West Somerset Express
The unofficial on line newsletter of the West Somerset Railway
Issue 41 – December 2005
Issue 36 - July 2005 Issue 37 - August 2005 Issue 38 - September 2005
Issue 39 - October 2005 Issue 40 – November 2005
West Somerset Express homepage
This page is part of the newsletter archive, photos of the year on the line can be seen on
WSR 2005 Spring Diesel Gala 05 Spring Steam Gala 2005 Autumn Steam Gala 2005
The West Somerset Railway - Heritage Railway of the Year 2005
Dates for your diary
29 November - WSRA Bristol Group meeting
2 & 3 December - Dunster by Candlelight
4,10,11,17,18,23,24 December - Santa trains from Bishops Lydeard
5 December - WSRA Taunton Group meeting
11,18,24 December - Santa trains from Minehead
12 & 13 December - Carol trains from Minehead & Bishops Lydeard
27 December to 2 January - regular services on the line
29 December - Winter Steam Festival
Note: the above special trains need to be booked in advance.
Regular services resume on 27 December until 2 January 2006. In the meantime there are the Santa Specials and Santa's Express, Train Timetables on www.wsr.org.uk has full details.
Dunster by Candlelight
The railway's own services on 2 & 3 December are fully booked but there is a through special from Weston, Bristol, Bath and other stations on Friday 2 December operated by Past-Time Rail
Winter Steam Festival
The Winter Steam Festival is on 29 December, lots of steam trains for a great day out between Christmas and the New Year with 6412 on auto-trains and at least three engines from the following in service:
GWR 2-6-2T 5553
GWR/WSR 2-6-0 9351
GWR 2-8-0 3850
S&DJR 2-8-0 88
Note: all engines subject to availability
Lord Nelson
The overhaul of ex SR 4-6-0 850 Lord Nelson, which is expected to be "run in" on the West Somerset next year, has made major progress with the overhauled boiler having been returned to Eastleigh.
Spring Steam Gala 2006
Streamlined “Battle of Britain” Pacific 34067 is due to arrive in Minehead on Saturday March 18th at the head of an excursion train organised by Past-Time Rail from London as the West Somerset Railway’s Spring Steam Gala gets underway. After working the train in the air-smoothed Pacific will be guesting for the rest of that weekend and between March 23rd and 26th as the WSR marks the 40th Anniversary of the closure of the Somerset and Dorset.
Meanwhile the first of the guest engines invited to the two weekends long event to be confirmed is “4F” 0-6-0 number 44422, which spent part of its British Railways career based at Templecombe and working trains on the Somerset and Dorset proper.
WSR Managing Director Mark Smith commented, “We are very pleased to be able to confirm the first engines to accept the invitations to the event. A “Bulleid” Light Pacific is a very welcome ingredient in the mix and not merely is 44422 a genuine survivor of the S&D but it was also a popular visitor with crews and passengers when it guested in the first West Somerset Spring Gala back in 1996”.
Another attraction for lovers of all things S&D during the Gala will be the opening of the Taunton Model Railway Group clubhouse at Bishops Lydeard station featuring a 4 mm scale model of Bath Green Park station.
Details from http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/
“Railways Round Exmoor”
In a new initiative to increase the attractions of Exmoor three “heritage” railways are joining forces in a joint marketing and ticketing venture for 2006..
The three railways concerned are the twenty mile long West Somerset which runs from Bishops Lydeard (near Taunton) and Minehead, the water powered Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway which links the twin towns, and the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway which has begun to rebuild the narrow gauge line which closed in 1935 and is presently running trains from Woody Bay station towards Parracombe.
The tickets are priced at £16.00 for adults and senior citizens and £8 for children aged 5 to 15. (this gives some reductions over the tickets for the railways if purchased individually). They can be bought from the railway’s booking offices or in advance from West Somerset Railway (Commercial), The Railway Station, Minehead, TA24 5BG from whom leaflets giving fuller details can also be obtained. Credit card bookings can be made by ringing 01643 704996
Details from http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/
The other lines websites are Lynton & Barnstaple Railway and http://www.cliffrailwaylynton.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, signalmen, 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. 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
Visiting Locos
The visitors at present are:
80136 BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T which is on the line for a long stay - though at present away for maintenance.
5553 Pete Waterman's ex GW 2-6-2T small prairie
Resident Locos
The lines resident steam locos currently operational are:
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.
88 ex S&DJR 7F 2-8-0 (BR No 53808) is now in regular service, starting with many of the Santa Train workings.
5542 ex GW 2-6-2T small prairie has now left the line, firstly to work Santa trains on the Cholsey & Wallingford before going to the South Devon Railway for the next couple of years during which the driving wheel tyres will be replaced. Hopefully she'll be back after this.
Large prairie 4160: The overhaul continues to progress well and is running close to budget so far. No predictions of a steaming date yet, but it can't be too far away. New livery will be BR lined green with late style crest.
7828 Odney Manor is in Minehead Works for her overhaul, there is an appeal for funds for this, see below for more details. 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 early 2006. 7820 Dinmore Manor, ex GW Manor Class 4-6-0, is also now awaiting overhaul as her boiler ticket has expired, she should go to Tyseley for this on the same lowloader that brings 3850 to the WSR.
3850 - As is often the case the last part of the overhaul is taking longer than expected and she won't be on the WSR for a short while. However Dinmore Manor Locomotive Limited are confident that she will make her WSR debut during the Winter Steam Festival if not before. She moved under her own steam at Tyseley on 18 November so completion is very near!
No 3850 will run with the same 3,500 gallon tender restored by DMLL to run behind the Group’s other engine, No 7820 Dinmore Manor. The tender has recently been repainted at Williton.
Diesel Locos
The line's resident operational mainline diesel locos are:
Class 52 D1010 Western Campaigner - currently stopped for repairs
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.
D6575/33057 has arrived on the WSR, initially as a source of spares for D6566, it will be assessed to see if it can be restored in time.
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 has recently been back 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...
...start with couple of S&DJR 7F 2-8-0 No. 88 which returned to traffic on 27 November working Santa Specials from Bishops Lydeard to Crowcombe Heathfield
The 6 coach load was easy for a loco designed to haul freight over the Mendips but I'm sure she could have brought 10 up from Lydeard with equal ease.
From a first day in service to a last, small prairie 5542 coming off shed at Minehead to work her last train on the WSR prior to her extended visit to the South Devon Railway.
Now for some of the line up alongside No.88 for the Winter Steam Festival starting with pannier tank 6412 and auto trailer 178 which are seen here at Minehead during the Autumn Steam Gala.
Also during the ASG, small prairie 5553 arriving at Blue Anchor with an up train including the Quantock Belle's buffet car.
Small boilered Mogul 9351 was on Santa duties at Crowcombe Heathfield last year
I haven't got a photo of 3850 yet but it looks highly probable that she will appear at the Winter Steam Festival.
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.
Funding Appeal for Odney Manor
The WSR Plc have launched an appeal to raise funds to help bring No 7828 Odney Manor back to "active steaming life" on the West Somerset Railway. Cash donations are required and for subscribers, a number of benefits are available. All donations of at least £20 will receive a commemorative Odney Manor certificate; for donations of £200 and £1,000, the certificate plus two tickets for the "Odney Manor Return to Steam Celebration Train" awaits, whilst for £1,000 donations the two tickets are First Class Dining seats plus a trip round the workshops. Top treatment for donations of £10,000 who receive four First Class Dining tickets on the Celebration Train, plus a full day Steam Engineman course driving and firing Odney Manor and arrangements to visit the loco during overhaul. For full details and conditions, look out for the leaflet or ring 01643 704996 for more details.
West Somerset Railway Association
Area Group Meetings:
Taunton Group:
In 2005, 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.
5 December:- Annual Christmas quiz
9 January:- Photographic Competition, slides/prints - railway & "other"
6 February:- "North American Steam" - Mike Squire
For the full programme for 2005 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:-
29 November:- "Longmoor Military Railway" & "Carriage of Tanks by Rail" with Mike Walshaw
31 January 2006:- "Broad Gauge Journey - Part 1: Paddington to Carmarthen" with Brian Arman
28 February:- "Gone but not Forgotten" - Peter Triggs
For the full programme for 2005 see West Somerset Railway Association, for further details email.
Events for 2005
November 27, December 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24:- Santa Steam Specials
December 2-3:- Dunster by Candlelight
December 29:- 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 - 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.
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 December 2005.
© 2005 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.