West Somerset Express
The unofficial on line newsletter of the West Somerset Railway
Issue 66 – January 2008
Issue 59 - June 2007 Issue 60 - July 2007 Issue 61 - August 2007
Issue 62 - September 2007 Issue 63 - October 2007 Issue 64 - November 2007
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
January 7 - WSRA Taunton Group meeting
Services resume in February with trains the full length of the line during the half term week on Feb. 17, 18, 20-22, 24 and 25
Railtours - details of railtours to and from the WSR can be seen on Railtours on the railway's official web site.
Winter Steam Festival
This was a great success to round off a record breaking year on the West Somerset with passenger numbers up 40% on the previous year.
Winter on the West Somerset Railway
While there are no public trains running there is plenty happening along the line. The major project is the installation of the turntable at Minehead which is progressing apace at present as is work on the triangle at Norton Fitzwarren where track has now reached the formation of the Barnstaple line. In between there is track relaying to be done plus many, many other maintenance tasks
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.
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 a turntable at Minehead will be be going ahead with all external funding now in place. The turntable itself has now gone to a steel company in the Midlands for restoration which is now well advanced. Meanwhile at Minehead the turntable pit has been dug and concrete has been poured!
Visiting Locos
The visitors at present are:
5553 Pete Waterman's ex GWR 2-6-2T small prairie
44422 4F 0-6-0 has now left the line
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.
D6575/33057 - work is underway at Williton, the hope is she will be started up during 2008.
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 Class 117 unit belongs to the Territorial Army and has now left the WSR, the other three Class 117 TCLs are used as hauled stock at peak times. Of the Class 115 stock DMBS 51880, DMBS 51859 and TCL 59678 will form the DMU services this year, 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 a brief retrospective of 2007 starting with 850 Lord Nelson awaiting departure from Minehead with a railtour alongside Class 25 diesel D7523.
Different generations of express trains at Bishops Lydeard, 5051 Earl Bathurst awaits departure for Minehead during the Spring Steam Gala while a Virgin Voyager has just arrived with a shuttle working from Taunton.
Another from the Spring Steam Gala at the same location, "Manors" 7802 Bradley Manor and 7822 Foxcote Manor run through platform 1 prior to coming back onto their train in platform 2.
On 28 May 2007 Class 47 D1661 North Star arrived on the West Somerset for preservation at the head of a railtour, this view of her after she had come off her train shows the high quality of Brush's paintwork.
The Mixed Traffic Weekend saw a variety of traction including diesel hydraulics, here resident Class 52 D1010 Western Campaigner is arriving at Bishops Lydeard while visiting Class 42 D832 Onslaught waits to take over her train.
A complete contrast at the Autumn Steam Gala with ex LBSCR "Terrier" 662 Martello having arrived at Blue Anchor with a shuttle from 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
January 7 - Member's slides and photo competition
February 4 - WSR History - My Perspective with Ian Coleby
March 3 - Three Stations for Bodmin with Bernard Mills
For the full programme for 2008 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:-
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
8-9 & 13-16 March 2008, Spring Steam Gala
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.
wizzer.me.uk is a new site about the West Somerset Railway by a fellow volunteer, Jon Tooke.
The next issue is due 27 January 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.