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|  Disappointment and Delight
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• The WSR Plc have issued the following press release...
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IT IS with both regret and disappointment that Southern Railway ‘West Country’ 4-6-2 No 34046 Braunton will not now be able to take any part in the West Somerset Railway’s Autumn Steam Gala on 4-7 October following problems encountered during its initial test run along the line last month.
However, the Railway is delighted to be able to confirm that – following agreement reached with both the Severn Valley Railway and the Stanier Mogul Fund – LMS 2-6-0 No 42968 will be joining the line-up at the Autumn Gala.
“The ‘Stanier Mogul’ – which will be visiting Somerset for the first time – will be an impressive sight on the line and is sure to be popular with visitors to the event”, comments WSR General Manager, Paul Conibeare “and we are all looking forward to seeing this unique engine in action.”
No 42968 is the only preserved example of its class, forty of which were built by the London, Midland & Scottish Railway at Crewe Works in the mid-1930’s to a design by William Stanier, which were a development of the earlier mixed-traffic ‘Crab’ 2-6-0’s. After a rather uneventful career, during which time it was based at various sheds, the loco was withdrawn from Wigan Springs Branch in January 1966 and sent to scrap at Woodhams Brothers’ yard at Barry Docks in South Wales.
The Stanier Mogul Fund successfully purchased the 2-6-0 in 1973, and it has been based on the Severn Valley Railway ever since. After restoration from scrapyard condition, it was successfully steamed again in 1990 and entered passenger service the following year.
Other guest engines joining No 42968 at the Autumn Steam Gala will be GWR 56xx 0-6-2T No 6619 (normally based at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway), the diminutive LB&SCR ‘Terrier’ 0-6-0T No 662 Martello from Bressingham Steam Museum and the privately-owned GWR 0-4-2T No 1450, which is making a welcome return visit. A further guest engine is currently being sourced.
Also in action from the resident fleet will be S&DJR 7F 2-8-0 No 88, LMS 4F 0-6-0 No 44422, GWR 2-8-0 No 3850, the WSR’s own Great Western ‘Mogul’ No 9351 and a pair of GWR ‘prairie tanks’, Nos 4160 and 5553.
Completing the line-up will be Peckett 0-4-0ST No 1788 Kilmersdon – the last steam loco to work in a Somerset coalfield – which will be giving shunting demonstrations at Washford during the event.
Braunton had an initial test run on Sunday 19 August, after passenger services had finished for the day, working from its restoration base at Williton up the six-mile climb to Crowcombe. Several stops were made en route to check bearings etc and generally all was well, particularly considering the fact that the engine had last steamed 42 years ago. On the return run, however, the smell of hot axleboxes was detected and these were checked upon arrival back at Williton. Further examination revealed that three axleboxes had run hot, two having melted the white metal, which revealed a fault with the axlebox pads. The motion was subsequently dismantled and the engine lifted off its wheels.
During examination a longitudinal crack was discovered in the left-hand trailing axle journal not previously apparent, and of such a depth that a new axle is now required to ensure main line certification. The crack did not cause the overheating, but was exposed by it, and is considered to have existed in the axle since it was originally forged. The cause of the overheating boxes may be inadequate lubrication, the cause of which is still under investigation.
As a result, No 34046 will now not be able to make its preservation debut at the Autumn Steam Gala, and it is expected that the engine will not be back in action until early 2008.
“We are naturally all very disappointed to hear of the problems encountered by Braunton – none more so than the restoration team at Williton – but we are looking forward to seeing the loco back in action next spring all being well, reports Paul Conibeare. “However, we still have an excellent line-up of locomotives on offer at our Autumn Steam Gala, with the added attraction of a surprise guest engine, which we hope will again be very well supported.”
A very intensive timetable will be in operation on all four days of the event, with passenger services running between 08:20 (09:00 Thursday & Friday) and around 19:00 each day. All services will be worked by steam and there will be many opportunities for visitors to “swap trains” at the intermediate crossing places at Blue Anchor, Williton and Crowcombe Heathfield in order to sample travel behind all the locomotives in action each day.
As well as the “whole line” trains operating between Bishops Lydeard and Minehead, the timetable will also feature the Great Western auto train hauled by No 1450, a typical branch line train with a Southern flavour worked by No 662 Martello and the Railway’s demonstration heritage goods train.
Full bar and buffet facilities will be available on most train services during the weekend, serving a good range of high quality hot and cold food, tea and coffee, and a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks – including real ale. In addition, the “Quantock Belle” will be serving its customary popular range of all day breakfasts, together with a range of other hot meals, on selected trains on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Visitors will be able to inspect the main workshops at Minehead – where the overhaul of BR(W) 4-6-0 No 7828 Odney Manor is taking place – together with the chance to see the engineering workshops at Williton, where Braunton will now be on display, together with GWR 0-6-0PT No 6412 – now awaiting a ten-year overhaul – and GWR 0-6-2T No 6695 from Swanage, which will be undergoing a contract repair. For visitors also interested in more modern traction, the excellent Diesel Heritage Centre at Williton will also be open. Also not to be missed will be the railway museums at Bishops Lydeard, Washford and Blue Anchor, together with the chance to see the layouts of the Taunton Model Railway Group in action at Bishops Lydeard.
Visitors to the Gala will again have the opportunity of travelling to and from the event by train, as one of Virgin Trains’ Class 220 Voyagers will be operating a special connecting shuttle service between Taunton and Bishops Lydeard on the Saturday and Sunday. Special fares apply on these services.
In addition, a special regular free bus service will operate linking Taunton Railway Station, the Park and Ride Car Park at Silk Mill – where plenty of car parking is available – and Bishops Lydeard Station.
For visitors arriving by car, both Bishops Lydeard – where limited car parking will be available – and the Silk Mill Park and Ride car park will be fully signposted from Junctions 25 and 26 of the M5 motorway.
A special souvenir programme – which will include full information about the event, together with the full working timetables and locomotive diagrams – will be available in advance of the event and during the Gala itself, priced £2.50.
Undoubtedly the best way to enjoy the Autumn Steam Gala is to purchase a Rover Ticket, which gives complete freedom to travel on the line for the validity of the ticket. Discounted prices apply for all ‘Rovers’ purchased in advance of the event (before 01 October) – Adult tickets, for example, cost £17, £26 and £35 for one, two and four days respectively. Tickets can be purchased by telephone from Minehead Station and through www.ticketweb.co.uk, using a Credit/Debit Card.
West Somerset Railway Plc
13 September 2007
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This page is not from the official West Somerset Railway website
© Stephen Edge
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