West Somerset Express

The unofficial on line newsletter of the West Somerset Railway

Issue 69 – April 2008

Issue 65 - December 2007  Issue 66 - January 2008  Issue 67 - February 2008

Issue 68 - March 2008

West Somerset Express homepage

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

WSR 2008   Spring Steam Gala 2008

 

 

Dates for your diary

April 6 - New Volunteers Day at Bishops Lydeard

April 7 - WSRA Taunton Group meeting

April 20 - Wildlife Special

 

Services - are running daily in April except for April 4, 21, 25 & 28.

 

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

 

Mixed Traffic Weekend

The next major event on the WSR is the Mixed Traffic Weekend on Fri. to Sun. 13-15 June and will again feature a mix of steam and diesel working. On the Friday and Saturday the will be two steam hauled round trips with four on the Sunday (Father's Day!) worked by prairie tanks 4160 and 5553. There will be a number of diesel locos working, those planned at present, including visitors are:-
Class 47 D1661 "North Star"
Class 42 Warship D832 "Onslaught"
Class 37 D6737
Class 35 D7017
Class 33 D6566
Class 25s D7523 and D7612
Class 14s D9520 and D9526
Class 08s D3462 and 08643
Class 03s D2119 and D2133

Full details are expected to be available shortly.
 

 

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 has now reached the old Barnstaple line's formation.  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.  The triangle is expected to be in use sometime in 2009.

 

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 the turntable at Minehead took place as expected on Monday 11 February. There's still plenty to do before it can be used, not least connecting the track to it!  Allowing for this then testing and staff training it will probably be available in July or August all being well.
 

Visiting Locos

The visitors at present are:

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

 

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 South Devon Railway for work including replacing driving wheel tyres.  She will return to the WSR during March for about 6 weeks before heading off on her travels again - this will include her appearing at the Spring Steam Gala.

 

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, see http://www.dinmoremanor.co.uk/ for details of the owners future plans.

 

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.

 

Class 42 Warship D832 Onslaught will be coming to the line in April for some attention prior to the Mixed Traffic Weekend in June and is expected to stay for the summer.

 

D6575/33057 - work is underway at Williton, I believe she has been started up.

 

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 DMU services are being operated by a Class 115 set - DMBS 51880,  DMBS 51859 and TCL 59678 along with Class 117 TCL 59493.  The other Class 117 TCLs are used as hauled stock at peak times.  The other Class 115 DMBS vehicles, 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 is now progressing well at Williton.

 

This Month's Photos...

... are of the recent Spring Steam Gala.  First "Super D" 0-8-0 49395 arriving at Crowcombe Heathfield with an up train including the Quantock Belle dining set.

49395 arriving at Crowcombe

 

Waiting to take over an incoming train at Bishops Lydeard was GW 0-6-2T 5619.

5619 at Bishops Lydeard

 

A scene on Minehead shed with GWR small prairie 5553, S&D 2-8-0 88 and GWR 2-8-0T 5224.

5553, 88 and 5224 on Minehead shed

 

A line up of Prairies, 5542, 5553 and 4160 posed in Minehead shed yard.

5542, 5553 and 4160 lined up at Minehead

 

Another visitor, Black Five 4-6-0 45110, which was one of the locos working on the "last day of steam" in 1968, by the water tower at Minehead.

Black 5 45110 at Minehead

 

A final one from the SSG, another view of the Three Prairies lined up at Minehead.

5542, 5553 and 4160 at 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 2008 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.

 

2008

April 7 - Further Confessions of a Signalman with Adrian Vaughan

May 5 - Visit to the Dartmoor Railway and/or the Devon Railway Centre - Joint visit with the GWS Taunton Group

June 2 - Mainline Steam in Medium Format with Ed Hurst

 

For the full programme for 2008 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:-

 

Regrettably, due to unforeseen circumstances, the 2007/8 season of meetings of the WSRA Bristol Area Group has been cancelled.  They very much hope to resume meetings in September 2008 for the 2008/9 season

 

Events for 2008

13-15 June 2008, Mixed Traffic Weekend

2-3 August, Steam Fayre and Vintage Vehicle Rally

2-5 October, Autumn Steam Gala

25-26 October, Somerset in Autumn

28-29 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 April 2008.

 

 

 

 

© 2008 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.