Locos Gather for WSR Steam Gala

With just over a week to go before the first weekend of its Spring Steam Gala the West Somerset Railway is busy welcoming and unloading, “guest” steam engines as they arrive for the event.

“We have already seen the arrival of “West Country” Pacific 34007 “Wadebridge”, and two Great Western designed engines 7822 “Foxcote Manor” and “Small Prairie” 5521”, said WSR General Manager Paul Conibeare, “and over the next week we are due to see the arrivals of 7802 “Bradley Manor”, 5051 “Earl Bathurst” and 850 “Lord Nelson” between March 7 th and 10 th . In addition we eagerly await a definite date for the arrival back on our line of Great Western “Large Prairie” 4160”.

The “guest” engines will be running alongside the West Somerset's in-house fleet during the Gala and this will mean that up to 14 engines will be in action between Bishops Lydeard (near Taunton) and Minehead on March 17 th and 18 th , and between March 22 nd and 25 th .  In addition to an intensive service of trains visitors will find the Railway Museums along the line open, book signings taking place with three new books being “launched” during the Gala, and at the weekend's sheds and workshops open . In addition on the same weekends the club room of the Taunton Model Railway Club is welcoming visitors at Bishops Lydeard station to view their work including the superb 4 mm scale model of Bath Green Park Station.  The WSR is also providing a free vintage bus service between Dunster Station and Dunster Village on both weekends.

For passengers who would prefer to park away from the line there is a free shuttle bus service on all six days operating from Taunton Railway Station and the Silk Mills Park and Ride Scheme to Bishops Lydeard whilst on both the Saturdays and Sundays Virgin Cross Country Trains are running one of their Voyager trains to the Gala from Bristol in the morning. The Voyager will return in the evening but in-between it will run a shuttle service between Taunton and Bishops Lydeard (fares will be payable on this service) giving passengers a chance to see the work which the West Somerset Railway is doing to develop its site at Norton Fitzwarren along the way.