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| • The Pride of the Great Western...
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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 2005 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 2005 Spring Steam Gala will be “The Pride of the Great Western” and up to twelve engines of Swindon Pedigree will be in steam...
Twelve Great Western engines are expected to be in steam and working trains at the gala...
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| | · | 'City' 4-4-0 no 3440 "City of Truro"
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| | · | 'King' 4-6-0 no 6024 "King Edward I"
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| | · | 'Castle' 4-6-0 no 5051 "Earl Bathurst"
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| | · | 'Hall' 4-6-0 no 4936 "Kinlet Hall"
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| | · | 'Manor' no 7822 "Foxcote Manor"
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| | · | '57xx' 0-6-0PT no 4612
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| | · | '14xx' 0-4-2T no 1450
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| | · | '94xx' 0-6-0PT no 9466
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| | · | '9351' 2-6-0 no 9351 (ex-GWR 2-6-2T no 5193)
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| | · | '4575' Class 2-6-2T nos 5542 & 5553
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| | · | '64xx' 0-6-0PT no 6412
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All engines are subject to availability...
Peckett 0-4-0ST no 1788 "Kilmersdon" will also be in steam giving shunting demonstrations at Washford
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| | • Events and Highlights...
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| | · | A real feast of Great Western steam
| | · | Up to 12 GWR engines in action
| | · | Eight guest engines
| | · | Intensive timetable
| | · | Steam services to Norton Fitzwarren featuring the Great Western auto train
| | · | 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
| | · | Special souvenir programme available
| | · | Lots of photographic opportunities
| | · | Frequent free heritage bus service linking Taunton and Bishops Lydeard railway stations
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Note: all the above highlights, and the information below, are believed correct as at 7 January 2005, detailed in good faith and subject to availability.
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| | • Services to Norton Fitzwarren...
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The following services will run between Bishops Lydeard and Norton Fitzwarren, featuring our Great Western auto train:
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| | · | Friday 18 March
| | Departures from Bishops Lydeard at
| | 1035 1130 1220 1337 1436 1536 1635
| | · | Saturday 19 March
| | Departures from Bishops Lydeard at
| | 0905 1010 1050 1130 1230 1337 1436 1536 1635
| | · | Sunday 20 March
| | Departures from Bishops Lydeard at
| | 1035 1130 1230 1337 1436 1536 1635
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The round trip takes 20-25 minutes. It is not possible to board and alight at Norton Fitzwarren.
Please note - here is limited accommodation and no buffet or toilet facilites on the Auto Train.
There will be shunting demonstrations over the Gala at:
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| | · | Dunster
| | Friday 2pm-3.45pm
| | Saturday and Sunday 11.45am-3.45pm
| | · | Washford
| | Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10.30am-4.30pm
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These can be observed in safety from the platform.
Minehead shed 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 undergoing overhaul - including BR(W) 'Manor' 4-6-0 no 7828 "Odney Manor" and Somerset & Dorset 7F 2-8-0 no 53808.
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.
Museums open at Bishops Lydeard, Washford and Blue Anchor. Taunton Model Railway Group's base at Bishops Lydeard open..
Alan and Christine Hammond and Richard Derry will be siging copies of their new book "Ticket To Minehead". Alan will be at Minehead on all four days (where he will also be signing copies of his own new book "Legends of the Somerset & Dorset"), whilst Christine and Richard will be at Bishops Lydeard on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
A special souvenir programme - which will include complete working timetables including the goods trains and the engine rosters for all four days - will be available from the stations over the weekend itself, priced £2.50.
Parking facilities at Bishops Lydeard will be severely strained during the Gala. A special free heritage bus service will operate from Taunton Railway Station (near the Ticket Office) - where plenty of car parking is available - direct to Bishops Lydeard Station on all four days.
This half-hourly service will start at 1.30pm on the Thursday, and at 9.30am on the other three days.
The last departure from Bishops Lydeard will be at 6.00pm on Thursday, and 7.00pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
There will be plenty of seats available. This service is free.
Please there will be very limited parking available at WSR Stations over the weekend
On Saturday 19 March from just after midday through to 1.45pm nos 7822, 4936, 5051 and 6024 will be lined up for photographs on Minehead shed, with viewing from the platform, to present the four surviving classes of GW 4-6-0s together. City class no 3440 is due to arrive at 12.47 and will then be added to the line up albeit facing the opposite direction. No additional charge for this event. Please note the above is subject to availablilty. Many thanks to Don Bishop and Richard Jones for arranging and hosting the above event. Although not needed for this event, photographers may like to access non-public areas of the lineside at other times and apply for a Spring Steam Gala Lineside Photography Permit which should be printed, completed and returned to the address shown on the form together with the appropriate fee.
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 for link to booking form.
The best way to enjoy the Gala is to purchase a Rover Ticket - which gives complete freedom to travel on the line for the validity of the ticket.
"4 for the price of 3" - a 4-day Rover Ticket will be available for the price of a 3-day Ticket - A real bargain!
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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| | • Lineside Photo Permits...
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Gala Lineside Photo Permit
The "Quantock Belle" dining car set will be serving a cafeteria menu on the 10.00 and 2.05 trains from Bishops Lydeard and the 12.15 and 4.00 from Minehead on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There will also be buffet cars available on most other trains. More...
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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 at Washford on Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10.30am-4.30pm. 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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