.
It will run on the following dates:
December: Saturday 11, Saturday 18 and Wednesday 22
Prices: Adults £10.50
Children £10.50
Babes In Arms £3.50*
Departure times from Bishops Lydeard: 11.00am and 2.30pm
Details from www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk
Volunteers
The line is always looking for new volunteers for just about any task you can think of, from gardener to guard via firemen, ticket inspectors, buffet staff, station staff, p-way, S&T... The next New Volunteers Day will be held in the Spring at Bishops Lydeard Station.
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. If you can't give the time but would still like to support the WSR then you can still join the association. Details from www.wsra.org.uk
Visiting Locos
The visitors at present are:
80136 BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T which is on the line 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 the WSRA's pannier tank.
9351 WSR rebuild as a 2-6-0 mogul of 5101 class prairie tank 5193 is now an established member of the fleet and is going well.
Progress continues with the S&D 2-8-0, 53808/88 which is in the works at Minehead. Work is also progressing 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, which is about halfway through now. 7828 Odney Manor is at Minehead, she has been bought by the WSR plc and is now in works for her overhaul. Small prairie 4561 is on display in the Gauge Museum at Bishops Lydeard while she awaits her turn in Williton Works - which it is hoped will be during 2005. 7820 Dinmore Manor, ex GW Manor Class 4-6-0, is also now awaiting overhaul as her boiler ticket has expired.
Dinmore Manor Locomotive Limited – owners of Nos 7820 and 3850 – has recently launched an appeal in a bid to raise £30,000 which, it says, will enable their Great Western 2-8-0 to be completed and reassembled at Tyseley Locomotive Works, in readiness for a return to steam on the WSR in the spring. No 3850 has not steamed since 1965, and was purchased for preservation from the former Woodham’s Scrapyard at Barry in 1984 with the intention of restoring it for future use on the line. Both the boiler and frames of the 2-8-0 are at Tyseley, and the finance is now available to commence the final stages of the restoration, with the outstanding work being shared between TLW staff and DMLL volunteers. Details from www.wsra.org.uk
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.
There's plenty of opportunities if you'd like to be involved with the DEPG's fleet, see their new web site at DEPG
Auto trailer 169 Project
The group who own 5542 have launched a new project, the restoration of ex GWR auto trailer 169. See their web site www.loco5542.co.uk. for further details of of this exciting development. 169 is a year older than 178 (which is back on the WSR), slightly shorter but otherwise pretty much the same.
This Month's Photos...
...are of October's varied visiting locos starting with BR Std. 9F 2-10-0 92214 which visited for the Autumn Steam Gala. Photo by Jon Tooke
The opposite extreme, another ASG visitor was ex LBSCR "Terrier" 0-6-0T 32678 Knowle seen here at Minehead with 80136 alongside and the two 4575 class prairies visible on shed.
Next the WSR's "new" mogul, 9351, which was rebuilt as a 2-6-0 from 5101 class prairie tank 5193
Another Gala visitor was 0-6-0PT 9466, an example of the final development of the classic Great western pannier tank. In this view she is coming off shed at Minehead along with resident small prairie 5542.
The last of the Gala visitors was large prairie 5199 seen here at Bishops Lydeard with the Quantock Belle dining train. Photo by Rodney Greenway.
The WSR is storing an HST set for First Group, this set was with Virgin Cross Country but had last been used by Midland Mainline for their temporary "Project Rio" between Manchester and St Pancras. It created some interest during the Steam Gala - unfortunately we weren't able to "borrow" it for the Grand Trains Extravaganza later in the month!
It was later joined by a spare power car which is seen here nose to nose with the full set.
An earlier type of diesel electric unit to visit the line was the preserved Hastings unit 1001 which came in to Bishops Lydeard on a special working from Hastings which is seen here starting its return journey.
These photos and many more are on West Somerset Railway and West Somerset Railway on the Web..
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.
1 November - Roaming the Regions - Richard Icke
6 December - Christmas Quiz
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 November - The Vision of the WSR x 2 - Mark Smith/Humphrey Davies
25 January 2005 - "Diesels of the West Somerset Railway" - John Cronin
For the full programme for 2004 see West Somerset Railway Association, for further details email.
Events for 2005
March 17-20:- Spring Steam Gala
May 6-8:- Spring Diesel Gala
July 2-3:- Days Out With Thomas
August 6-7:- Steam Fayre and Vintage Vehicle Rally
September 17-18:- CAMRA Real Ale Festival
Sept. 30, Oct. 1-2:- Autumn Steam Gala
October 22-23:- Grand Trains Extravaganza
Further details on these and the winter events will be in future issues of West Somerset Express.
Groups on the line which would welcome support include:
West Somerset Railway Association
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 November 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.