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The West Somerset Railway Spring Steam Gala has established itself as one of the heritage railway events of the year. The 2004 event promises to live up to the high quality successful Spring Galas over recent years. A four day feast of West Country steam!
The theme of the Railway’s 2004 Spring Steam Gala will be “The Big Four”, with a representative engine from each of the four main railway companies established at the 1923 Grouping.
Up to ten engines will be in steam and working trains at the Gala...
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| | · | LMS Black 5 4-6-0 no 45407
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| | · | BR Class 4 2-6-0 no 76079
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| | · | GER J15 0-6-0 no 65462
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| | · | SR West Country 4-6-2 no 34027 "Taw Valley" more...
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| | · | GWR 4575 Class 2-6-2T no 5552
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| | · | GWR 4575 Class 2-6-2T no 5542
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| | · | BR(W) Manor 4-6-0 no 7820 "Dinmore Manor"
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| | · | BR Class 4 2-6-4T no 80136
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| | · | GWR 64xx Class 0-6-0PT no 6412
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| No 45407 courtesy of Mr Ian Riley
No 76079 courtesy of Mr Ian Riley
No 65462 courtesy of the North Norfolk Railway
No 34027 courtesy of Mr Phil Swallow & the Severn Valley Railway
| No 5552 courtesy of the Bodmin & Wenford Railway
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It is also hoped that the Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust’s Peckett 0-4-0ST no 1788 "Kilmersdon" will be in steam and giving shunting demonstrations at Washford on all three days of the Gala.
Have a look at the Preview page...
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| | • Events and Highlights...
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| | · | Engines from all the former "Big Four" Railway Companies in action
| | · | Plenty of atmosphere and lots of steam action
| | · | Up to 10 engines in steam
| | · | Up to 5 guest engines
| | · | Intensive timetable
| | · | Steam services to Norton Fitzwarren featuring the Great Western auto train
| | · | Double-heading on certain trains
| | · | Shunting demonstrations at Washford and Dunster
| | · | Sheds/workshops at both Williton and Minehead open for inspection
| | · | Bar/buffet car facilities on most trains
| | · | Lots of additional attractions and events
| | · | Day & Weekend rover tickets available – cheaper if booked in advance
| | · | Museums, model railways, giftshops, refreshments, free parking
| | · | Special souvenir programme available
| | · | Lots of photographic opportunities
| | · | All-in-all, a superb value-for-money day out for all the family
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Note: all the above highlights, and the information below, are believed correct as at 25 January 2004, detailed in good faith and subject to availability.
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Buffet and bar facilities will be available on most train services during the weekend, serving a good range of high quality hot and cold food, tea & coffee and a range of other alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
A service of all day breakfasts, hot meals and refreshments will be served from the Quantock Belle on the following trains on Saturday and Sunday...
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| | 10.00 | Bishops Lydeard to Minehead
| | 12.15 | Minehead to Bishops Lydeard
| | 2.05 | Bishops Lydeard to Minehead
| | 4.00 | Minehead to Bishops Lydeard
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and a bar and buffet service on the Friday.
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| | • Preview Day - Thursday 27 March
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Services will run as follows on this day, calling at all stations...
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| | 2.00 | Minehead to Bishops Lydeard
| | 3.30 | Bishops Lydeard to Minehead
| | 4.50 | Minehead to Bishops Lydeard
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Other trains MAY also run. Travel on these trains will be free to those passengers who have purchased a three day Rover Ticket in advance. Other passengers can travel at normal fares.
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| | • What to see and do over the Gala
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| | Shed visits | The sheds at both MINEHEAD and WILLITON will be open during the Gala – a unique opportunity, as access is normally very restricted to the public on safety grounds.
| | MINEHEAD sheds will be open between 10am and 5pm on Saturday and Sunday only [admission charge of £1 per person]. Come and see engines ‘resting’ on shed in between their duties, and visit the workshop and view work on several engines that will be seen in action on the WSR in the near future – including Somerset & Dorset 7F 2-8-0 no 53808, GWR 2-8-0 no 3850 and GWR no 5193, which is being rebuilt as a 2-6-0 tender engine (and will be working trains on the WSR later in 2004).
| | At WILLITON you will have the chance to see the engineering base of the WSRA, where Bulleid Pacific no 34046 "Braunton" is being restored. The workshops of the Diesel & Electric Preservation Group, together with the new Diesel Heritage Centre, will also be open, with many heritage diesel locomotives on display. The chance to view at first hand the painstaking restoration of a unique GWR sleeping car, built in 1897, should also not be missed! The sheds and yard area will be open on all three days, 10am to 5pm.
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| | Museums | At Bishops Lydeard, come and see the many exhibits and displays of railway interest – including many new ones – inside The Gauge Museum on platform 1. Engine no 4561 will be on display,
a 12 minute TV film of the opening of the WSR in 1976 will be showing throughout the Gala weekend, and there will be lots to see and do to maintain your interest while you wait for your train! Blue Anchor Railway Museum will also be open, as will the Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust’s museum and site at Washford.
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| | Model Railways | The Taunton Model Railway Group’s layouts at Bishops Lydeard – including the excellent new Bath Green Park exhibit – will be open throughout the Gala (separate, small admission charge). There is also a large model railway inside The Gauge Museum, also at Bishops Lydeard.
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| | Book signings |
Local author Hammond will be in the shop at Minehead signing copies of his various books on the Somerset & Dorset Railway.
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| | Retail outlets |
The Railway’s principal shops at Minehead and Bishops Lydeard will both be open throughout the Gala – offering a wide range of gifts, souvenirs, books, videos etc – and shops at several of the intermediate stations will also be open. A small number of sales and information stands will also be present.
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A special souvenir programme – which will include a full working timetable and the engine roster for all four days – will be available from stations over the weekend itself, priced £2.50.
You can book Rover Tickets at a discount in advance in the following ways...
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| | · | By telephone, using your Credit Card. Please ring 01643 704996, 9am-4pm Monday-Friday
| | · | By completing the Booking Form
| | · | In person at Minehead Station 9am-4pm, Monday-Friday
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A complete working timetable – which will include full details of all train workings and the locomotive and coaching set diagrams – will be printed in the special souvenir programme.
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| | • Advance Rover Tickets...
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Details on how to book discounted rover tickets in advance please click here
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| | • Shunting demonstrations...
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These will take place at Dunster on Friday – 2pm-3.45pm, and on Saturday and Sunday – 11.45am-3.45pm, and also, subject to final confirmation, at Washford. Re-live the days of the old railway goods yard...
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| • Taunton - Bishops Lydeard
connecting bus service
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There is a First Bus service between Taunton and Bishops Lydeard Station (Services 28 & 28A, Thursday-Saturday; Service 928, Sunday) with extra services over the Gala weekend. WSR tickets are not valid on these services, except return tickets to Taunton issued by Booking Offices at Minehead, Dunster, Blue Anchor, Watchet and Williton. Full bus timetable details available direct from First Southern National – 01823 272033.
Please note that all privilege ticket, free pass and voucher facilities will not apply at the Spring Steam Gala. Ordinary fares apply to all passengers. Discounts are available on Rover Tickets purchased in advance (see below).
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This page is not from the official West Somerset Railway Web Site
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