West Somerset Express

The unofficial on line newsletter of the West Somerset Railway

Issue 58 – May 2007

Issue 53 - December 2006  Issue 54 - January 2007  Issue 55 - February 2007

Issue 56 - March 2007  Issue 57 - April 2007

West Somerset Express homepage

This page is part of the newsletter archive, photos of the year on the line can be seen on

WSR 2007  Spring Steam Gala 2007  Mixed Traffic Weekend  Autumn Steam Gala 2007

 

 

Ian Allan Publishing Heritage Railway of the Year 2006

 

Dates for your diary

May 5 - Daffodil Special Fish & Chip trains from Minehead & Bishops Lydeard in aid of Cancer Charities

May 7 - WSRA Taunton Group meeting

May 26 - Jazz Special from Bishops Lydeard

May 28 - North Star Special from Derby to Minehead - 47840/D1661's last main line working

May 29 - WSRA Bristol Group meeting

 

Services run 1 to 7, 9-11, 13, 14, 16-18, 20, 21, & 23 to 31 May and daily during June, July August & SeptemberTrain Times on www.wsr.org.uk has full details.

 

Railtours - details of railtours to and from the WSR can be seen on Railtours on the railway's official web site.

 

Mixed Traffic Weekend

This mainly diesel event is on 15-17 June, the planned loco line up for the event has been announced (subject to availability):

Visitors-

D832 Onslaught

D7076

D9520

D1015 (Saturday 16 June only)

 

Resident locos-

D1010 will return to traffic

D1661 North Star will make its WSR debut

D9526

4160

5553

 

Heritage Carriage Project

Collett BCK 6705 has arrived back in Britain and the Trust is now close to having a full 7 coach set of Collett coaches available for restoration and eventual service, more details at the West Somerset Steam Railway Trust website.

 

Volunteers

The line is always looking for new volunteers for just about any task you can think of, from gardener to guard via firemen, signalmen, ticket inspectors, buffet staff, station staff, p-way, S&T...

 

There are regular "New Volunteers Days" every year when prospective new recruits are invited to spend a day on the line – where they are introduced to key personnel, given a guided tour of the line and have the chance of learning more about the voluntary opportunities and 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.  There's more about volunteering on a new site, WSR Volunteers .

If you can't give the time but would still like to support the WSR why not join the association?  Details from www.wsra.org.uk

 

New web-cam on www.wsr.org.uk

There is now a streaming webcam on the line's unofficial web site, it can also be accessed directly at

http://wsrailway.camstreams.com/

 

Progress at Norton Fitzwarren

Network Rail High Output Ballast Cleaner trains are now regular visitors and are delivering large quantities of material.  It is hoped that the triangle will be available for use in 2008 which will enable both our own locos and those off incoming railtours to be turned.  Meanwhile there are regularly photos of the progress there on www.wsr.org.uk

 

Turntable for Minehead

Planning permission for the development of the market site including the installation of a turntable, next to Minehead Station, has been granted.  The next step now is to get the necessary funding in place to enable work to start!

 

Visiting Locos

The visitors at present are:

80136 BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T has now been withdrawn for overhaul and will shortly leave the line.

5553 Pete Waterman's ex GWR 2-6-2T small prairie

 

44422 4F 0-6-0 will be coming to the line to "replace" 80136 for the rest of the season.

 

Resident Locos

The lines resident steam locos currently operational are:

6412 ex GWR 0-6-0PT the WSRA's pannier tank.

9351 WSR rebuild as a 2-6-0 mogul of GWR 5101 class prairie tank 5193.

88 ex SDJR 7F 2-8-0 (BR No 53808)

3850 ex GWR 2-8-0.

4160 ex GWR 2-6-2T large prairie is now back from overhaul.

 

5542 ex GWR 2-6-2T small prairie has now left the line and is currently at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway for the main part of year. Later the driving wheel tyres will be replaced at the SDR.  Hopefully she'll be back after this.

 

7828 Odney Manor is in Minehead Works for her overhaul.

 

Small prairie 4561 has now been moved to Williton, hopefully she'll soon be overhauled.

 

7820 Dinmore Manor, ex GWR Manor Class 4-6-0, is also now awaiting overhaul as her boiler ticket has expired.

 

34046 Braunton is progressing well, she has been wheeled, steam has been raised in the boiler - which has now been fitted to the frames.

 

The tender from 35027 Port Line recently arrived on the West Somerset for use behind Braunton while her tender is completed.

 

Diesel Locos

The line's resident operational mainline diesel locos are:

Class 52 D1010 Western Campaigner - currently stopped for repairs

Class 35 Hymek D7017 - also stopped for repairs

Class 25 D7523 / 25 173

Class 33 D6566 / 33 048

Class 14 D9526

 

Class 33 33202 which now belongs to Cotswold Rail is currently visiting the line.

 

The other resident Hymek, D7018, is undergoing a major overhaul at Williton.

D6575/33057 is initially a source of spares for D6566, it will be assessed to see if it can be restored in due course and has recently been moved to Williton.

There's plenty of opportunities if you'd like to be involved with the DEPG's fleet, see their web site at DEPG which has regular updates of the status of the fleet.

 

The resident fleet will be increased from May 2007 when Porterbrook will be handing over 47840 (D1661) North Star to the DEPG for preservation when its present lease to Cotswold Rail ends.  At present is is expected to arrive at the head of a railtour from Derby on 28 May, the tour will return behind 45112.

 

DMUs

The Class 117 unit belongs to the Territorial Army and has now left the WSR, the other three Class 117 TCLs are used as hauled stock at peak times.  Of the Class 115 stock DMBS 51880 (nearing the end a major overhaul), DMBS 51859 (being repainted) and TCL 59678 will form the DMU services this year, 51852 and 51887 are out of service.

 

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 often on the WSR), slightly shorter but otherwise pretty much the same.  Restoration work on 169 has now started in earnest at Williton.

 

This Month's Photos...

...are of 31 March when there were two incoming main line excursions.  The first returned behind 850 Lord Nelson and is seen here leaving Minehead for Eastleigh.

850 Lord Nelson leaving Minehead

 

Before departure Nelson was stood alongside Class 25 D7523 which was working the DMU diagram that day.

850 Lord Nelson and D7523 at Minehead

 

This excursion had been brought in by EWS Class 67 67020 which remained on the back of the train for the return journey providing power for the air conditioning.

67020 tailing an excursion out of Minehead

 

The next train to arrive at Minehead was the other main line excursion that day, one from East Anglia worked by "Top & Tail" two tone green liveried Class 47s.  On one end was D1916 which only had its TOPS number 47812 on it in very small characters and is seen here about to shunt across from the main platform to the Bay Sidings.

D1916/47812 at Minehead

 

On the other end was D1748/47815 Great Western.

47815/D1748 at Minehead

 

A final diesel shot, D7523 and D1916 side by side, a pair of two tone green locos, could almost be 40 years ago.

D7523 and D1916 at Minehead

 

After the 47s had shunted out of the way 7822 Foxcote Manor, which was still on the line after the Spring Steam Gala, arrived with a service train.

7822 arriving at Minehead

 

For her return working 7822 double-headed with S&D 2-8-0 88.

7822 and 88 double head out of Minehead

 

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 2007 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.

 

May 7 - Visit to Taunton Model Engineers at Creech Recreation Ground - note changed venue!

June 4 - "Broad Gauge Journey Part 2 (Bristol - Penzance)"

Meetings resume in September.

 

For the full programme for 2007 see West Somerset Railway Association, for further details e-mail

peter.darke@virgin.net .

 

Bristol Group:

The Bristol group meets on the last Tuesday of the month between September and May at the BAWA, Southmead Road, Filton, Bristol starting at 7.30pm for 7.45pm:-

 

May 29 - "Isambard's Kingdom" with Judy Jones

Meetings resume in September.

 

For the full programme for 2007 see West Somerset Railway Association, for further details email.

 

Events for 2007

15 - 17 June - Mixed Traffic Weekend

7 & 8 July - "Days Out With Thomas"

4 & 5 August - Steam Fayre & Vintage Vehicle Rally

5 August - Toy & Model Fair at Minehead

15 & 16 September - Real Ale Festival

4 - 7 October - Autumn Steam Gala

27 & 28 October - Grand Trains Extravaganza

7 & 8 December - Dunster by Candlelight

29 December - Winter Steam Festival

 

Further details on these 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
 

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.

UKsteam.info  has sections on the WSR and on mainline steam railtours

West Somerset Steam Railway Trust is concerned with the historical and educational aspects of railway preservation in West Somerset, especially now the Heritage Carriage Project.

WestSomersetRailway Yahoo! group for discussion and chat about the WSR

WSR Volunteers - a new site with lots of info for those thinking of volunteering

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.

West Somerset Express Archive

 

The next issue is due 27 May 2007.

 

 

 

 

© 2007 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.