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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.

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.

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.

The pair awaiting right away from Minehead.

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

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

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

The "Streak" then went to shed.

Moving on now to Saturday 28 March at Bishops Lydeard:

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

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

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

34028 setting back under the bridge towards her train.

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

45231 then went across to take water.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

The A4 leading the charter into Bishops Lydeard station.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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!

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  Click here to go to the unofficial West Somerset Railway site

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