Every year the West Somerset Railway Association holds a Steam Fayre and Vintage Vehicle Rally at Bishops Lydeard, near to the station.  The photos on this page were taken on the railway and the Fayre Field during the 2002 event.

I was working on the line on the Saturday, this first photo is of 6024 King Edward I arriving at Williton with the 10.25 Bishops Lydeard to Minehead train.  A couple of the Diesel and Electric Preservation Group's diesels, D7017 and D7523, are in the depot yard.

We then got to Bishops Lydeard where we met 47732 Restormel with a through train from Leamington Spa to Minehead.  The length of this train, and to a lesser extent ours, meant a certain amount of shunting and drawing ahead under flag signals before it could proceed to Minehead.

I was busy on the train when next at Minehead, however Steve Edge caught 47732 there awaiting return to Leamington.

The shunting and resultant delays limited my chances of getting anymore photos until I'd returned to Bishops Lydeard in the evening on the DMU.  Having helped lock it up I went up on to the bridge to see 6024 bringing in the stock for the Severn Coast Express which loaded to 12 coaches.  As you can see from the crowds on the platform they were all needed!

This second view shows more of the crowd, it was nice to see so many people waiting for one of our trains.  With the current trend on the mainline to short trains it is easy to forget that rail used to be a means of mass transport.

The King waited quietly while the assembled masses boarded the train, Great Western locos are generally quieter than Bulleid pacifics - but I'm never sure which are my favourites!

A last view of the King, most passengers were on board, the fish and chips had arrived along with plenty of beer and wine...

An odd sight earlier in the day, a group of Morris Dancers were travelling on the DMU, complete with their 'obby 'oss who was entertaining everyone in sight with his antics.  I came across them several times on different trains during the day and they were certainly enjoying themselves!

As with many events on the West Somerset Railway heritage buses run special connecting services, there are photos of some of them on Quantock Heritage.

Now on to the Fayre itself, on the Sunday when the weather wasn't so kind.  To start a selection of traction engines and road rollers, full size and scale models in the parade ring:

They were followed by several steam lorries:

Two views of them lined up in the ring:

Besides the steam there are vintage vehicles of all types, amongst the lines of cars were an Isetta bubblecar and a Bond 3 wheeler at one end, and a Thunderbird at the other:

For the first time this year saw some horse drawn vehicles:

Jack Chaplin with his pair of cobs to Cotleigh Brewery's dray.

Terry Sweet with a pair of grey shires to his 20 seat bus.

The best view of the show ground, from Terry's horse bus.

There were also some diesel buses there, in this view is (left to right) a Royal Blue coach - a Bristol MW with ECW bodywork, a Western Welsh Leyland Tiger Cub bus and a Western National Bristol LHS.

Former Exeter Corporation No 217, a Leyland Panther with dual door bus bodywork.

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