WSR :: West Somerset Railway

DMUs on the West Somerset Railway

The Railway has quite a history of using Diesel Multiple Units (DMU) during the "preservation age" [WSR DMU Facts]. Indeed, during the summer of 1976 that saw the reopenings, first the Minehead to Blue Anchor section in March, and then the longer stretch to Williton in August, the Railway started using the two two-car Park Royal DMUs on the fledgling "local" service. And the idea of a serious rail service, as opposed to a fun steam railway, did actually show some promise. The Park Royals had previously been in British Rail service on the Kingswear line in South Devon before purchased by the WSR Co for the proposed "commuter" service between Taunton and Minehead.

The local service became much enhanced when the line was reopened to Bishops Lydeard, and with the provision of a bus service linking the southern terminus and Taunton, the line started to attract quite considerable numbers of through passengers, especially on summer Saturdays when both DMUs would run a roughly hourly service, crossing at Williton. Both would be crammed full of holidaymakers and luggage.

The remaining miles to Taunton, three on WSR rails and two on BR metals, have never seen a WSR commuter service, for many reasons, too complex to detail here. And the bus service has never made the prospect of through travel particularly appealing, and in the late 1980s, the attempt at running a true rail service came to an end. It is still possible to make the journey from Taunton to Minehead, still with a bus bridging the gap to Bishops Lydeard, and it is well patronised by day trippers.

The Park Royals were worked hard in the early days, with a standard three trains each way service over the Minehead - Williton section running six days a week all year round - plus early morning and late evening trains, and the extensive Saturday timetable. In 1982, a two-car Cravens DMU arrived and immediately started to share the load. Later, two more DMUs arrived, these were the Gloucester units, one in running order, one not.

With three very different, mechanically, types, the maintainance became a nightmare. So, the Railway decided to standardise, and over the next few years, chose to acquire Class 115/117 DMUs parts, driving-trailers and intermediate trailers, and gradually the other type were either sold or scrapped.

Today's DMU scene is dominated by the three-car Class 115/117 DMU used on off-peak trains. The spare trailers are usefully employed in locomotive-hauled stock during the busy times in peak summer and special events.

In the early days, the Railway was ridiculed by the heritage railway community for using DMUs. Now after many years of DMU usage, it is satisfying to note that nearly all other such railways employ at least one DMU.

The unsung workhorses

These works are licenced under a Creative Commons Licence