West Somerset Express
The unofficial on line newsletter of the West Somerset Railway
Issue 25 – August 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
Issue 21 - April 2004 Issue 22 - May 2004 Issue 23 - June 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 August and September
7-8 August:- Steam Fayre & Vintage Vehicle Rally at Bishops Lydeard
8 August:- Collectors Fayre at Minehead Station
13-14 August:- Diesel Gala featuring home-based locos
14 August:- Fish & Chip Specials, diesel hauled from both Minehead and Bishops Lydeard
21 August:- Fish & Chip Specials, diesel hauled from Bishops Lydeard
3 September:- ‘Murder on the Minehead Flyer’. 6.45pm from Bishops Lydeard. Steam hauled. Murder Mystery evening, with Sausage & Chips
6 September:- WSRA Taunton Group, Adrian Vaughan - Confessions of a Western Signalman
11 September:- Jazz Evening Special with Grenada Jazz Band. 6.45pm from Bishops Lydeard. Diesel hauled. Sausage & Chips. Train to run to Minehead in conjunction with Somerset CAMRA Weekend. Guest Real Ale
11 & 12 September:- CAMRA Real Ale Festival at Minehead Station, also Service Train Buffets will have Guest Real Ales on board
25 September:- Fish & Chips Special from Bishops Lydeard and Coastal Belle from Minehead.
Regular services continue, plenty of chances to enjoy Steam and Somerset Scenery, most days have 2 steam turns and a DMU, during August Mon. to Thurs there is a third steam turn as there is during the Steam Fayre weekend. Train Timetables and other Services on www.wsr.org.uk has full details for the year.
STEAM FAYRE & VINTAGE VEHICLE RALLY
This year’s Steam Fayre & Vintage Vehicle Rally – organised by the WSRA – will be held near Bishops Lydeard Station over the weekend of 7-8 August 2004. A glittering array of superb machinery will be in action alongside our restored country station on Britain’s longest heritage railway, and 2004 looks like beating all records with some of the country’s finest examples of vintage transport on display. Gleaming Showman’s engines, powerful steam tractors and road rollers, elegant vintage cars and motorcycles, superb fire engines, buses, commercial and military vehicles will all be put through their paces in the arena to thrill the crowds. Full details of the 2004 Rally are on here.
CAMRA Beer Festival
The fifth Somerset CAMRA Real Ale Festival extravaganza in partnership with the West Somerset Railway will be held on 11 and 12 September 2004 at Minehead Station. The festival will again feature at least 35 real ales and ciders, many from award winning local Somerset breweries such as Cotleigh, Cottage, Exmoor, Glastonbury, Moor and RCH. In addition to these will be a selection from around the British Isles, showcasing the incredible diversity in flavour and style produced by the ever expanding army of micro breweries.
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...
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.
4936 Kinlet Hall has recently arrived on the line for a stay until September.
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 much the of this year.
7820 Dinmore Manor, ex GW Manor Class 4-6-0, is now awaiting overhaul as her boiler ticket has expired.
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 and much other work is in hand.
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 12 months. 7828 Odney Manor is at Minehead, she has now been bought by the WSR plc and her overhaul will commence once 5193/9351 has been completed. 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.
This Month's Photos...
...are a topical assortment, starting with one to encourage the real ale lovers to visit the CAMRA Real Ale Festival, a few of the massed ranks of beers on offer during a previous one.
Next the Steam Fayre, starting with a line up of Sentinel and Foden steam lorries in the ring...
There are also modern built working miniatures there such as this Foden with a full size steam roller in the background.
A closer view of the roller, itself being followed by another
In slightly better weather another year, a horse drawn bus with a pair of Clydesdales was giving rides around the site.
There is a tremendous variety of entrants, this one is a "little grey Fergie", the original Ferguson tractor that revolutionised farming with its three point linkage on the back.
Of course the regular attraction of the West Somerset is steam locos in beautiful scenery, this is small prairie 5542 in an August sunset at Blue Anchor
Back with us until September is 4936 Kinlet Hall, seen here at Bishops Lydeard on a previous visit to the line.
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.
The next meeting will be after the summer break on 6 September - Confessions of a Western Signalman with Adrian Vaughan.
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:-
Meetings resume in September after the summer break.
For the full programme for 2004 see West Somerset Railway Association, for further details email.
Events for 2004
The next major event is the Steam Fayre and Vintage Vehicle Rally at Bishops Lydeard on 7 & 8 August. Then there is a a Diesel Gala featuring home based locos - D1010, D7017 and D9526 - on 13 & 14 August.
The full programme for the year is now available on Events 2004, 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.
The next issue is due 27 August 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.