West Somerset Railway

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West Somerset Railway

Railway Stations Taunton (special operations only) Norton Fitzwarren (special operations only) Bishops Lydeard Crowcombe Heathfield Stogumber Williton Doniford Halt Watchet Washford Blue Anchor Dunster Minehead

The West Somerset Railway (WSR) is a heritage railway that runs along the edge of the Quantock Hills in Somerset, England, between Bishops Lydeard and Watchet, and then along the coast to Minehead. The Exmoor National Park is nearby.

At 23 miles, it is the longest privately owned passenger rail line in the UK. It operates using heritage steam and diesel locomotives, and provides transport for the community as well as a leisure attraction for visitors. In the first respect however the WSR's ability to provide a true public transport alternative to the car is limited by its having to stop short of the major town of Taunton (see below).

Contents 1 History 1.1 Construction 1.2 Operation 1.3 Preservation 2 Stations 2.1 Special Operation only 2.2 Normal Operations 3 Locomotives 3.1 Locomotives 3.1.1 Loco Roster 3.1.2 Special Trains to annd from the West Somerset Railway 2007 3.1.3 To 3.1.4 From 3.1.5 Steam Locomotives 3.1.6 Operational 3.1.7 Resident Steam Locomotives In Service Elsewhere 3.1.8 Undergoing restoration 3.1.9 Undergoing Overhaul 3.1.10 Awaiting Overhaul 3.2 Diesel Locomotives 3.2.1 Operational 3.2.2 Undergoing Repairs 3.2.3 Undergoing Overhaul 3.2.4 Diesel Multiple Units 4 Trivia 5 See also 6 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Construction

Bishops Lydeard station on the West Somerset Railway. The locomotive is Great Western 2-8-0T tank no. 5224

Another view of Bishops Lydeard station. The locomotive is British Railways 4MT 2-6-4T tank no. 80136, built in 1958

Bishops Lydeard Railway Museum.

There were many proposals to build a West Somerset Railway, but the first was the 1850s West Somerset Mineral Railway (WSMR), which constructed a "narrow" line from the iron-ore mines of the Brendon Hills to Watchet. The company then had a proposal for an extension to Minehead, but this was not proceeded with.

Two meetings then took place in 1856. The first in Williton was attended by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. It originally debated connecting Watchet with Bridgwater via a tunnel under the Quantock Hills - but Brunel suggested that although there may be coal under the hills, the tunnel was too long and costly compared to a direct route following the Quantocks and accessing the Bristol & Exeter railway at Taunton. The second meeting was held in Taunton, which proposed a route which cut closer to the Quantocks, and then meandered down to Minehead. However, the first group had Brunel survey the route, and plans for broad gauge railway were submitted in November 1856.

The West Somerset Railway Company was incorporated on 17 August 1857 by way of Act of Parliament, and a propspectus issued to raise the required £120,000 - but share holders failed to take any interest. After a considerable delay, Furness of London started construction on 7 April 1859 at Crowcombe Heathfield.

[edit] Operation

Soon it was taken over by the Bristol and Exeter Railway, which in turn was taken over by the Great Western Railway in 1874. The line, built to broad gauge standard, was converted to standard gauge in one day in October 1882.

The line was mentioned in the Reshaping of British Railways report or the Beeching Axe review, in 1963 as a line for closure. However, the line lingered on, in an increasingly decrepit state until it was closed by British Railways in January 1971. At the closure inquiry in 1968, the local bus company had informed the Transport Users Consultative Committee (TUCC) that six buses would be needed in the winter months and some twenty buses in the summer to cope with the influx of holidaymakers. Not to mention the congestion that this was likely to cause on the Taunton to Minehead road. When closed, negotiations were entered in to between an new embryo West Somerset Railway Company, headed by a local business man, Douglas Fear, whose intention was to reopen it as a deisel commuter line to Taunton. However, Somerset County Council were wary of the lucrative Minehead station site falling into private hands and withdrew their support from the company. The only option remaining was for the council to purchase the line and lease back the operational to the West Somerset Railway Company with the idea of providing the daily year round rail service.

[edit] Preservation

The railway was reopened by a new West Somerset Railway company, headed by Douglas Fear. His intention was to run a diesel commuter service linking Minehead to Taunton. It was purely a commercial operation, but in order to supplement income, it was intended to run a summer steam service for Tourists between Minehead and Williton. However, the commercial service never started as it was objected to by British Rail whose drivers were now running the replacement bus services. So when it reopened Easter 1976, it was as a steam railway. Initial services were between Minehead and Blue Anchor, but were extended to Bishops Lydeard in 1979. It was necessary to catch a bus between Taunton and Bishops Lydeard. The main line rail connection still exists with the national rail network via Norton Fitzwarren to Taunton. In 2006 the signalling was upgraded to allow through workings from Taunton to Minehead and vice-versa. As of late 2006 several charter trains have now used this facility and a regular service from Bristol is being considered.

The West Somerset Steam Railway Trust is concerned with the historical aspects of the line and runs a museum at Blue Anchor.

The West Somerset Railway Association provides an army of volunteers who carry out a wide range of tasks to support the Railway, from booking clerks to gardeners to engine drivers.

[edit] Stations

The railway has nine stations and one halt for normal operations. Stations are listed in the down direction (in increasing distance from London)

[edit] Special Operation only

• Taunton (National Rail station)
• Norton Fitzwarren (no passenger facilities currently)

[edit] Normal Operations

• Bishops Lydeard (normal southern terminus)
• Crowcombe Heathfield
• Stogumber
• Williton
• Doniford Halt
• Watchet
• Washford
• Blue Anchor
• Dunster
• Minehead (northern terminus)

[edit] Locomotives

[edit] Locomotives

[edit] Loco Roster

[edit] Special Trains to annd from the West Somerset Railway 2007

[edit] To

• The Trafalgar Express" - 31 March 2007 - Class 67 return by Lord Nelson 30850

• The Bath & Quantock Hills Explorer - 31 March 2007 - Class 47

• The West Somerset Coast Express - 14 April 2007 - Class 47

• Minehead Excursion(47840 Handover to D&EPG) Monday 28th May - 47840, return by 45112 peak

• "The Western Ho!" - 16 June 2007 - Western Chapion

• THE CATHEDRALS EXPRESS - Wed 18-Jul - 34067 Tangemere

• The Exmoor Boat Express - Tue 7- August - 2x 37

[edit] From

• The Eternal City of York - 28 April 2007 - Class 47

• THE CATHEDRALS EXPRESS - Sat 21-Jul - 34067 Tangemere

[edit] Steam Locomotives

[edit] Operational

• GWR '55XX' 2-6-2T No. 5553 - In service - BR Green - faces Bishops Lydeard
• BR Standard 4MT No. 80136 - In service - BR Black - faces Bishops Lydeard
• GWR '38XX' 2-8-0 No. 3850 - In Service - GWR Green Button badge - faces Minhead
• GWR '64XX' 0-6-0T No. 6412 - In Service - GWR Green button badge - faces Bishops Lydeard
• WSR 2-6-0 No. 9351 (rebuild of no 5193) - In Service - GWR green - faces Minhead
• SDJR 2-8-0 Class 7F No. 88 - In Service - S&DJR Blue - faces Bishops Lydeard
• BR(W) '5101' 2-6-2T No. 4160 - In Service - BR Green - faces Minhead
• Peckett 0-4-0ST No. 1788 "Kilmersdon" - In Service at Wasford Yard - Green - faces Bishops Lydeard
• SR 4-6-2 No. 34007 Streamlined West country in service- BR SR Livery - faces Bishops Lydeard
• GWR 78xx 4-6-0 No. 7822 Foxcote Manor- BR western region - faces Minhead

[edit] Resident Steam Locomotives In Service Elsewhere

• Hawthorn Leslie 0-6-0ST No. 3437 "Isabel" - In Service, at the Swindon and Cricklade Railway - Red
• GWR '55XX' 2-6-2T No. 5542 - In service (Away at the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway) - GWR green

[edit] Undergoing restoration

• SR 4-6-2 Rebuilt WC No. 34046 "Braunton" - Under Overhaul at Williton -expected to return to traffic in the middle of 2007 - BR Green - faces Bishops Lydeard

[edit] Undergoing Overhaul

• BR(W) '78XX' 4-6-0 No. 7828 "Odney Manor" - Under Overhaul at Minehead - faces Minhead

[edit] Awaiting Overhaul

• GWR '45XX' 2-6-2T No. 4561 - Awaiting Overhaul at williton - BR Black - faces Bishops Lydeard
• BR(W) '78XX' 4-6-0 No. 7820 "Dinmore Manor" - Awaiting Overhaul at Minehead -BR Green - faces Minhead

[edit] Diesel Locomotives

[edit] Operational

• BR 0-6-0 Class 03 no. 03119-BR Blue-In service
• BR 0-6-0 Class 03 no. D2133-BR Green-In Service
• BR 0-6-0 Class 08 no. D3462 In Service-Br Green
• BR 0-6-0 Class 14 no. D9526 In Service-Br Two-Tone Green
• BR Bo-Bo Class 25 no. D7523 In Service-Br Two-Tone Green

[edit] Undergoing Repairs

• BR Bo-Bo Class 33 no. D6566-Br Blue
• BR Bo-Bo Class 33 no. 33202-FM Rail
• BR Bo-Bo Class 35 no. D7017- BR Green - Major repairs
• BR Bo-Bo Class 35 no. D7018-Br Blue - Major repairs
• BR C-C Class 52 no. D1010 "Western Campaigner" In Williton Shed Under Repair-Carrying Maroon livery(expected to return to service early 2007)

[edit] Undergoing Overhaul

• BR Bo-Bo Class 33 No. 33057-To be repainted into BR Green

[edit] Diesel Multiple Units

• BR Class 115 unit 51852+59678+51887 and 51859+51880
• BR Class 117 unit 117311 (51352+59505+51376)

[edit] Trivia

• During the summer the railway employs 28 people, in addition to many volunteers. It carries 200,000 passengers each year, and has so far (end of 2003) transported over 3 million people
• The West Somerset is featured in the PC simulation game "Train Driver"

[edit] See also

• Other local railway attractions
  • Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway
  • Lynton and Barnstaple Railway

[edit] External links

• Official web site
• West Somerset Steam Railway Trust web site
• The West Somerset Railway on the Web (unofficial site)
• bbc.co.uk/somerset: The Minehead Meander
• West Somerset Railway Association