West Somerset Express
The unofficial on line newsletter of the West Somerset Railway
Issue 27 – October 2004
Issue 21 - April 2004 Issue 22 - May 2004 Issue 23 - June 2004
Issue 24 - July 2004 Issue 25 - August 2004 Issue 26 - September 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 October
28 September:- WSRA Bristol Group, Bristol Temple Meads & Isambard Kingdom Brunel - Peter Harris
1-3 October:- Autumn Steam Gala - further details below
4 October:- WSRA Taunton Group, More Main Line Steam Videos - PSOV
10 October:- Steam, Cream & Carnage, 1.05pm from Minehead, steam hauled Murder Mystery with Cream Tea
23-24 October:- Grand Trains Extravaganza - Steam & Diesel Weekend
26 October:- WSRA Bristol Group, The Aust Ferry - Tim Ryan
30 October:- Halloween Special, 6.45pm from Bishops Lydeard - Steam Hauled Murder Mystery evening with Fish & Chips.
Regular services continue, plenty of chances to enjoy Steam and Somerset Scenery, most days have 2 steam turns. Train Timetables and other Services on www.wsr.org.uk has full details for the year.
Autumn Steam Gala
This years ASG is on Friday 1, Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 October. Visiting locos confirmed are LBSCR "Terrier" 32678 Knowle, BR Standard 9F 92214 and Large Prairie 5199. In addition high season visitor 4936 Kinlet Hall is still with us for the Gala. The Terrier will be in passenger action on the Friday between Minehead and Blue Anchor and will work the Dunster Goods on the Saturday and Sunday. Auto Trailer 178 will return for the Gala and will be on workings similar to those during the Spring Steam Gala. There are fuller details on West Somerset Railway Autumn Steam Gala 2004.
Grand Trains Extravanganza
This years event is on 23-24 October, it will have a similar format to last year's events, further details in the next issue of WSE.
Dunster by Candlelight
This year Dunster by Candlelight is on 3-4 December, there are two steam services from Bishops Lydeard on both days and an additional diesel service on the Saturday, further details on Dunster by Candlelight There will also be a through special from Bristol, Bath and Weston-super-Mare operated by Past Time Rail.
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... The next New Volunteers Day will be held on Sunday 10 October, starting at 11:00 at Bishops Lydeard Station. During a trip to Minehead on the train prospective new recruits will be able to find out a lot more about what the Railway has to offer them, and the day will be finished by 16:15.
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. If you can't give the time but would still like to support the WSR then you can still join the association. Details from www.wsra.org.uk
Visiting Locos
The visitors (beside the Autumn Steam Gala ones) 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.
9351 WSR rebuild as a 2-6-0 mogul of 5101 class prairie tank 5193 has emerged from works and is running in prior to working during the forthcoming Gala.
Progress continues with the S&D 2-8-0, 53808/88 which is in the works at Minehead. Work is also progressing on 34046 Braunton at the WSRA's works at Williton.
Large prairie 4160 is now away at Buckfastleigh on the South Devon Railway for overhaul, which is about halfway through now. 7828 Odney Manor is at Minehead, she has now been bought by the WSR plc and her overhaul will commence soon now 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. 7820 Dinmore Manor, ex GW Manor Class 4-6-0, is also now awaiting overhaul as her boiler ticket has expired.
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.
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 been on the WSR and is expected to return this autumn, slightly shorter but otherwise pretty much the same.
This Month's Photos...
...start with the local star of the forthcoming Gala, small mogul 9351, the first shows her on shed at Minehead in the company of 5542 and 80136. Photo by Rodney Greenway
Next is a close up of her, some final details to be completed but she had already started running in. Photo by Rodney Greenway
Next is an early arrival for the Autumn Steam Gala, BR Std. 9F 2-10-0 92214, seen here in the loco compound at Bishops Lydeard. Photo by Jon Tooke
92214 has been working on the line prior to the Gala, on Saturday 18 September she worked a special for the Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust, Jon Tooke caught her passing Williton with the return working.
Another visitor working in advance of the Gala is large prairie 5199, the first of her shows her waiting at Bishops Lydeard with the Quantock Belle dining train. Photo by Rodney Greenway
The next day she was working one of the regular steam turns and is seen here with a down train at Williton.
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.
4 October - More Main Line Steam Videos - P.S.O.V.
1 November - Roaming the Regions - Richard Icke
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:-
28 September - Bristol Temple Meads & Isambard Kingdom Brunel - Peter Harris
26 October - The Aust Ferry - Tim Ryan
30 November - The Vision of the WSR x 2 - Mark Smith/Humphrey Davies
For the full programme for 2004 see West Somerset Railway Association, for further details email.
Events for 2004
The next event is the Autumn Steam Gala on 1-3 October - see above - followed by the Grand Trains Extravaganza on 23-24 October.
The full programme for the year is 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:
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.
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. He often finds odd places to take photos from and even odder things to take them of so check it as it grows!
The next issue is due 27 November 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.