West Somerset Express
The unofficial on line newsletter of the West Somerset Railway
Issue 64 – November 2007
Issue 56 - March 2007 Issue 57 - April 2007 Issue 58 - May 2007
Issue 59 - June 2007 Issue 60 - July 2007 Issue 61 - August 2007
Issue 62 - September 2007 Issue 63 - October 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
October 27 - Murder, Mystery Special from Bishops Lydeard
October 27 & 28 - Somerset in Autumn
November 5 - WSRA Taunton Group meeting
December 7 & 8 - Dunster by Candlelight, special trains from Bishops Lydeard to Dunster or Minehead for bus link.
See www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk for details of special trains
Services are running on 20-31 October and 1 November. Train 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.
Somerset in Autumn
Why not dispel a bit of the gloom on the weekend when the clocks go back by visiting our Somerset in Autumn Weekend, October 27 & 28? An intensive train service worked by steam and vintage diesel locomotives and a chance to take in the colours of the Autumn foliage along the line. And if the train services aren’t your main interest the attractions and places of interest along the line such as Cleeve Abbey and the village of Dunster with its Castle will be open and ready to welcome you.
It is planned that this two day event will have 5 engines in steam and two diesels on the Saturday with 6 steam and 2 diesels on Sunday. There will be the auto train with 1450 and autocoaches numbers 178 & 225 and to also have a Southern Branch line train operated by 662 Martello from the Bressingham Steam Museum. Also visiting Stanier LMS mogul 42968 will be in action along with the resident steam and diesel locos. See www.wsr.org.uk for full details.
Dunster by Candlelight
Every year the medieval village of Dunster turns back the clock and celebrates a traditional Christmas almost entirely lit by candlelight. A magical evening for all the family, with special train services to the event from Bishops Lydeard on 7 and 8 December.
By far the best way to beat the inevitable traffic jams is to travel to the event by train on the WSR, as special services are operated on both evenings.
Passengers have the choice of alighting at Dunster Station and walking to the village - about twenty minutes (please bring a torch) or travelling from Minehead Station by a special dedicated free bus service to the edge of Dunster. Please note wheelchair access to the bus connection cannot be guaranteed. See www.wsr.org.uk for full details.
Santa Steam Specials
There will be Santa Express where children see Santa on the train and Santa Specials where Santa greets the children at Crowcombe Heathfield or Blue Anchor will this December. For full details see www.wsr.org.uk
Winter Steam Festival
There will be two visiting engines at the West Somerset Railway Winter Steam Festival this year.Following their very popular appearance at the Autumn Steam Gala, and at the forthcoming Somerset in Autumn weekend, GWR 0-4-2T no 1450 and LB&SCR 0-6-0T no 662 Martello will be staying on the Minehead Branch for the Christmas Holiday event on 29 December 2007. Good news for passengers is that ticket prices will be at standard (not special event) fares, so an Adult Day Rover, for example, will cost just £13. Full details of the Winter Steam Festival will be available soon on www.wsr.org.uk
Heritage Carriage Project
A site has been identified for the carriage shed needed for the restoration of the HCP's rakes of Collett and Toplight coaches adjacent to Bishops Lydeard station, a Planning Application is in progress in conjunction with other developments proposed by a local developer. For more details and the latest news on this project see 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
Things are really happening at Norton, there is now about 1/4 mile of track laid, the 33kv electric power lines over part of the site have been moved underground and the new chord's formation has now reached that of the old Barnstaple line. The project, along with the Network Rail High Output team has won an award from the Institute of Civil Engineers for the exceptional engineering and cooperation across several organisations that has combined to produce two successful projects, the WSRA Triangle and Network Rail's Fairwater Yard.
One result is that the WSRA is now able to supply environmentally sourced and sustainable recycled aggregates, more details on http://www.wsra.org.uk/aggregates/
Meanwhile there are regularly photos of the progress there on www.wsr.org.uk including some of when 6024 King Edward I became the first steam loco to use the new track when this was the most suitable place to stable the King's unique water carrier. More recently the High Output Ballast Cleaner train used the new chord line to unload on 25 July then 66616 led it to the current end of the line.
WSR on Microsoft Train Simulator
The West Somerset Railway expansion for Microsoft Train Simulator is now available as a download from
www.justtrains.net for £14.99.
Turntable for Minehead
The installation of a turntable at Minehead will be be going ahead with all external funding now in place. The turntable itself has now gone to a steel company in the Midlands for restoration.
Completion date is the end of March 2008, so the program is tight but still achievable. It will definitely be the turntable from Pwlhelli extended to 65ft, not the Swindon Works one, as the latter would take too long to organise. £63,000 needs to be raised, the appeal has made a promising start but further funds are required...
Visiting Locos
The visitors at present are:
5553 Pete Waterman's ex GWR 2-6-2T small prairie
44422 4F 0-6-0 which will "replace" 80136 for the rest of the year.
In addition three visiting locos which came for the Autumn Steam Gala are staying on for Somerset in Autumn:
42968 LMS 2-6-0
662 Martello LBSC 0-6-0T
1450 GWR 0-4-2T
Resident Locos
The lines resident steam locos currently operational are:
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
6412 ex GWR 0-6-0PT the WSRA's pannier tank is now stopped for her 10 year overhaul at Williton.
34046 Braunton is progressing well, she has been out for tests running light engine but further work is necessary before her return to traffic
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 is now on display at STEAM Museum at Swindon for a year after which she will return for overhaul at Williton.
7820 Dinmore Manor, ex GWR Manor Class 4-6-0, is also now awaiting overhaul as her boiler ticket has expired.
Diesel Locos
The line's resident operational mainline diesel locos are:
Class 52 D1010 Western Campaigner
Class 47 D1661 North Star
Class 35 Hymek D7017 - stopped for repairs
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.
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 is stored at 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.
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, DMBS 51859 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 a foretaste of the forthcoming Somerset in Autumn gala, first off visiting LMS mogul 42968 is seen at Bishops Lydeard during the recent Autumn Steam Gala.
LBSC 0-6-0T "Terrier" 662 Martello will be working between Minehead and Blue Anchor, she is seen here waiting to run round at Blue Anchor during the Autumn Steam Gala.
GWR 0-4-2T 1450 will again be working with 2 autotrailers - 178 and 225 - as she was during the ASG, the combination is seen leaving Bishops Lydeard for Norton Fitzwarren.
The Somerset in Autumn event also includes diesels, D1661 North Star will be in action on the Saturday. She is seen at Minehead aback in May when she had just arrived on the line at the head of an excursion.
Resident GW 2-8-0 3850 will also be in service, she is seen here arriving at Blue Anchor with a down train.
The line's other 2-8-0, SDJR No. 88, also seen at Blue Anchor with a down train.
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.
November 5 - "Medium Format: Past & Present with Peter Skelton
December 3 - Christmas Quiz
For the full programme for 2007 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 May at the BAWA, Southmead Road, Filton, Bristol starting at 7.30pm for 7.45pm:-
Regrettably, due to unforeseen circumstances, the 2007/8 season of meetings of the WSRA Bristol Area Group, due to start on September 25th, have been cancelled. They very much hope to resume meetings in September next year for the 2008/9 season
Events for 2007
27 & 28 October - Somerset in Autumn
7 & 8 December - Dunster by Candlelight
29 December - Winter Steam Festival
Advance dates for 2008:-
8-9 & 13-16 March 2008, Spring Steam Gala
13-15 June 2008, Mixed Traffic Weekend
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.
wizzer.me.uk is a new site about the West Somerset Railway by a fellow volunteer, Jon Tooke.
The next issue is due 27 November 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.