The West Somerset Railway Association have published a synopsis of the recent Trustee Board meeting held on 16 January 2017.

• The WSRA will publicise the proposed Southern Gateway Project so that members may comment before the response deadline of mid-April.
• The move from Brunel House by mid-February will require interim accommodation for staff at Bishops Lydeard Station.
• A draft budget for 2017 was considered.
• The Board noted that all former local groups had been laid down.
• The date of the 2017 AGM was agreed for Saturday 30 September.
• The Board agreed to arrange car parking at the Norton Rally site for the visit of Flying Scotsman in September.

31 January 2017
Details from local correspondent and WSRA website

Dave Horton, WSR's Head of Mechanical Engineering, has confirmed the following guest steam locomotives for the 2017 Spring Steam Gala.

In addition the home fleet is anticipated to be nos 6960, 44422, 53808 and 53809.

28 January 2017
Details kindly provided by West Somerset Railway Plc

Following the transfer of management of the Gauge Museum at Bishops Lydeard to the West Somerset Steam Railway Trust, work is progressing on a grant application to the Heritage Lottery Fund. The current plan is to submit the application around the end of February. If the application is successful, work to improve the displays will be carried out over the winter period 2017/18, for a relaunch of the museum in March 2018. The plans also involve recruitment of a Learning Officer to work with local schools and the local community, and development of the collection to include oral history. The plans are described in more detail in the 'Museum making' leaflet.

28 January 2017
Details kindly provided by West Somerset Steam Railway Trust

With home-based GWR 4-6-0 no 7828 Odney Manor out of action for maintenance, replacements have been sourced by the WSR's Head of Mechanical Engineering. The Railway has confirmed that two Manor Class 4-6-0 locos - nos 7822 Foxcote Manor and 7820 Dinmore Manor- will return to join the home fleet from early Summer to Autumn. In an online statement, the WSR say:

We thank the host railways and the locomotive owners for making the locomotives available to us.

19 January 2017
Details gleaned from website of West Somerset Railway Plc

News from the West Somerset Railway Association:

The Trustees have decided that Saturday 30 September will be the day for the 2017 AGM. Further details and papers will available in due course.

18 January 2017
Details kindly provided by West Somerset Railway Association

Introducing the WSR's latest recruit...

Like many of the people working on the West Somerset Railway, I'm a volunteer! We give up our spare time to help keep the railway running smoothly. It's a responsible job driving the steam engines, working in the booking offices and in the buffet car. The team do an amazing job and I am so happy to be a part of it all. There are so many exciting things to do and I can't wait to pass on some of the things I've learnt. Enjoy your day on the railway. Mind how you go!

For more information and a link to the downloadable activity sheet, please visit the official Brunel K Beagle page.

17 January 2017
Details kindly provided by West Somerset Railway Plc

The 2017 Cathedrals Express brochure from railtour operator Steam Dreams offers several West Somerset excursions. First on 20 April 2017 is a special to Minehead with LMS Black Five haulage between London and Bishops Lydeard with a locally-based SDJR 7F taking over between there and Minehead. And then, in May, come a series of 'dining ticket only' specials headed by Flying Scotsman starting with an evening tour from Bristol to Minehead and back on 23 May (diesel hauled on return), followed on 26 May by a lunchtime tour of Somerset and Wiltshire from Minehead and a evening tour following the same circular route via Bristol and Westbury from Bishops Lydeard. Full details on the Steam Dreams website at www.steamdreams.co.uk

14 January 2017
Details kindly provided by Steam Dreams

Frank Courtney, the WSR's Flying Scotsman Project Manager writes:

We will be issuing a full statement in the next seven days, which will outline the train timetable, and give an indication of the very substantial work that is taking place behind the scenes to make this a very exciting event. We are working to secure a second substantial - and relevant - locomotive. We have decided to delay ticket sales until 14 March 2017, when all the appropriate information will be available.

Permits for photographers will be allowed, although in common with other railways hosting Flying Scotsman, photographers allowed trackside will have to already hold a permit, and will also be required to register for the event and will receive special identification (to be finalised). There will be a choice of tickets. If you wish to travel behind Flying Scotsman, you will need to book in advance, and the ticket will be valid for a specific single trip, and then available all day on other trains as a Rover ticket. Other tickets will also be available, in a similar way to a standard gala.

13 January 2017
Details kindly provided by West Somerset Railway Plc

Following recent retirements and resignations together with internal realignment of existing portfolios, the WSR Plc wishes to fill a number of vacancies on its Board. Those people who are familiar with the Plc will know that, following a process of formal review, the Company restructured its Board in 2015/16 to create a portfolio based system of Director roles which are aligned to the strategic and policy requirements of the Plc as well as being designed to support the key Departmental functions across the organisation.

We now have opportunities for people to come forward to be considered for the following Director portfolios either singly or in combination - Governance, Commercial and Marketing, Mechanical Engineering, Operations, Human Recources.

For more information please see the appropriate page on the WSR Plc website.

10 January 2017
Details kindly provided by West Somerset Railway Plc

The first two 'guest' locomotives confirmed for the WSR 2017 Spring Steam Gala are GWR 'Large Prairie'no 5199 making a second visit to the West Somerset and a WSR debut for the only surviving Midland Railway (as distinct from LMS) 4F 0-6-0 no 43924. No 43924 was the first locomotive to be purchased for preservation from Woodhams Scrapyard - perhaps Minehead the closest it will have been to Barry since its escape from the torch? The 'home fleet' for the Gala is listed as nos 6960, 44422, 53808 and 53809, along with Kilmersdon plus the S&D six wheel coach listed for shuttles from Minehead Station. The Minehead shed and works and the WSRA Restorations works will be open on the Saturday and Sunday 29 and 30 April 2017.

9 January 2017
Details kindly provided by local correspondent

Following an approach from WSR signalmen, the West Somerset Steam Railway Trust agreed last year to establish a new Restricted Fund with the aim of acquiring heritage items for WSR signal boxes. The Trust has now agreed a set of rules which set out how the Fund will be administered. A number of signalmen are already making contributions to the Fund, and have become members of the Trust, but contributions will be welcome from anyone with an interest in signalling heritage.

9 January 2017
Details kindly provided by West Somerset Steam Railway Trust

The West Somerset Railway is pleased to announce that its annual Classic Car Run will be held on Sunday 4 June this year. The well-established pattern from previous years will be repeated with cars gathering at Bishops Lydeard Station near Taunton from 9am and setting off at 11am for a 35 mile run to Minehead. The route will take in some stunning West Somerset scenery, little-known by-ways, and medieval villages and towns, looping around the West Somerset Railway's stations and ending at Minehead where reserved parking will be available alongside the station close to the town and the beach. Spectators can see the cars gather at Bishops Lydeard and then take the 10.20am steam service from Bishops Lydeard to get ahead of the cars and watch them pass one of the WSR's nine stations. Run organiser and WSR volunteer Robin White said:

The run has been growing in popularity over past years as word has got out there what a fun day out it is for both the participants and visitors to the Railway. The combination of stunning classic cars, West Somerset scenery and our wonderful steam trains makes for a great spectacle. This year we are hoping to have around one hundred classics participating.

As the event has grown, administration will this year be handled by the WSR's Commercial Office at Minehead. An entry form and information can be obtained by e-mailing info@wsrail.net or calling 01643 704996. As in previous years, participants will be offered a reduced rate ride on the Railway for the driver and up to 3 passengers. Entry costs £10.

6 January 2017
Details kindly provided by West Somerset Railway Plc

At the beginning of 2017, the West Somerset Railway will carry out extensive maintenance works at the Minehead end of the line.

These vital works mean that we will be unable to run a full steam service throughout the February half term as in previous years. We are therefore offering journeys between Bishops Lydeard and Watchet by Diesel (DMU) only, for a special price of £9.00 for adults and £4.50 for young person on selected dates from 11th to 19th February. This ticket entitles the holder to unlimited travel on the services between these two stations allowing plenty of time to explore the local area

We will also be offering tickets for our Snowdrops Excursions. This ticket entitles the holder to travel on our DMU service from Bishops Lydeard to Williton, then travel by bus from Williton to Wheddon Cross to explore Snowdrop Valley and return to the railway to travel back to Bishops Lydeard. Tickets for this special are on sale now and can be purchased for £20 per adult and £10 per Young Person and £44 for a family. There is an additional charge for the bus from Wheddon Cross to Snowdrop Valley otherwise you can walk. For more details on the way to the valley please visit www.wheddoncross.org.uk/snowdropvalley.htm

Tickets for the DMU half term services can either be bought on the day from the booking office or in advance online through the company's website. Tickets for Snowdrop Excursions can only be brought online in advance or by telephone. To purchase your half term ticket, or for more information, please visit our website www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk or contact us by phone on 01643 704996.

4 January 2017
Details kindly provided by West Somerset Railway Plc

Please note the webcam at Minehead Station will be offline in early 2017 whilst the track infrastructure upgrade is underway. Regular webcam watchers will have noticed the Bishops Lydeard webcam is not functioning; we believe this is due to the hosts, Camstreams, being taken over; discussions about possible replacement arrangements are ongoing and we hope to bring news of developments as and when announced.

4 January 2017
Details from local correspondents

Members of the West Somerset Railway Association are receiving the latest edition of the WSR Journal, produced by the Association's editorial team, led by Editor Richard Jones. The 78 page Number 115 'Winter 2016-2017' contains, as usual, a great number of fine colour photographs along with lots of WSR news and updates.

3 January 2017
Details from West Somerset Railway Association

This year, Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST no 1219 will be returning to the West Somerset Railway - mainly for modifications. 2016 was a good year for the diminutive loco with her first year back in traffic which started at the WSR's Spring Steam Gala in March. She then moved to the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway and what a railway it is - friendly staff; a real nice railway on which she shall return at the end of 2017 all being well. No 1219 will be in steam for all the WSR events in 2017.

3 January 2017
Details gleaned from Facebook