Spring Steam Gala 2009

 

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This years West Somerset Railway Spring Steam Gala was held on 21, 22 and 26-29 March - this page has photos from Sunday 22 and Saturday 28 March.

34046 and 34028 coming off shed

34028 coming off Minehead shed with 34046

A pair of rebuilt Bulleid light pacifics coming off shed, 34046 Braunton leads visiting 34028 Eddystone off shed at Minehead to work a train to Bishops Lydeard.

 

Nameplate of 34046 Braunton

Nameplate of 34028 Eddystone

The nameplates of the West Country pair, Eddystone being named after a rock in the English Channel doesn't have a crest unlike most of the class.

 

34046 and 34028 awaiting right away from Minehead

The pair awaiting right away from Minehead.

 

 

Paddington - Minehead carriage roofboard

Some of the coaches in this train had these "Paddington - Didcot - Williton - Minehead" roofboards.

 

4936 enjoys the sea air at Minehead

Nameplate of 4936 Kinlet Hall

4936 Kinlet Hall had brought the West Country's train in and then retired to the headshunt where she was basking in the sun.

 

S&D no. 88 in Minehead shed yard

S&D 2-8-0 no. 88 was also basking in the sun in the shed yard.

 

60019 Bittern at Minehead

The next train in was hauled by A4 pacific 60019 Bittern seen here just after arrival.

 

60019 Bittern at Minehead

The "Streak" then went to shed.

 

Moving on now to Saturday 28 March at Bishops Lydeard:

34028 Eddystone at Bishops Lydeard

Visiting light pacific 34028 Eddystone moving through the station ready to come on the back of the next arrival.

 

Black 5 45231 arriving at Bishops Lydeard

This was brought in by Black 5 45231 The Sherwood Forester seen here arriving through the trees outside the station.

 

34028 waits to come on to her train

Eddystone waiting to come across to her train with small prairie 5553 behind working the "Norton Shuttle".

 

34028 setting back towards her train

34028 setting back under the bridge towards her train.

 

 

34028 departs from BL

With a colossal volume of noise from her drain cocks Eddystone sets off from Lydeard for Minehead.

 

45231 taking water at Bishops Lydeard

45231 nameplate

45231 then went across to take water.

 

34046 and 60019 arriving at Bishops Lydeard

34046 and 60019 arriving at Bishops Lydeard

The next arrival was double headed by West Country 34046 Braunton and A4 60019 Bittern.

 

Braunton taking water

Braunton then went to take water before heading back to Minehead.

 

60019 passes 34046

60019 taking water

60019 then passed 34046 on her way to the water tower.

 

34046 45231 flag signalled away from Bishops Lydeard

34046 and 45231 then double-headed the next train down to Minehead, due to the length of the train and two large locos they were beyond the signal and hence had to be flagged away by the signalman.

 

60019 builders plate

This shot shows the builder's plate on 60019 - Doncaster 1938.

 

60019 backs onto 67030 and 67026

60019's next duty was piloting a through charter from Cambridge which arrived behind DBS Class 67s 67030 and 67026, the charter stopped at the Inner Home for the A4 to attach to the front.

60019 at the head of a through charter

The A4 leading the charter into Bishops Lydeard station.

 

67030 and 67026 on a charter at Bishops Lydeard

The two Class 67s in the station, the pacific was through the bridge but their train still hung out the far end of the platform.

 

60019, 67030 and 67026 leaving BL

The triple-header heading through the trees away towards Minehead.

 

4936 Kinlet Hall

4936 Kinlet Hall waiting to follow the charter with a service for Minehead.

 

6100 Royal Scot arriving at Bishops Lydeard

While 4936 was waiting 6100 Royal Scot arrived with an up train, S&D 88 which had brought 4936's train in can be seen in the background by the water tower.

 

6100's nameplate and plaque

Under Royal Scot's nameplate is a plaque commemorate her visit to North America in 1933.

 

6100 Royal Scot taking water

As with the other incoming engines on this page 6100 went to take water after coming off her train.

 

88 waiting to depart

At the other end of the train 6100 had brought in 88 had come on ready to return it to Minehead.

 

5553 hauling a DMU

This year the "Norton Shuttles" were being worked by small prairie 5553 and 2 cars of a Class 115 DMU, propelling to Norton Fitzwarren and being hauled back.

 

6100 on BL loco

Having taken water 6100 went over to the loco compound to wait her next duty.

 

34028 running round

Meanwhile 34028 Eddystone came in from Minehead, ran round and returned to the seaside.

 

6100 and 45231 ready to double head

6100 and 45231 double heading

Next train in produced 45231 which coupled to 6100 ready to double-head the return trip.

 

6100 departs from Lydeard

I caught this shot of 6100 as she left for Minehead.

 

 

You too can be part of the action - new volunteers are always welcome, you can find out more on Volunteers, there's a big perk in exchange for your efforts - free travel!

  Click here to go to the West Somerset Railway's site

  Click here to go to the West Somerset Railway Association's site

  Click here to go to the unofficial West Somerset Railway site

Visit our Travel Centre for train and ferry times and tickets.

 

 

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This site was last updated 13-08-2012

Photos not otherwise credited are ©2001-2009 S G J Huddy.  Other photos are included with permission of the copyright holders.