WEST SOMERSET RAILWAY

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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. The line then turns inland to Washford, and returns to the coast for the run 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

History

Construction

Operation

Preservation

Stations

Special operation only

Normal operations

Locomotives

Steam locomotives

Operational

Undergoing repairs

Resident steam locomotives in service elsewhere

Undergoing restoration

Undergoing overhaul

Awaiting overhaul

Diesel locomotives

Operational

Mainline diesels (Operational)

Shunters

Undergoing repairs

Undergoing overhaul

Diesel multiple units

Trivia

See also

References

External links

History

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 prospectus 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.

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 recommended 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 a new embryo West Somerset Railway Company, headed by a local business man, Douglas Fear, whose intention was to reopen it as a diesel 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.

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.

Stations

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

Special operation only

★ Taunton (National Rail station)

★ Norton Fitzwarren (no passenger facilities currently)

Normal operations

★ Bishops Lydeard (normal southern terminus)

★ Crowcombe Heathfield

★ Stogumber

★ Williton

★ Doniford Halt

★ Watchet

★ Washford

★ Blue Anchor

★ Dunster

★ Minehead (northern terminus)

Locomotives

Steam locomotives

Operational

★ S&DJR 7F 2-8-0 No. 88 - S&DJR Prussian Blue - Faces Minehead

★ GWR 2884 Class 2-8-0 No. 3850 - GWR Green Button badge - faces Minehead

★ WSR '9351'2-6-0 No. 9351 (rebuilt from GWR 5101 Class 2-6-2T no 5193) - GWR green - faces Minehead

★ Peckett and Sons 0-4-0ST No. 1788 "Kilmersdon" - Green - faces Bishops Lydeard

Undergoing repairs

★ LMS Class 4F 0-6-0 No. 44422 - BR Black - Faces Minehead

Resident steam locomotives in service elsewhere

★ GWR 6400 Class 0-6-0PT No. 6412 GWR Green button badge- (Currently running at the Nene Valley Railway)

★ GWR 4500 Class 2-6-2T No. 4561 - BR Black - On Display at Swindon Steam Museum

★ GWR 4575 Class 2-6-2T No. 5542 - In service (Currently running at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway) - GWR green

★ GWR 4575 Class 2-6-2T No. 5553 - BR Lined Green with late crest - Currently running at the Bodmin and Wenford Railway)

★ GWR 5101 Class 2-6-2T No. 4160 - BR Lined Green with late crest - (Currently running at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway)

Undergoing restoration

★ SR West Country Class 4-6-2 Rebuilt WC No. 34046 "Braunton" - Running in is now in progress - BR Green - faces Bishops Lydeard

Undergoing overhaul

★ GWR 7800 Class 4-6-0 No. 7828 "Odney Manor" - at Minehead - faces Minehead

Awaiting overhaul

★ GWR 7800 Class 4-6-0 No. 7820 "Dinmore Manor" - at Minehead - faces Minehead

Diesel locomotives

Operational

Mainline diesels (Operational)

★ BR 0-6-0DH Class 14 no. D9526 - BR Two Tone Green

★ BR A1A-A1A Class 31 no. 31128 "Charybdis" - FM Rail Black (Based on the line for Bristol-Minehead excursion traffic)

★ BR A1A-A1A Class 31 no. 31452 "Minotaur" - FM Rail Black (Based on the line for Bristol-Minehead excursion traffic)

★ BR A1A-A1A Class 31 no. 31454 "The Heart Of Wessex" - Intercity (Based on the line for Bristol-Minehead excursion traffic)

★ BR Bo-Bo Class 33 no. 33048 - BR Blue

★ BR Co-Co Class 47 no. D1661 "North Star" - BR Two Tone Green

Shunters

★ Sentinel 0-4-0 Diesel Hydraulic no. DH16 - Blue

★ BR 0-6-0 Class 03 no. 03119 - BR Blue

★ BR 0-6-0 Class 03 no. D2133 - BR Green

★ BR 0-6-0 Class 04 no. D2271 - Blue Gardener

★ BR 0-6-0 Class 08 no. D3462 - BR Green

Undergoing repairs

★ BR Bo-Bo Class 25 no. D7523 - BR Two-Tone Green

★ BR Bo-Bo Class 35 no. D7017 - BR Green - Major repairs

★ BR Bo-Bo Class 35 no. D7018 - BR Blue - Major repairs

★ BR Co-Co Class 52 no. D1010 "Western Campaigner" - BR Maroon - undergoing repaint, repairs undergoing on engine unit B

Undergoing overhaul

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

★ BR 0-6-0 Class 04 no. D2133 - BR Black - Awaiting overhaul

Diesel multiple units

★ BR Class 115 unit 51852+59678+51887 and 51859+51880

★ BR Class 117 unit 117311 (51352+59505+51376)

Trivia

★ It carries 200,000 passengers each year, and has so far (end of 2003) transported over 10 million people

★ The West Somerset is featured in the PC simulation game "Microsoft Train Simulator"

★ Crowcombe Heathfield Station is a location used in the film ''A Hard Day's Night.''

See also

★ Other local railway attractions

★
★ Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway

★
★ Lynton and Barnstaple Railway

★
★ West Somerset Steam Railway is sandwiched between Exmoor National Park and the Quantocks Area of Outstanding National beauty

References

★ The Minehead Branch and the Somerset Railway by C. G. Maggs. Oakwood Press 1998. ISBN 0853615284

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