West Somerset Express - Issue 57 - April 2007
- From: "Bridgwatarian" <steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2007 22:31:03 +0100
West Somerset Express
The unofficial on line newsletter of the West Somerset Railway
Issue 57 - April 2007
West Somerset Express homepage
http://trainsferriesbuses.co.uk/westsomersetexpress.htm
**Ian Allan Publishing Heritage Railway of the Year 2006**
Dates for your diary
--------------------
March 31 - Railtours from Eastleigh and North Walsham
April 2 - WSRA Taunton Group meeting
April 24 - WSRA Bristol Group meeting
Services run 2 to 15, 17-19, 20, 21, 24-26, 28 & 29 April. Train Times on
www.wsr.org.uk has full details.
Railtours - details of railtours to and from the WSR can be seen on
Railtours on the railway's official web site.
Spring Steam Gala
-------------------
This years event, themed "Summer Saturdays in the West", was a great success
with passenger numbers up 16% on last years record.
Mixed Traffic Weekend
------------------------
This is on 15-17 June, the planned loco line up for the event has been
announced (subject to availability):
Visitors-
D832 Onslaught
D9520
D1015 (Saturday 16 June only)
Resident locos-
D1010 will return to traffic
D1661 North Star will make its WSR debut
D7017
D9526
4160
5553
Flying Start for Heritage Carriage Project
-----------------------------------------
Collett BCK 6705 has arrived back in Britain from the USA and will be going
to covered storage at Swindon shortly. More details at the West Somerset
Steam Railway Trust website www.wssrt.co.uk
The need to move quickly means there is an urgent need for funds, every
pound (or dollar!) will help, if you can give something please see the
Trust's website for details of how to contribute.
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. This
year's will be on Sunday 15 April, for more information see the contact
details below.
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 wsra@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
or Tel: 01823 433856. There's more about volunteering on
http://www.wsr-volunteers.co.uk
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
-------------------------------
Network Rail High Output Ballast Cleaner trains are now regular visitors and
are delivering large quantities of material. It is hoped that the triangle
will be available for use in 2008 which will enable both our own locos and
those off incoming railtours to be turned.
Full details of the WSRA's press release can be seen on www.wsra.org.uk
Turntable for Minehead
------------------------
Planning permission for the development of the market site including the
installation of a turntable, next to Minehead Station, has been granted.
The next step now is to get the necessary funding in place to enable work to
start!
Visiting Locos
---------------
The visitors at present are:
80136 BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T which will be working until June when it will
be withdrawn for overhaul.
5553 Pete Waterman's ex GWR 2-6-2T small prairie
30850 Lord Nelson will be back on the West Somerset for the Spring Steam
Gala.
44422 4F 0-6-0 will be coming to the line to "replace" 80136 after the
latter is withdrawn for overhaul.
Resident Locos
----------------
The lines resident steam locos currently operational are:
6412 ex GWR 0-6-0PT the WSRA's pannier tank.
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 is now back from overhaul.
5542 ex GWR 2-6-2T small prairie has now left the line and is currently at
the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway for the main part of year. Later
the driving wheel tyres will be replaced at the SDR. Hopefully she'll be
back after this.
7828 Odney Manor is in Minehead Works for her overhaul.
Small prairie 4561 has now been moved to Williton, hopefully she'll soon be
overhauled.
7820 Dinmore Manor, ex GWR Manor Class 4-6-0, is also now awaiting overhaul
as her boiler ticket has expired.
34046 Braunton is progressing well, she has been wheeled, steam has been
raised in the boiler - which has now been fitted to the frames.
The tender from 35027 Port Line recently arrived on the West Somerset for
use behind Braunton while her tender is completed.
Diesel Locos
-------------
The line's resident operational mainline diesel locos are:
Class 52 D1010 Western Campaigner - currently stopped for repairs
Class 35 Hymek D7017 - also 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 is initially a source of spares for D6566, it will be assessed
to see if it can be restored in due course and has recently been moved to
Williton.
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.
The resident fleet will be increased from May 2007 when Porterbrook will be
handing over 47840 (D1661) North Star to the DEPG for preservation when its
present lease to Cotswold Rail ends. At present is is expected to arrive at
the head of a railtour from Derby on 28 May, the tour will return behind
45112.
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 (nearing the end a major overhaul), DMBS
51859 (being repainted) 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 has now started in earnest at Williton.
This Month's Photos...
-----------------------
....can be seen on http://trainsferriesbuses.co.uk/issue57.htm
West Somerset Railway Association
-------------------------------------
Area Group Meetings:
Taunton Group:
In 2007 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.
April 2 - "Southern Railway around Nationalisation" with Arthur Turner
May 7 - Visit to Taunton Model Engineers at Creech Recreation Ground - note
changed venue!
June 4 - "Broad Gauge Journey Part 2 (Bristol - Penzance)"
For the full programme for 2007 see www.wsra.org.uk , for
further details e-mail peter.darke@xxxxxxxxxx .
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:-
April 24 - "Railways in World War II" with Tony Cane
May 28 - "Isambard's Kingdom" with Judy Jones
For the full programme for 2007 see www.wsra.org.uk , for
further details email wsrabristol@xxxxxxx
Events for 2007
----------------
15 - 17 June - Mixed Traffic Weekend
7 & 8 July - "Days Out With Thomas"
4 & 5 August - Steam Fayre & Vintage Vehicle Rally
5 August - Toy & Model Fair at Minehead
15 & 16 September - Real Ale Festival
4 - 7 October - Autumn Steam Gala
27 & 28 October - Grand Trains Extravaganza
7 & 8 December - Dunster by Candlelight
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 - www.wsra.org.uk
5542 Limited - www.loco5542.co.uk
Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust - www.sdrt.org.uk
Diesel & Electric Preservation Group - www.geocities.com/wsrdepg
Dinmore Manor Locomotive Ltd - www.dinmoremanor.co.uk
4160 Limited
Friends of Minehead Station
Friends of Blue Anchor Railway Museum
West Somerset Steam Railway Trust - www.wssrt.co.uk
Telephone the West Somerset Railway on 01643 704996 for contact details of
these groups.
WSR Links:
------------
www.wsr.org.uk - an unofficial site full of information and photos of
the West Somerset
West Somerset Railway Association - www.wsra.org.uk - the Association is the
main support group on the line.
The Official West Somerset Railway Web Site
www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk - for trains times and fares
etc.
www.wssrt.co.uk the West Somerset Steam Railway Trust
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WestSomersetRailway/ a group for discussion
and chat about the WSR
www.wsr-volunteers.co.uk a new site with lots of information for potential
volunteers
West Somerset Railway, heritage steam and diesel trains
www.trainsferriesbuses.co.uk/wsr.htm - pages of photos of
the WSR.
Diesel & Electric Preservation Group Ltd (DEPG)
www.depg.org - the diesel group on the line.
West Somerset Express Archive
www.trainsferriesbuses.co.uk/westsomersetexpress.htm
West Somerset Railway Gallery www.steve-huddy.fotopic.net has some high
quality photos of the WSR
www.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 April 2007.
© 2007 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.
.
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