The West Somerset Railway Association report:

Following a great response to our call out for volunteers a new WSR TV team has been formed. They are a group of people with great skills, experience and enthusiasm and of course a love of the railway.

The first video to be released is a short promotional for the Winterlights trains, which has been very well received already. This video has been made freely available to the WSR PLC to help them promote the experience to a wider public.

Over the next few months the team will be producing a range of videos, led by the editorial board and responding to the needs of the railway. These will range from educational video and informationals to short promos for the railway, like the one just released.

It's not too late to get involved, so if you'd like to know more about working with the WSR TV team please email the WSRA General Manager jacquie.green@wsra.org.uk

The WSR's Gala Planning Team have announced the dates for three special events in 2022.

We are pleased to announce our Gala events program for 2022. As usual, further information will be announced closer to the events, we will have some surprises in store for you!

Spring Steam Gala - Celebrating the return of train services to Minehead with the first WSR Spring Gala since 2018. Thursday 5 May to Sunday 8 May 2022.

1960s Diesel Gala - Recreating the sights and sounds of the 1960s with vintage diesels powering through the Somerset countryside. Thursday 9 June to Saturday 11 June 2022

Autumn Steam Gala - Returning this event to the calendar for another year, with the theme to be announced closer to the time. Thursday 29 September to Sunday 2 October 2022

Please ensure you have these dates in your diaries.

Seb Welsh (Gala Planning Team Chairman)

The hire of the 'Maid of All Work' Class 4 loco no 5199 from the 'The 5199 Project' owning group has been extended for WSR use.

The agreement will now see the locomotive on the WSR for the whole of the 2022 season until 31 December 2022 which has been agreed by 'The 5199 Project' Group Chairman Richard Pumphrey in conjunction with Richard Hiscox and the WSR plc. Richard adds:

No 5199 will operate on a minimum number of 50 steaming days in this period. It is an ideal engine for the WSR being capable of hauling most trains with ease, and many members of the class ran regularly on the steeply-graded branch hauling eight coach trains in GWR and British Railways days. The locomotive is currently undergoing a programme of mechanical winter maintenance at Minehead in readiness for the new WSR running season. Our thanks go to the 5199 project for supporting the West Somerset Railway.

Richard Hiscox, Minehead Locomotive Dept.

Stuart Nelhams has some sad news for us:

Regular Steam Driver / Loco Dept volunteer John Gibbins sadly passed away earlier today after a period of ill health.

John has been a well known stalwart of the Dept for a great many years as well as having been involved at the Mid Hants Railway and Bullied Tangmere support crew.

John was popular and regular at MD Loco Dept and will be missed by his many friends who im sure will agree that many things wont be the same without him and ' curry nights ' will seem emptier without him bringing his own condiments along.

RIP John from all your railway family.

The latest video to appear on WSRTV is a short introduction to the 'Winterlights' trains currenty running on the West Somerset Railway.

The Friends of Minehead Station have reminded folks about the return of the Christmas Market to the platforms of Minehead Station.

Minehead Station Christmas Market is set to be held on 27 November 2021 from 10am to 4pm. Hosted by the Friends of Minehead Station, this annual event is back after being absent due to covid last year. Watchet Town Band will be providing live music and Santa will be on hand from around midday. We have a variety of stallholders selling locally made produce. The Turntable Cafe, Readers Halt second hand bookstall, and the Station Gift Shop will be open. Free admission.

The West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust are creating a Collection Care and Housekeeping Team. The Trust say:

The WSRHT has started to consider the duty role and makeup of various teams and identifying the individuals that will be required to move forward with collections care and housekeeping. The Trust will be convening a meeting shortly to discuss the various options it has and to set plans to start developing an action plan and to look to assigning roles. Would you like to be part of a Collections Care and Housekeeping Team? If you would please contact us info@wsrht.co.uk

Sad news of the passing of Mike Hodge, former joint Station Master at Crowcombe Heathfield. One of the very nicest people anyone could hope to meet.

Today I have received the sad news of the passing of Michael Hodge, a long-time supporter of the Railway, who passed away peacefully on Saturday 13th November at the age of 90. Michael was joint Station Master at Crowcombe Heathfield for 35 years before retiring in January 2010 and regularly visited the railway since.

Lee Robbins, WSR volunteer and friend of Mike.

All of Mike's friends on the Railway (and there will be a huge number) will, we are sure, offer sympathies and best wishes to Mike's family.

The West Somerset Railway Association have published a useful synopsis of the main discussion points and decisions at the charity's recent Trustee Board meeting held on 9 November 2021. Please click or tap the button below for more.

The West Somerset Railway Association are extending its free membership offer to working WSR volunteers. They say:

The year 2021 marks 50 years of the WSRA supporting the railway and we think that’s worth celebrating.

The Trustees have agreed to extend the free membership offer for working volunteers right up until the end of 2021. The offer is for a one year complementary membership for any working volunteer on the Railway who are not yet WSRA members. Simply submit a photograph of yourself volunteering on the railway during 2021, and claim a year’s free 'Working Volunteer' membership of the WSRA. The volunteering work you demonstrate in your photograph can be anything that supports the West Somerset Railway, so gardening, signalling, catering, admin etc are all good.

Don Bishop has now retired from his role as Gala Planning Team Chair. Don stood down at the Team meeting on Thursday 4 November 2021.

Seb Welsh, a well known volunteer on the Railway and already a member of the Team, has stepped up to take on the role. Seb comments:

Don has been involved with Gala planning since 1995 and the rest of the team and the Railway as a whole wish to express our thanks for his huge efforts. I have big shoes to fill!

Looking ahead, Seb adds that Gala dates for 2022 are currently being discussed and will be announced before Christmas.

An encouraging result following the open day for prospective volunteers as organiser and WSR volunteer Andy Mayson reports:

The West Somerset Railway was delighted with the response to their volunteer open day last Saturday. We had 24 people who filled in the 'expression of interest' form and we are working through those people now to put them in touch with the relevant departments. We still need many more volunteers so it you are interested please contact us on 01823 433856 or email volunteers@wsrail.net