West Somerset Railway
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Pioneering WSR Bagnall steams again on Tyneside
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A LOCOMOTIVE which worked on the West Somerset Railway in its early years has returned to steam after 11 years. Bagnall New Standard 18 class 0-6-0ST No. 2994 Vulcan, more recently known as No. 401 Thomas Burt MP, is now based at the North Tyneside Steam Railway, and was steamed on January 17 for the…
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Minehead sells prairie to Dart Valley to cut liabilities
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THE West Somerset Railway has sold GWR Large Prairie No. 4110 to the Dart Valley Railway plc in the latest of a series of robust measures to reduce its liabilities. WSR plc placed the unrestored former Minehead branch locomotive on sale before Christmas. It was bought from the Southall Railway Great Western Preservation Group in…
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Odney Manor returns at WSR… albeit briefly
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COLLETT ‘Manor’ No. 7828 Odney Manor made a triumphant return to service at the West Somerset Railway in the final weeks of 2018 after a two-year absence and overhaul. The BR(W) 4-6-0, resplendent in BR lined green with early crest, made its public debut on ‘Santa Special’ duties on December 22, and was set to…
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Heritage Explorer: Four lines in four days
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Last summer Robert Drysdale embarked on an 800-mile round trip to visit four heritage railways in four days using the national rail network and occasionally a local bus. His personal account provides some interesting observations and food for thought. On the morning of Friday, July 3, 2018, I arrived at Newark North Gate station to…
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WSR plc Prairie will be sold to WSRA after volunteer buyout plan is rejected
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HE West Somerset Railway plc has agreed to sell unrestored GWR 2-6-2T No. 4110 to the West Somerset Railway Association (WSRA), despite the latter not currently having the funds to pay for it. The move comes after rejection of a proposal to acquire the 1936-built Large Prairie made by a group of WSR staff and volunteers…
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Successful test run for West Somerset ‘Hymek’
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CLASS 35 ‘Hymek’ No. D7018 completed its first loaded test run over the West Somerset Railway on October 24. This was a significant landmark in the extensive overhaul being undertaken by its owners the Diesel & Electric Preservation Group (DEPG). No. D7018 failed at Williton station in August 1995 while heading a Saturday evening dining train. The…
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WSR to close for three-month ‘re-group’ after investigation
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THE West Somerset Railway (WSR) has made the unprecedented decision to voluntarily close for three months from January 2 to April 1, 2019 in order to ‘re-group’ following a visit by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) and the issuing of its findings. As a result there will be no running during the February…
