WSRA Journal 175 Winter 2021 by WSR Journal

Journal West Somerset Railway

Number 175

Winter 2021

WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

Information West Somerset Railway Association www.wsra.org.uk The Railway Station, Bishops Lydeard, Taunton, Somerset, TA4 3BX. Chairman: Mike Sherwood, Vice Chairman: Geoff Garfield Trustees: Barrie Childs, John Glover, Jeff Price, Mike Lea, Shirley Turner, Denise Parker, Diana Ricketts-Tanner Association General Manager: Jacquie Green, 01823 433856, manager@wsra.org.uk Association Administrator: Keith Sandford, 01823 433856, admin@wsra.org.uk West Somerset Railway Plc www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk The Railway Station, Minehead, Somerset, TA24 5BG. 01643 704996 Talking Timetable: (24 hours) 01643 707650. Vice President: David T Morgan MBE TD Chairman: Jonathan Jones-Pratt Company Secretary: Four Fifty Partnership Directors: Joy Boswell, Andy Castledine, Frank Courtney Bob Meanley, Steve Williams. Assistant General Manager: Kerry Noble Sales and Marketing Team: Ally Roe Head of Infrastructure: Peter Chilcott Mechanical Engineering: Ryan Pope Operations Manager: Malcolm Dean Finance Department: Michelle Waterman Retail Sales David Noble WS Restorations: Don Wood, 01984 566010, admin@wsrestoration.co.uk West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust www.wsrht.co.uk The Railway Station, Bishops Lydeard, Taunton, Somerset, TA4 3BX. President: Lady Elizabeth Gass, DCVO. Chairman: Mike Thompson Trustees: Helen Anson, Ian Coleby, Geoff Evens, Don Fraser, Matt Jackson, Mike Lee, Martin Brown, Steve Williams. WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

Journal West Somerset Railway

Number 175 Winter 2021 The WSR Journal is published four times a year by the West Somerset Railway Association. It covers activities on the whole West Somerset Railway. Editor: Ian Coleby journal@wsra.org.uk Editorial Team: Don Bishop, Nigel Power, Allan Stanistreet, Keith Smith, Ian Tabrett. ADVERTISING: Kathryn Sims kat.sims@wsra.org.uk © Copyright 2021 West Somerset Railway Association. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the Editor. Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Editor, the WSRA Trustees or the West Somerset Railway Plc. The Editor is always pleased to receive readers news, views, articles and photographs for possible use in the Journal. Material sent is at contributor’s own risk. Please send all submissions by email to the address above. If no clear instructions are received the Editor will retain work submitted on file. As the WSRA is a largely voluntary body, fees are not normally paid for contributions. WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

Contents Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 General News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Letter from the Chair. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Gala Team News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Focus on Williton Station . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Renewing Seaward Way Crossing. . . . . . 21 One Hundred Years Ago . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Along the Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Departmental Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Story of Williton Footbridge. . . . . . . . . . 56 Memories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Association News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 News from the WSR Groups. . . . . . . . . . 65

Front Cover: No. 7828 Odney Manor at Helwell Bridge on the approach to Watchet with the RTC excursion from Paddington on 14 August 2021. No. 7822 is out of sight at the back of the train. Photo: Tim Edmonds. Frontispiece:Framed by the reconstructed bracket down starting signal, Mogul 9351 is seen at Crowcombe Heathfield on 2 November 2021. Photo: Steve Leek Back Cover: Manor No. 7822 Foxcote Manor is seen at Bishops Lydeard 1 October 2021. Photo: Keith Smith. Centrespread: Manor No. 7828 Odney Manor passing Longlands Farm, between Norton Fitzwarren and Bishops Lydeard, with a Blue Anchor bound service on 1st October 2021. Photo: Don Bishop

COPY DEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE: 1 February 2022 3

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Editorial Your Editor looks forward to next season

The West Somerset Railway is certainly a special place. I first encountered the line in the late 1970s when we had just the Bagnalls pounding up and down. I started volunteering as a signalman in 1983 and on many days, the train crew and myself in the signalbox at Blue Anchor were the only staff on duty. Things seemed to first take off with the visit of No. 5572 and it seems we have never looked back and the line now looks better than ever before. However, for many of these years there have been disagreements and misunderstandings of various sorts ranging from the mildly ridiculous to more serious things. It's no good pretending that these things haven't happened, but what I do find interesting is that as the various parties have changed their roles, their viewpoints appear to have changed. One thing that the Covid episode has taught us is that businesses such as ours are fragile and

We plan to publish future Journals as: Summer 2022 - 1 June 2022 Autumn 2022 - 1 September 2022 Winter 2022 - 1 December 2022 Spring 2023 - 1 March 2023 Subject to production schedules. WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

can be easily lost if we are not very careful. It is, therefore, hugely encouraging that a new tri-partite group has now been established to bring together the boards from the three main organisations on the railway: the PLC, the WSRA and the WSRHT. It has always seemed to me patently obvious that working together we can achieve far more than we can do if we are working in different directions. Finally, it looks as if normal life is resuming as we learn to live with the virus. With the completion of Seaward Way Crossing, the 2022 season looks like it will be a vintage one for the WSR. The Steam Rally is resuming and our trains and stations are looking better than ever before. Although we are all sad to have lost some old friends from the railway this year, we can look forward to the future with optimism. Ian Coleby

We are always short of pictures for publication and especially welcome images of volunteers and staff at work or unusual happenings. Please email pictures to journal@wsra.org.uk 5

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General News Seaward Way Crossing Seaward Way Crossing is now authorised for all traffic (including passenger trains). Various assessments have taken place and the ORR have agreed it is compliant with the previously approved design, subject to one or two very minor adjustments. These will be completed shortly, and next season there will be a full service of trains again to and from Minehead.The crossing is now complete with double barriers, and is operated by the signalman with the aid of a CCTV system. Previously the crossing was an automatic half barrier design, operated automatically. Whilst suitable for minor roads, traffic on Seaward Way had increased over the last twenty years. A full celebratory re-opening of Minehead station is planned for the spring. Plans for New Joint Planning Group Plans are being developed for new regular quarterly high-level meetings to help develop and co-ordinate the contributions of the main partners in the West Somerset Railway. All the directors of the West Somerset Railway plc,

trustees of the West Somerset Railway Association and trustees of the West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust are to meet together to develop and review strategic planning for the railway on a regular basis. Full details of how these meetings will operate and deliver are being worked out, and it is intended that the first meeting will take place in December. From now on there will also be an annual review meeting to ensure that the group is making the maximum impact. As their titles indicate, each of the constituent organisations has a different focus: the job of the plc is to run the railway so that it is safe and profitable; the Association is the main membership organisation and has a key role generating charitable funding with specific objectives; and the Heritage Trust has the important role of making sure the heritage features of the railway are conserved and made available in the best possible way. In the past, effective co-ordination between these organisations has sometimes been difficult, and so this new initiative is seen as way to make sure that all three organisations, which each have an important role to play, work collaboratively and in step. In this way it is seen that the railway will most likely prosper and move forward. Each organisation will continue to have its own key role, but by working positively and Seaward Way Crossing as seen by the Minehead signalman via the new CCTV system. Photo: John Jenkins.

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constructively together in this way it is seen that there is the maximum potential benefit. Jon Jones Pratt, chairman of the WSR plc, said: “We see this as a major step to ensuring all three organisations work constructively together. We look forward to collaboration in the future using this new framework.” Mike Sherwood, chairman of the WSRA, said: “I hope that this acorn will grow into an oak tree. I am sure with time and sufficient nurture that it can.” And Mike Thompson, chairman of the Heritage Trust, said: “We welcome any initiative to improve communications across the railway, and look forward to participating in discussions to help bring the railway family closer together”. Mike Hodge We are sorry to report the passing of Mike Hodge, former joint Station Master at Crowcombe Heathfield. One of the very nicest people anyone could hope to meet. He 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. 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. WSRA Membership Fees for 2022 The Trustees would like to encourage volunteers on the railway to join the WSRA and take an active part in how their railway is supported. The short window for FREE volunteer membership for new members has therefore been extended until 31st December 2021. To join the WSRA with a photo of yourself actively working on the railway in 2021 visit https://wsra.org.uk/members WSRA Membership fees were last 8

increased in January 2018. The Trustees have re-evaluated the membership fees along with the vital contribution WSRA membership makes to the support we are able to give to the railway. A lot of costs have increased in the last couple of years and whilst the WSRA keeps a tight rein on costs, some increases have been inevitable. Therefore the Trustees have decided that with effect from 1 January 2022 WSRA membership fees will be: Adult: £27.00 Two Adults: £41.00 Family: £50.00 Junior / Student: £11.00 Senior Citizen: £24.00 Two Senior Citizens: £37.00 Volunteer: £16.00 The Trustees hope that members will understand and support these small annual increases, which help the charity to fund heritage projects on the railway. David Randles Alan Clifford, a close friend of the late Dr David Randles, who many will fondly remember as a long serving, generous and friendly WSR signalman, writes: David's family were granted permission for him to make his last journey on the railway by the 14.45 service train from Bishops Lydeard on 30 October 2021. A small group of invited guests accompanied the family on the train to Blue Anchor station where a small ceremony took place prior to David making his final journey. On leaving Blue Anchor station as the train steamed along the track at Ker Moor, a favourite place, all guests said goodbye, sending David on his last journey in the customary railway way. James Thomas Mike Organ writes: I am sorry to report that James Thomas died on Monday 30 August in Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth. He was WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

stationmaster at Williton after Chris van den Arend. He was well known and liked locally and was friendly with our nearneighbour Edward Martin. James married Sheila at the St. Peter's Church, Williton, and the reception was held at the Raleghs Cross Hotel. He had been having treatment for cancer for the last few years. James had a strong intellect and I am sure many of the more longserving members of Williton staff will mourn his passing. Quantock Belle Here we go at long last, riding the rails, although sadly at present we can only travel from Bishops Lydeard to Dunster by train. Then our passengers transfer to a heritage buses for a tour of Minehead seafront, which they all seem to enjoy. We had four Sunday lunch trains during September and October, doing what we do best – feeding our customers with first-class fare. These customers had booked before the pandemic struck. The carriages have all been smartly painted in maroon and a few mechanical jobs carried out. We hope to have the original names restored in the near future, Aries, Meteor, Orion and Jupiter, which we are

looking forward to. We have a returning chef, Carol Lockton, preparing a fine and varied selection of food assisted by Margaret Depoix running the front-of-house with her wonderful stewards. Our bar manager, Roger, and his wine waiters are yet again serving a fine selection of wines, beers, spirits and soft drinks. Our crew are really excited to be back doing what we enjoy and we pride ourselves in the whole experience being afforded to our diners. Let us hope that 2022 will be a full season of QB running. The QB crew Steam and Vintage Vehicle Rally 2022 After two years’ break because of the restrictions and uncertainties caused by the Covid pandemic, we are delighted to confirm that the 2022 rally will take place on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 August 2022, on the rally fields at Norton Fitzwarren. Our annual rally is loved by more than 6,500 visitors who join us each year. It is great to see the generations of families enjoying all the heritage transport exhibitions, the live steam and having a great day out. This makes it an important showcase for our railway, as well as raising valuable funds for our charity. It brings together all the railway family organisations who showcase their work, and help make it such a successful event. The rally team have now The Quantock Belle crew willing and ready to run the service again in 2022. Photo: Don Wood

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started their planning and will soon be contacting the exhibitors and traders. We are very grateful to our many volunteers from all over the railway who help us set up, run and pack away the event. This is a huge task – but it's not just hard work. We all enjoy our time at Norton and we keep coming back, and that's not just for the free tea, coffee and lunches! So put the Rally in your 2022 diary. We would be delighted to see you as a visitor on the two days but even more delighted to welcome you to our band of volunteers. There are lots of opportunities to help, from setting up the event the week before or packing it away on Monday 8, to weekend help at the entrance gates, selling programmes, marshalling rides, helping with catering: lots of jobs to suit all skills and be part of the team for this great event. You will find more information and updates on our website www.steamrally.org.uk. If you would like to find out more about

volunteering or offer to help, please ring 01823 433856 or e-mail us on info@steamrally.org.uk Geoff Garfield Collection Care and Housekeeping Team. The WSRHT has started to consider the 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 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 John Cronin has sent this picture of two recently departed friends. This is Len Renwick and Pat Langan in the cab of one of the DEPG class 33 locomotives in around 2004. The locomotive is standing at Blue Anchor station on the down line on its way to Minehead. Photo John Cronin.

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Letter from the Chair Association Chairman MIKE SHERWOOD reports.

When I last wrote to you, the railway was in the middle of what I believe to have been a successful summer season. While we didn't run to Minehead, we got to be pretty slick at running-around at Dunster, and the vintage bus service was well received by passengers. I saw nothing but happy smiling faces. As for the Minehead level crossing, pending final snags and a lot of training, we should be running back into Minehead next year, and in fact, I have now fired a loco all the way to Minehead as part of an ECS move.

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It is great to see an exciting programme including Winterlights trains is planned in November until Christmas. Santa trains also feature, with full details on the WSR plc web site. As the ops notice always says: “Other trains may run” and I'm booked for a light engine move or two before the winter programme starts. Despite all of the success in 2021, the need for ongoing support is still essential. The impacts of the pandemic on heritage rail in general have been hard. I reported in my last letter about the discussions we

were having with WSR plc on how we could work more closely and how we could best assist. Those meetings are now bearing fruit and a clear programme of what is needed and when is emerging. WSRA will translate this into welldefined fundraising appeals so that funders and donors have a good appreciation of what they are providing funds for. There is a growing realisation around the railway that this is essential. While the target that the railway needs to fundraise to ensure it can remain operational is still £1m annually, it is clear that folks will give more generously if they better understand how the money is to be used. Hence why WSRA will run defined campaigns. The other thing that remains essential is volunteers and their training. WSRA have a bit of a backroom role here, assisting with support for the creation of training materials or sometimes the funding of a specific training course, or even the

provision of rolling stock to facilitate training. There are few things that the association can't help with as long as we aren't directly paying the wages of staff on the railway. While you wait for the detail to emerge, I can still say with confidence that infrastructure remains a central plank of our fundraising, and any donation to the WSRA rail renewal appeal will be most welcome and will allow the WSRA to make grants for rail, ballast, sleepers, specialist machine hire or even expert contractors or advice. I'll remind members again of two things. The first is the possibility of the WSRA being able to claim gift aid on donations, and the second is the certainty, due to the use of restricted funds, that members’ No. 7822 Foxcote Manor and No. 7828 Odney Manor coast downhill at Cottiford with the RTC excursion from Paddington on 14 August 2021. Photo: Tim Edmonds.

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donations are used in compliance with their wishes. I must pay tribute to Robin White who recently stepped down as a trustee after working to support the railway in one form or another and on one board or another since she was 16. WSRA are grateful for her practical support, and wish her success in the challenges to which she is currently applying herself. Work continues to progress well on No. 4561 at Williton. As you may know, the news that we don't need a new axle is excellent, and the wheelset is now away for the required refurbishment to be done. I am assured that on their return, we will see a marked step forward to a rolling chassis by early in the New Year. Attention will then turn to the boiler, and members will no doubt be following the posts on social media from Williton on work they now confidently undertake on boilers. The blog which you can view via the Association web site will keep you up to date on No. 4561. It has emerged recently that we will need new piston rods, but this will not over-tax the Williton team.

family must calculate carefully. I remain much more hopeful than I was that we can secure a long-term future for the QB on the railway. The new realism emerging about what the railway costs to operate is refreshing and helpful to facilitating the discussions. You may all have gathered that following the AGM, the trustee board asked me to retain the chairmanship for another year, and I have been pleased to say yes. I will urge those members who perhaps are thinking about trusteeship in the future to ask me any questions about what it's like. I can only promise that I will tell you, warts and all, about the level of commitment and work needed. While it isn't a case of “come on in, the water's lovely,” it is worthwhile and often rewarding work. If you are teetering on the brink of offering yourself for election in September 2022, then do let me know.

Working with the WSR plc the WSRA have taken a long, hard look at the Quantock Belle, and it has to be said it's not looking anywhere near its best. We have reached agreement with the WSR plc for them to operate it in 2022, and we are looking forward to the discussions about its longer-term use on the railway. It is likely WSRA will need to make a further investment on the set over the coming winter to ensure it can operate as agreed in 2022. However, the bigger question is how much it will cost to put the set into first-class condition so that it can offer a truly first-class dining experience. Once we understand this, the question of how best to fund it will follow closely. Of course, wear and tear and the need for ongoing maintenance are then going to play a part, and the railway WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

Gala Planning Team News Don Bishop updates the latest plans

After 21 months it was fantastic for the WSR to be able to put on a gala event once more after the Covid pandemic. As things had slowly returned towards normality in the summer, the gala planning team resumed their meetings, but online using video conferencing software. We looked at the options available to us and it was agreed to run two events in September and early October. There would be no budget for visiting locos so we put together the events using the home-based fleet of locos and rolling stock. The timetable was dictated by the resources we had available, and because the level crossing work at Minehead was still going on, the

line could only be used to Dunster where the special shunting arrangements were in place. The bus link was provided between Dunster and Minehead, and the timetables had to be worked out from scratch. Our ever-enthusiastic team member Seb Welsh did a fantastic job putting these together for both events, especially given the limited resources available. The timetables also had to allow for the temporary closure of both Doniford Halt and Washford stations. The first event, the Mixed Traffic Mogul No. 9351 enters Bishops Lydeard from under the road bridge 3 October 2021. Photo: Keith Smith

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Weekend, used the home-based diesel fleet from the DEPG plus a couple of steam locos. The event was held on Friday and Saturday 17 and 18 September as we have found in the past that many diesel followers prefer to include a Friday in their visits rather than a Sunday, probably due to easier travel options when using public transport to get to and from the WSR. The DEPG fielded their two matching Class 33s, Nos. D6566 and D6575, and ever popular Hymek diesel hydraulic No. D7018. The operational Class 14 D9526 was away at the Kent & East Sussex Railway on a longer-term visit, so was unavailable. One steam loco (No. 5199 with a two-coach set) covered shuttles between Norton Fitzwarren, Bishops Lydeard and Williton on the Saturday, with the other worked top-andtail with one of the diesel fleet to and from Blue Anchor, to reduce running round times and provide for a reasonably-frequent timetable by not running these through to Dunster. The event ran very well, with time-keeping excellent overall and very few operational issues. So full credit to all involved in achieving this. WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

An incoming RTC special hauled by LMS Jubilee Class No. 5596 Bahamas is seen entering Bishops Lydeard, 14 August 2021. Photo: Cliff Woodhead.

We planned the return of our Autumn Steam Gala two weeks later, on Friday to Sunday 1 to 3 October. As we had just four steam locos available for traffic – Manors No. 7822 Foxcote Manor and No. 7828 Odney Manor, WSR Mogul No. 9351 and Large Prairie No. 5199 – we decided to ask the DEPG for their help by providing one diesel loco so we could offer as intensive a timetable as possible. For operational reasons a Class 33 was used on the first return trip and Hymek No. D7018 on the subsequent runs except the Class 33 covered all trips on the Sunday as the Hymek was stopped for an inspection following some concerns about a possible fault. The Quantock Belle team operated an allday breakfast service, and we had an additional Fish and Chips Special on the Saturday evening to Blue Anchor with double-headed Manors, which proved popular. We also had excellent support from our colleagues in the museums, and 15

displays at stations along the line to put on a great show for our supporters despite the difficult circumstances. Both events were well supported and although they certainly didn't break any records for revenue they were enjoyed by visitors, staff and volunteers, which is a very important part of running our heritage railway. If we provide good gala events that supporters enjoy, they are more likely to give to appeals at a later date, and our staff and volunteers are more likely to continue working on the railway. These facets of the railway must never be forgotten, and although they can't always have a monetary value to show in the accounts, they are invaluable. After some 25 years being involved with gala planning (although I did take a short break between 2009 and 2013), having started with a diesel gala back in 1995 and then the first big Somerset & Dorset event in 1996, I have decided to retire as chairman of the gala planning team. I took over as chairman in 2017 after my

former colleague John Cronin retired. During my years on the team, I have often taken a lead in obtaining visiting locos and I look back with pride at being responsible for the first visits to the line of both King and Castle classes alongside Bulleid Pacifics, Black Fives, Britannias and many others. Diesel galas also have been an important task, and several diesel hydraulic galas and visits by 40s, Peaks, Deltics and others have been a joy to see. The complexity of putting these events together is huge and I have enjoyed working with a great number of team members to bring it all together. I hope you, our members and supporters, have enjoyed it too. The good news is that there will still be WSR galas in the future and I have handed over the reins to Seb Welsh, who is very enthusiastic to see them continue. I will still be very much a supporter of the WSR and will be seen around the railway when time allows, and I will be available to Seb and the team to give any advice and experience that I can.

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Focus on Williton Station Ian Coleby puts one of his favourite stations under the spotlight

When the original West Somerset Railway was conceived in the late 1850s, the honourable businessmen who made their plans had their eyes firmly set on Watchet as the terminus. However, they also viewed Williton as a major intermediate destination and town (or was it a village?) to be served. The station was on the main turnpike road and so was ideally positioned for the horsedrawn coaches that met the trains and took passengers to Minehead and places beyond. The original design of the station was a mirror image of that provided at Bishops Lydeard. A single stone platform was graced by a fine station building with a

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siding and goods shed. When the line opened in 1862 there were no train crossing facilities on the branch and there was no signalbox at Williton. The road bridge was provided to carry the turnpike road over the railway. Things changed when the branch was extended to Minehead in 1874. The crossing loop was added, the B&E signal box and a wooden platform with waiting shelter provided on the up side of the line. Complaints from This view of Williton is from broad gauge days though you would never know it with the tracks all covered with floods. Note the original wooden footbridge and wooden upside platform. The photographer is standing on the road bridge. Photo: WSRHT

the public resulted in the first footbridge being built later that year. The early 1900s saw general investment in the Minehead branch stations, and Williton wasn't left out. Both platforms were extended and the loop was lengthened to 750 feet. The first early wooden footbridge which had become unsafe was replaced with a new iron girder bridge in March 1913.

This view is from the early 20th century probably around 1910. Although the broad gauge track has been narrowed to standard gauge it is still the old baulk road. The signal box now has an extra window and the front of the upside waiting shelter has been closed in. Despite this view being more than 100 years old there are not that many differences to today. Photo: WSRHT

Life at Williton settled down to the usual events at a country station. General goods were received and sent and the station was one of the hubs of the community. The station master, John Bulley (great great grandfather of today's WSR signalman Bulley) was injured by a bull in the station yard in 1883 and the incident was deemed important enough to be featured in the local paper. Whortleberries were dispatched from many of the West Somerset stations, Williton being no exception, and in July 1873 ten tons were sent from the station in one week.

villages in the area. Agricultural and livestock traffic were always important, and special trains were run in connection with the cattle market. In the early years of the 20th century before 1936, local deliveries of goods and parcels were made from the station by Herbert Pepping who operated out of the Robert Street Dairy. He had run his cartage business since 1913, having taken over from James Dyer. From April 1936, the Great Western started its own service from Williton, and deliveries were made by motor lorry. This meant that the station could now serve a much larger hinterland than could be reached by Mr Pepping's horse-drawn cart.

Williton was the railhead for many small

During the 1930s the branch was again

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upgraded, with crossing loops being installed at Kentsford and Leigh Bridge and other loops extended. Williton's turn came in 1937 when high-speed turnouts were installed and automatic tokenchanging apparatus was provided. This removed the 15mph restriction through the station, and meant trains could pass through at 40mph. During the late 1950s the station was busy with passengers with more than 13,500 tickets being sold in 1959. Although these were mainly local passengers, it was supplemented by traffic from St Audrey's holiday camp and local schools. During the summer, the camp provided a courtesy bus to connect with the station. The 1960s then saw contractions in an effort to make the line pay. The good shed closed at Williton in 1964, and in 1967 the loop was shortened with the line over the culvert singled. The footbridge was removed, and the station staggered on to closure in 1971. I well remember visiting Williton in the mid-1970s on a Scout camp. One afternoon we were allowed to play in the

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disused station and I was impressed by how complete it was even though it had already been closed two or three years. Little did I know about my future involvement. It is a great tribute to the early volunteers, led notably by Chris van den Arend, that the station has been restored to its former glory. Chris was always adamant that the station was forever set in the summer of 1947. This work has been continued by his successors, today led by stationmaster John Parsons and his dedicated team of volunteers. The Swindon shed, which is the base for the engineering works, was erected in the A busy scene from the road bridge in July 1961. Large prairie No. 4157 starts away on an up train, in full forward gear and the safety valves lifting ready for the tough climb to Crowcombe. The water tower had a capacity of 14,601 gallons, with water being pumped from a nearby stream. Seen here is the steel footbridge that replaced the original wooden structure and has in its turn been replaced by the footbridge brought from Trowbridge. Photo Peter Barnfield

1990s and the DEPG has steadily expanded and improved their facilities. A mammoth effort by the station volunteers saw the footbridge rebuilt in 2011, as has been documented by Claire Sheppy in the Journal. With its fine collection of virtually-unaltered broad gauge

buildings, Williton surely is one of the gems of the West Somerset Railway stations. Top and tailed Class 33s at Williton during the Mixed-Traffic Gala, 11 Sept 2021. Photo: Brenden Hill

THE RAILWAY SHOP AT BISHOPS LYDEARD NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT! The Station Shop on Platform 2 at Bishops Lydeard is always looking for donations of good quality railway and transport books, as well as magazines about railway history. Collections of public and working timetables, official notices, tickets and similar ephemera are also needed, as are model railway items, traditional railway uniforms, and equipment such as guards’ bags. The proceeds of their sale help boost the shop's profits and are used directly in support of railway projects. If you can help, please contact the Retail Manager on (01823) 297204.

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Renewing Seaward Way Crossing Frank Courtney and John Jenkins tell the tale

Seaward Way Crossing opened in 1990 and was worked automatically, operated by the approaching trains. The signalling installation was complicated, had become difficult to maintain and the crossing equipment was life-expired. The decision was therefore taken to renew the entire installation. The tide has turned against level crossings in the last 25 years and renewals are examined closely by the Office of Rail and Road. In the case of Seaward Way, a fully-controlled crossing with four barriers to fully fence in the The road traffic is held at the old Seaward Way Crossing on 16 August 2021 to allow No. 7828 Odney Manor to complete a light engine move from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead. Photo: Tim Edmonds.

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railway was required to replace the automatic crossing with just half barriers. This needed a lot of detailed work to get a design acceptable to the regulators and fitted our operating needs. At Minehead a number of shunting and engine run-round moves caused the crossing to operate and it was these unnecessary moves that we wanted to avoid in future. To do this we have provided an additional down direction shunting signal and up main starting signal between the signalbox and crossing. The latter is a handsome GWpattern lower quadrant signal that will enhance the view from both the station platform and the busy footpath alongside

Signal 101 off - this shows D2133 hauling a rake of six coaches past the new Up Main Starting Signal 101. This signal was provided to protect the crossing to enable short moves between Bay and Main sides of station without having to go out and back over crossing. Photo: John Jenkins.

the line. While not the biggest signalling scheme undertaken by the WSR, this is the most technically-demanding in terms of design and installation, with the complexities of having a Network Rail supplier – in this case Amey – for the very specialist activity of installing and commissioning the level crossing protection equipment. The work was split into three phases. The first consisted of decommissioning and removing the existing electrical signalling system and temporarily altering the electric token block system from Blue Anchor to permit normal signalling between Blue Anchor and Dunster only. It also involved disabling and electricallyisolating parts of the Seaward Way control system, so leaving the crossing to be operable only via its local control unit. 22

Not only did this remove a substantial part of the equipment which could have caused irregular operation, but it also ensured that the crossing control system could be manually operated for occasional non-passenger movements. This was completed earlier this year. The next phase consisted of installing the new signalling system apart from the actual level crossing control system. It included provision of the new signals, alteration to the track circuiting, electric lever locks, and complete renewal of nearly all lineside electrical signalling equipment. The new Seaward Way route relay interlocking (RRI) housed in the discreet new green building next to the crossing was brought into use at this stage. It is of WR standard design – a time-honoured one first developed in the 1950s and to which all the 1960s, 70s and 80s WR electrical interlocking systems comply. Virtually all this work was undertaken by WSR staff, the PW department and the volunteer S&T gang. We have installed equipment which is of WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

traditional design but at the same time sustainable in terms of availability. This has been a challenging job and it is a credit to our people that it has been undertaken so competently. The CCTV system by which the signalman can monitor the crossing was commissioned by a specialist supplier. In July the finances of the project were jointly reviewed in detail by the WSR team and Somerset County Council. This was necessary because the work involved purchase of very many relatively small items, and the cost of many of these changed after the initial budget was drafted. Throughout this project, ordering and equipment supply has been a significant challenge. Both Covid and the implementation of Brexit have had a big impact. Several suppliers have been hit by short-notice staff absences through Covid, and some supplies originated from Continental sources and faced import delays. Equipment transport caused its own problems. Amey then installed and commissioned the new barriers, road traffic lights and

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associated equipment including the signalbox crossing control console and its integration into the works already completed. The crossing was handed back to the WSR on 21 October and since then we have been testing the equipment, drafting operating instructions and training staff. This will take the remainder of the year and we anticipate the crossing will be in full operational use from next year. Following commissioning of the crossing, the electric token block system will be altered back to its permanent form to enable normal signalling to and from Blue Anchor. Having followed modern standard Western practices in terms of design and installation, we are confident we will end up with a high standard signalling system like those now at Williton and Bishops Lydeard, and which will serve the WSR for many years to come.

Work in progress by the contractors to install one of the four new crossing barriers at Seaward Way level crossing, Minehead, on 6 October 2021. Photo: Tim Edmonds.

WSR From the Air Don Bishop has been out with his drone and has sent us these excellent photographs from angles we don’t usually see. Above: Manor No. 7822 Foxcote Manor arriving at Crowcombe with the 14.45 ex Bishops Lydeard to Dunster on 4 August 2021. Below: Large Prairie No. 5199 passing Doniford on 4 September 2021 with a Dunster to Bishops Lydeard service. Both photos: Don Bishop.

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One Hundred Years Ago as seen by the GWR Ian Tabrett dips into the WSRHT archive and looks at the world 100 years ago through the eyes of the GW

For anyone wanting to know what is going on at the West Somerset Railway, pretty well all the details are here in the Journal or online at The Platform. For those curious about what was making the headlines a century or so ago both here and on the rest of region's vast network of lines, there is no need to go further than the WSR Heritage Trust's Gauge Museum at Bishops Lydeard. There can be found a collection of around 200 monthly magazines that were published by the Great Western Railway and carried all the news they felt was fit to print. Or, as archivist and Journal editor Ian Coleby puts it: “The magazines covered all aspects of GWR life from new trains to stations, staff changes and so on. In fact, they provided a great window on to the world of GWR life!” Each issue came out in three versions: the cheapest at just 1d on newspaper-quality paper; an Art edition on glossy paper at 2d; and another, also 2d, whose subscribers became entitled to insurance against accidents, injury or death either while at work with the GWR or travelling as passengers. These journals were launched towards the end of the 19th century, but the first at the museum is Volume XXXIV No.7, dated July 1922. Like many of the others, it is fragile, yellowing and care-worn, it has lost its cover, and the staples in the fold are almost rusted away. But as a snapshot of what was going on that summer it is indispensable. Page after page in tiny print – were its WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

One of the many Magazine pages paid for by manufacturers to advertise their wares.

subscribers' eyes better than mine, or did they all wear powerful reading glasses? – give details of scores of promotions and staff changes, retirement and bravery award presentations, deaths, what was headed “Departmental Doings,” traffic figures, details of new equipment installed at the Swindon Works and other locations, and news items including a brief mention of something which still hits the headlines today: rails buckling in the heat of the summer sunshine. There is a lengthy article and numerous photographs concerning the takeover of more lines and dock facilities in South 25

Wales, plus a cautionary feature about railway accidents. The main lavishlyillustrated item, though, tells of the GWR's part in providing a special train from Plymouth to Paddington for the Prince of Wales on his return from a tour of India, Japan and the Far East. The eight-coach train, hauled by the 1913built 4-6-0 No. 4041 Prince of Wales, left Plymouth five minutes late at 11.05am but despite huge cheering crowds lining the route, soon made up time, passing through Taunton at 12.52pm, Westbury at 1.45pm and finally arrived in the capital at 3.29pm. Accompanying the Prince, King George V's eldest son who 16 years later became, briefly, King Edward VIII, was his brother the Duke of York, later crowned King George VI. A number of GWR VIPs were with them and they all enjoyed lunch with the Royal passengers while on the move. The magazine's report notes: “For a considerable portion of the journey His Royal Highness travelled in the observation saloon at the rear of the

train, from which he was able to obtain an excellent view of the assembled crowds, to whom he vigorously waved his acknowledgement of their cheers.” A few pages on, an article highlighted the need for greater safety in railway operations, especially on the tracks. The main message in bold type was: “Don't gamble with risks of injury. Every gambler loses a few times, but you cannot afford to lose ONCE.” The extract from a paper read at the London Congress of the Institute of Transport pointed the finger of blame for many accidents over the past decade at human failures – among signalmen (25 per cent), engine crews (33 per cent) and “miscellaneous” (16 per cent), including permanent way men and porters. The advice for gangs working on the rails was that their “own vigilance and ordinary care” were vital. For those exhibiting what was called “lackadaisical ways” the best treatment was “a bit of straight talk by the inspector or ganger.”

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There then followed a detailed list of dos and don'ts to avoid accidents, while the very back page of the edition gave somewhat relevant information: “Readers are reminded that the Insurance Edition of the Magazine (price 2d monthly) provides for the following benefits…” The circumstances in which these would be paid were a mishap while riding as a passenger on a passenger train or steamship with a pass or free or privilege ticket, or as a fare-paying passenger on “a public omnibus, tramcar or cab provided that such omnibus, tramcar or cab is plying in a thoroughfare for public hire and is being driven by a licensed driver.” Payments included £300 to the legal personal representative in the case of a fatal injury or “loss of two or more limbs by actual separation at or above the wrist or ankle,” or the loss of both eyes; £150 for a single limb or eye; £1 5s (£1.25) a week for 26 weeks while unable to return to work. The payout for a GWR employee, either male or female, killed in an accident at work was £15. On a more mundane note, the Magazine noted that the No. 3 divisional council of the GWR Temperance Union held a WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

The Magazine pictures the passenger pier and two paddle steamers, probably on the service across the Bristol Channel to the Somerset coast, at Barry Docks, newlyacquired by the GWR.

business meeting at Minehead in June. “At the close of the meeting Mr G T Sweetland (chairman) conducted the party to several of the noted sights in the district.” There is no word of any noteworthy happenings in Taunton or almost anywhere else in Somerset except: “At Cheddar a wallet of Treasury notes was presented on behalf of the permanent way men and others to Mr J Grant, who had retired from the position of ganger at Cranmore. Mr Grant completed nearly 50 years in the service of the Company. The permanent way inspector, in making the presentation, spoke of the recipient's excellent record and splendid services.” Then this: ''In the presence of a large number of the staff of all departments, a presentation was made at Wellington, Somerset, station of a combined barometer and thermometer to parcel porter J L Young on the occasion of his approaching wedding.'” Finally at Martock, station master Mr H S Morrall made two presentations to Mr F 27

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steel forgings and castings, furnace pans, boiler tubes, even carriage seats, interior fittings and furnishing. At the foot of each of the pages the reminder: ''Please mention the Great Western Railway Magazine when writing to advertisers.” Whatever the answer, it is still fascinating to see the vast array of British firms ready, willing and able to serve the country's rail industry. And of course, the editorial pages reveal in detail how one of the Big Four companies operated and how they The Prince of Wales waves to the crowds from the GWR treated their army of observation saloon at the rear of the special train taking him employees, from porters from Plymouth to Paddington, one of many photographs right up to the chairman. illustrating the Magazine’s report on the Royal journey The Steam Trust's Akins on his promotion to the district collection was donated in 1992 by extraffic manager's office at Exeter. “The Taunton driver Herbert Rossiter via the gifts consisted of a pipe and pouch from late Peter Thompson. There are gaps the clerical staff and a set of gold cufflinks which the Trust is still trying to fill, and if from the wages staff.'' Clearly for loweryou have any of these gems which you are grade employees, gifts were paid for by willing to contribute, contact either contributions from workmates. But for Museum curator Ian Camp or Journal top- and middle-management editor Ian Coleby. individuals, the company chipped in and Next time: how the GWR was meeting the list of items included mahogany competition from road transport, a 1922 furniture, gold watches and chains, gold charabanc trip from Minehead into the fountain pens, and note cases or wallets Quantock Hills, and the building of an containing what was described as a engine named after a famous Somerset substantial sum of Treasury notes. landmark. One mystery lingers, though: who exactly Rather fiercewas the Magazine's advertisers aiming to looking ganger Mr attract? Surely very few of the readers J Grant who retired after would have been in a position to support almost 50 years most of the manufacturers who paid for working on the the 16 packed pages of display adverts. East Somerset They offered anything from ''tank line. His portrait locomotives always in stock and in is one of scores in progress for collieries, ironworks, railway the Magazine of individuals depots, branch lines, contractors etc'' to making the news. steam cranes, locomotive springs, axles, WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

Top and Tailing From Afar Above: Mogul No. 9351 leaving Blue Anchor on the first return train back to Bishops Lydeard on the 1 October 2021, giving a good view of the top and tail working with a class 33 bringing up the rear. Photo: John Rose Below, No. 7828 Odney Manor heads the 10:15 Bishops Lydeard - Dunster away from Blue Anchor on 26 October 2021 with No. 7822 Foxcote Manor at the rear. 7828 then detached and went light engine from Dunster to Minehead, leaving 7822 to head the train back to Bishops Lydeard. Photo: Tim Edmonds.

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Along the Line A round-up of news from the stations.

Bishops Lydeard Welcome to the final report for this year on Life at Lydeard as we draw to a close of the formal running season. After pausing for a quick draw of breath, we get into the swing of planning and preparation for what we hope will be a very successful period of not only Santa Expresses but also the new Winterlight trains. In fact, much of this is already under way – we know we will be once again be having marquee facilities in the lower car park for shelter, check in and refreshments, Christmas lights have

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started going up, plans are in place to decorate the Winterlight train (not us!). Also, a sure sign that Christmas is not too far off, is that the snowman and his elf cohort have risen from their summer lockdown in Blackmore House ready to assume Position A on the entry fence when required – not forgetting Santa and his reindeer. Our season has continued to be quite busy, with expanded capacity on the trains, a second set of carriages in use, and we were glad to see the end of oneWSR Mogul No. 9351 waiting departure time at Bishops Lydeard on 4 September 2021. Photo: Don Bishop

14 August 2021 saw an excursion from Paddington hauled by LMS Jubilee Bahamas. At Bishops Lydyeard No. 7822 Foxcote Manor and No. 7828 Odney Manor took over for the onward journey along the branch. Photo Cliff Woodhead.

way Covid restrictions for the shop and ticket office, giving a much better feeling of normality. All social distancing notices remain in place, as do the sanitizing stations and mask wearing notices, although these now seem to be more advisory than mandatory. Station staff continue to set an example in mask wearing, even if customers do not follow suit. However, with rising Covid infection rates, we might be glad everything is still in place – you never know what the future holds. Our waiting room has been restocked with books for sale for some time, which at long last has given a trickle of income for station funds which, with no income for more than a year, was desperately needed. Our thanks to Suzy Bulley for helping restock, and Allan Stanistreet for counting the cash under the watchful eye 32

of Keith Sandford, plus of course Junior the cat! Mainline charter locos have started to reappear in the form of Jubilee class locos Bahamas and Leander either hauling mainline charters from Paddington or stabling to take Royal Duchy charters onwards from Taunton. While the incoming charters only went as far as Watchet after loco change at BL, many positive comments were received as to how well the WSR worked around the problem of not having the originally planned destination of Minehead for well-known reasons. Hopefully we will see more mainline activity next year. Our gardening team have been as busy as ever, with mixed flower displays around the station bringing much colour right through to the season end, with many appreciative comments from our visitors. With winter pansies and wallflowers now ready to plant out, shrubs pruned where required, the whole team has done us proud in keeping all beds, banks and troughs around the station looking their WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

best. Plants and seeds for next year are in the planning stage, with a special colour scheme being considered for the Queen's Platinum jubilee, and hopefully the garden train will return after a long overhaul absence. As we headed towards Autumn, we had the 1940s weekend, Mixed Traction Gala, and Autumn Steam Gala, producing a steady flow of visitors, but at least this didn't cause too many parking problems. Roger and his “road gang” - Matt Brewer and Richard Woollen - have been giving further attention to the car park, with Matt utilising the permanent way digger with the aim of re-discovering the internal car park verges, giving a better impression and hopefully more of a clue to visitors of how to park when the car park is unmanned, as this is becoming ever more difficult to staff with diminishing number of station volunteers on some days. Once the road gang have finished local superhero “Strimmerman” Martin Trott will be requested to clear brambles and vegetation to create even more space. RAMS continue the mammoth project of getting our station back into some sort of respectability, mainly painting, and we are pleased to see that the gap in pickets on the shop canopy is now completed and the whole section realigned. Further large-scale painting has taken place in the lower car park on the Guard/TTI signingon cabin, and latterly RAMS painters have moved to the station building on Platform 1 to give the windows and doors some attention. Much renovation and painting is taking place on the timetable and fares boards formerly on display at our main entrance, so that they are available next year, subject to any required changes for next year's plans. The main notice board/display board at the station entrance has been removed

for a long dry-out and attention before next season. For a couple of days our peaceful life was disturbed by much banging and crashing emanating from the cattle dock area. This turned out to be a team from the West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust (WSRHT) demolishing the long-standing multi-purpose portacabin that was timeexpired, and with the help of RAMS - and sledgehammers! - it was flat-packed into a large skip. All the activity was hidden from public view by the BG and sleeping car in the cattle dock siding, where we await news of any further development of this area. Finally, as thoughts turned to the reality of lack of BL station staff next season, plans were made for an open day for potential volunteers on Saturday 30 October. Once other departments heard of this plan and deciding that they themselves were short of volunteers, this became a railway-wide project, involving a huge amount of planning. So, a big thank you to Andy Mayson who normally works with our station team undertaking the far from easy task of rostering station staff to cover each running day, for shouldering the bulk of this. It is also thanks to Dick Wood for his help with publicity for the event, and to Rodney Greenway, the WSR volunteer coordinator. It is much appreciated how hard everyone has worked this year at BL to get us up and running again from a standing start, and working through all the permutations brought about by Covid. Things can only get better, as the song goes, and we hope that will come true next year. It only remains to wish all our readers a merry Christmas and happy New Year from all who continue to form part of “Life at Lydeard.” Norman Barker

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Centre Spread P34

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Centre spead P35

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Crowcombe Heathfield We managed to get through the Summer and the Autumn Gala without too many problems. However, some of our regular volunteers are still nervous about attending the station, especially with the large increase in Covid cases locally, so staffing has caused issues from time to time. One of the saddest moments recently was the sudden death of one of the station's most hard-working and popular volunteers, Carole Darwent. It was not Covid related. Carole was a stalwart of the station and for several years was in charge of catering. She was a cheery soul and a pleasure to work with. The large turnout of Crowcombe volunteers at her funeral said everything. We pass condolences to husband Peter and family. There is a plaque to her memory on the memorial board at the station. One of the innovations introduced at the station this summer has been the ability to take card payments for our retail and catering business. This is a major step forward, as we've experienced more and more visitors with no cash in their pockets! We had no idea, when we decided to obtain a card reader, just how difficult it was going to be to open a bank account in the station's name, bearing in

mind there is no friends group here. However, thanks mainly to volunteer Diane Leek, we persevered and we finally managed to open an account with NatWest, and we were off. Already we are seeing around 30% of catering sales paid for by card. In fact, footfall at the station has been significantly reduced since we came out of lockdown and the galas were quiet compared with previous years. We will just about break even on income/expenditure for 2021, which is better than I expected bearing in mind several large expenses for station maintenance during the year. Regretfully in September we said goodbye to Brian Rayner, who retired from the Crowcombe Heathfield volunteer staff, but we have said hello to Bryan Groves who has transferred from Bishops Lydeard Station: looking for a quieter life, eh Bryan? Gardens and grounds maintenance continues and carried on after the end of the season as usual. Some great news is that Penny Gardener will still be with us as head of gardening for the time being. Many thanks Penny. However, we are still looking for her replacement: come on you keen gardeners, Crowcombe Heathfield needs you. In the summer we hosted a visit by the Wellington Gardening Club, a tour and presentation were given by Penny and myself, and a hard sell was tried, but no takers so far. There were to be work parties on Fridays through November, mainly for tidying up, bonfires, and the staging of the station Christmas lights over and above the tableaux being installed by 1940s weekend at Crowcombe. Photo: Gill Cross

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the Winterlights contractors on the platforms. Crowcombe Heathfield station was to remain locked shut during the Winterlights programme, and spectators were discouraged from using Station Lane and Bakers Orchard as observation points. These are private roads and the West Somerset Railway is keen to respect the residents’ privacy. There will be no Christmas lunch for volunteers again this year as our favourite venue is currently still not providing a carvery due to Covid restrictions. This is normally a very popular event and it is a shame we can't round off the year with what has always been a very enjoyable gathering.

visitor numbers would be profound. While they haven’t been as good as the season immediately before the Covid epidemic, it has nevertheless been very successful with a steady flow of visitors, increasing as the year progressed. After much debate, we decided to open the station seven days a week, even when trains weren’t running, which proved to be very popular. We also benefited from a number of advance bookings, which included the Wellington Gardening Club, the Wellington Camera Club and a wedding vow renewal ceremony, which had to be a first for the station. On at least one of these occasions some 30 cream teas were served in about 20 minutes, although not

Some might be surprised that I am still contributing to the Progress on the cattle dock at Stogumber is good. Journal as station master after Railings and new wooden gates have been installed. Photo: Bob Preston my last submission when I reminded everyone of my impending retirement in September! A replacement seems as far away as ever so I've been “persuaded” to carry on for a short while longer (well, into the 2022 season, anyway) while “the powers that be” look for a replacement. My intention will then be to step down from the station master’s role and continue as a volunteer on the Crowcombe Heathfield platforms, if the new incumbent allows it. In the meantime, I wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Geoff Cross Stogumber When the reduced train service started running in the Spring without stopping at intermediate stations, we thought the impact on our WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

by me! I think I was told: “The most useful thing you can do is keep out of the way.” In anticipation of the bookings we acquired a large gazebo, which proved to be a very sound investment.

enthusiasts driving a canvas-topped truck kindly gave a ride to a number of the volunteers to Crowcombe Heathfield and back. The ladies are very much looking forward to next year's event.

The 1940s Weekend was truly memorable. Jean Hilton took responsibility for decorating the station and there was a choice of wartime offerings on the menu such as spam sandwiches, bread pudding and so forth, as well as our normal fare. An eclectic mix of 40's music was played through a sound amplification system loaned to us by the Cannington Brownies Group, interspersed with live music provided by Paul Haine playing the piano accordion, and Kim Rew reading stories dating from the 40s to groups of small children. On both days of the week-end we were invaded by what seemed to be half of the U.S army, and the car park was bursting at the seams. One of the many

Both the volunteers staffing the booking office and the Wednesday maintenance team were kept busy throughout the season, with the garden to be kept up to scratch, painting, and a whole host of repairs. Many of the larger jobs can only be carried out when no trains are running, such as painting areas to which the public have access and restoring floor finishes, all of which will be tackled before the start of next season. One large project which has been started is the renewal of much of the timber decking and some of the supporting joists which

Large Prairie No. 5199 heads a Williton to Bishops Lydeard local train past Leigh Woods on 3 October 2021. Photo: Don Bishop

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Double headed diesels! DEPG class 33 D6656 and Hymek D7018 roll into Williton with a light engine movement on 21 August 2021. Photo: Brenden Hill

surround the rear of the workshop under the platform waiting room. Although the joists are tanalised, while they are exposed the opportunity will be taken to paint the tops with a bitumastic paint before putting the decking back. It is an important job as the decking is required to access the rear and one end of the building for maintenance. Unfortunately, because the painted weather board cladding takes the full force of the weather from the South and South-west it suffers from extremes of temperature and needs repainting much more frequently than is normal. RAMS, as always, have been very helpful. They completely rebuilt the Dreadnought parcel trolley which is being stored in the BL workshop until next year when some thought will need to be given to returning it to the station, owing to its weight. The large pair of white-painted wicket gates which separate the garden from the access drive will be ready and re-hung before the start of next season. The gates WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

to the cattle dock pens have recently been made and installed. We have almost finished restoring the brick paving to the cattle dock, which leaves the rebuilding of the stone retaining wall beside the ramp leading up to the pens, and a general tidy-up. This will allow us to make the dock accessible to the public for the first time in about 50 years and is planned to coincide with the Spring Steam Gala next year. Finally a special “thank you” to all our dedicated volunteers who, through their hard work and enthusiasm, continue to make Stogumber a special station. Bob Preston Williton As I write this we are in the last week of scheduled running, and although it has been a shorter season, we feel glad that we are going to have a rest for a few weeks before the Santa Expresses start arriving at Williton. Having had the red timetable for most of the season, it has made the days seem longer as we have had breaks of two hours or more between each arrival and there are only so many tidying-up jobs you can find to do while 39

Newly repainted up platform waiting room at Williton. Photo: John Parsons.

you wait. The first up train of the day did not arrive until after 1pm. Obviously, there is no point in running more trains with the same number of passengers, but I wonder if there had been the DMU service included, whether more local people may have used the facility to go into Minehead – perhaps next season? We have been able to carry out some maintenance during the summer and the front elevation of the waiting room on Platform 2 has had a repaint thanks to John Byfield, and hopefully more can be done to this little building before next year. A winter schedule of works is being drawn up, with the exterior of the shop being the main focal point. Work should start immediately after the Christmas and the New Year break. It's hoped WSR Restorations will be able to carry out some treatment to minor rust areas on the footbridge this year with a view to its full repaint over the closed season at the end of next year. As ever, the long hedge along Platform 2 continues to grow apace and is due another trim – which reminds me that all the summer bedding plants and hanging baskets have been removed and preparations are in progress for next year's displays. 40

While the book stall has continued to be available from my home in Williton, we have extended it on to Platform 1 beside the produce stall, and both have had very good takings, for which we are thankful. Due to Covid, we have had some staffing difficulties, but in the main have been able to keep the station staffed on all running days and even for several of the late evening specials. Because of the prebooking only early on we weren't able to sell tickets, which meant we didn't need booking staff, but later that was the area we were short of staff and on several days weren't able to open the booking office. However, I'm glad to report that there have been two or three new volunteers for the post, and they are getting well trained into the system and should be ready for 2022. John Parsons Watchet Watchet has remained a busy and popular destination during this season, with visitors from across the UK. Not surprisingly, we have seen very, very few international visitors. There have been some notable events since May, including visits by two charter trains from Paddington on separate Saturdays, each requiring six road coaches to take passengers onwards to Dunster and Minehead. It is pleasing to note that through successful coordination between WSR, West Coast Railways, Ridlers WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

coaches, Watchet Tourist Information Centre and Watchet station, everyone got to where they needed to be safely and on time; and both trains departed on time on their return to London. The Autumn Steam Gala and Mixed Traffic Weekend were supported with our pre-loved model railway sale weekends in the station's pagoda and in support of station funds. Watchet town and the station have become the epicentre of the 1940s Weekend, and this September was once again popular with visitors, residents and local businesses all entering into the spirit through costume, decorations and re-enactment. The station currently has almost 50 volunteers, all members of the Friends of Watchet Station (FOWS) working across retail, platform, gardening, maintenance and booking office duties. Since the railway reopened in May, five volunteers have joined but sadly we lost two colleagues to cancer: Mike Gray and Steve Farr. Mike had been with the railway since March 2015 and was a regular on Sunday platform duty. The Friends of Watchet Station are very sad to announce that after a short illness, our friend and colleague Steve Farr

passed away on Saturday 16 October. He joined Watchet in 2007 and had a long history in volunteering and supporting along the West Somerset line. Along with regular duties at Watchet station, he also volunteered at Blue Anchor and helped the railway on several projects. Steve was a military re-enactment enthusiast and regularly took part in English Civil War weapon demonstrations at Dunster Castle. He was also widely known for his technical and electrical expertise, dealing with lighting and electrical matters for special occasions such as Christmas and the 1940s Weekends, and he took charge of the entire electrical workings for WSR on the very successful Halloween Train of 2019. Steve recently sold his bungalow and moved to Walton-on-Thames, where he was involved with local theatres in the Kingston-upon-Thames area for many years as their chief lighting and electrical engineer. This involved him in frequently driving between Watchet and Kingston, and when visiting Watchet, he would stay in his caravan at Warren Bay. He showed no signs of illness and indeed joined our regular “swift pint” after-duty sessions. His last shift here was on 25 August, but in two months, our dear friend had passed, much to everyone's shock and dismay. Steve had a reputation for always being among the first to volunteer for any special events and to cover a duty for an absent colleague. Not only did he volunteer for extra shifts but he did it with a smile; he had such a lovely, homely nature and he was an Steve Farr, sadly missed at Watchet. Seen here at the 1940s weekend in 2021.

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During the Mixed Traction Weekend, D7018 approaches Kentsford Farm Crossing with the 09.35 Bishops Lydeard to Blue Anchor service on 17 September 2021. Photo: Tim Edmonds.

our own group of retired and skilled exprofessionals when they will witness experience in action and hopefully refine their own skills and ambitions.

absolute pleasure to share a shift with. It was a running joke that he preferred diesels to the more popular steam locos. He always laughed and never took it seriously. He was so proud that he had driven a Class 33 diesel, and many of us can now appreciate why. Gentle Steve will be sorely missed

Kevin Smith

Public services to Watchet have now ceased until next Spring, although our winter maintenance programme has already commenced. A committed group of volunteers meet each Thursday to undertake the necessary tlc which our heritage facilities demand. We are pleased that a small team of students from Taunton and Bridgwater College will be undertaking projects as part of their educational programme. They will have the opportunity to work alongside 42

Blue Anchor It has all turned out to be a good season at Blue Anchor where the station was initially opened for the limited service provided through to Blue Anchor - Sunset Specials from Bishops Lydeard rather than Minehead as of old. After that it wasn't clear at first just what the customer demand would be, with the trains terminating at Dunster. However, as we now know, plenty of customers did turn up and enjoyed the trains and the station. Unfortunately we weren't able to staff the station on as many days as we would have wished and we thank the on-train TTIs for their understanding and support. We are always looking for new volunteers to help at Blue Anchor, particularly with the WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

booking office, and you will always receive a warm welcome. Even if you can only commit to a limited number of days, it all helps to give the friendly face and welcome to the customers and build their enjoyment of travelling on the line. For anyone feeling daunted about issuing the tickets, fear not: while issuing the oldstyle Edmondson cards was a pleasure in itself, it did involve a bit of paperwork and adding up and the new ticketing system is far easier, simpler and quicker. Maintenance and gardening at the station has continued, with more still to do. It was certainly very good growing conditions for all the vegetation this year! It will be nice for people to be able to enjoy the station gardens in full bloom next Spring. A big “thank you” from Gill Baulch and Steve Griffiths to all those who have helped at Blue Anchor this year. We look forward to seeing you in 2022, with hopefully a more normal train service in place and with trains running through to Minehead once more. John Lightfoot WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

The crew of No. 7828 Odney Manor in conversation with members of the Infrastructure Team at Dunster Station during a light engine move from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead on 16 August 2021. Photo: Tim Edmonds.

Dunster Our time as a terminus station has been exciting and after initial adjustments, proved to be a very successful. Customers enjoyed the vintage buses, and in particular the open-top ride into Minehead – except during a shower or two! The London Transport Routemaster proved very popular and was much photographed, even on one occasion with a wedding party. Our biggest problem lay in lack of car parking space to accommodate the turning of buses, and despite “car park closed” signs, cars still kept appearing in the way. I would like to thank the TTIs, cleaners, bus drivers and train staff for all their help and generous support to make this a successful operation. The Dunster staff made a supreme effort and managed to 43

No. 9351 approaches Dunster over Sea Lane Crossing with the 14.45 from Bishops Lydeard on 27 August 2021. Photo: Tim Edmonds.

keep the station fully staffed for the whole period, and received much praise for their actions in keeping everyone as happy as possible. The tea pot was never cold... On the maintenance side, the dagger boards and guttering to the canopy are now complete and working fine. Apart from the normal painting and cleaning, we hope to attempt further improvements to our men’s toilets, plus some work, if only a new coat of paint, to the cycle shed. We will soon have two new running- in boards to improve our platform. Thanks to all at Dunster Station and those who supported us for a very successful season. We wish you a Happy Christmas and hope for a great New Year, looking forward to a more normal 2022. Dave Billings. 44

Minehead For the time being we have said “Farewell” to the marvellous staff who have run the Turntable Café, which has been really busy and has kept the station alive. It is planned to have the shop open a couple of days a week in the lead-up to Christmas, and Readers Halt will experiment with opening on the same days. The big news from this end of the line is, of course, the fact that Seaward Way Crossing is complete and it has been handed back to the railway. The very necessary training of staff who will be operating a very different piece of kit has started. While we at Minehead had hoped we might see Christmas and New Year trains, this will not happen and so we look forward to a grand reopening in March 2022. It will have been 26 months since passenger trains have operated in and out of Minehead, so you can understand the excitement for staff here. WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

Already, though, the sound of steam and whistle has been heard as training proceeds. Work on the second water tower near the engine shed is nearing completion and we will see matching towers looking very smart, both with a “parachute” top keeping birds and other invaders clear of the water. (Eds Note: the work is now completed, see the photo below). The next few months will be busy ones preparing the station for next spring. White-lining the platform edge will take time, the flower beds and pots will be prepared with numerous other smaller jobs being undertaken by the station's work party. Hopefully, a major task will be installing a large canopy outside the café so that many more customers will be able to sit comfortably in the shade when the sun shines or sheltered from any rain that falls.

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Towards the end of November, a Christmas Market was planned on the platform. Due to Covid, the 2020 market was cancelled so we were really looking forward to hearing the Watchet Town band and catching a glimpse of Father Christmas at the event. Sadly no trains but great fun with the funds of the Friends of Minehead Station being improved. All at Minehead send all their railway friends best wishes for a safe Christmas and New Year. The last two years have been long and hard but, Covid permitting, we hope for a better 2022. Martyn Snell

Autumn sunshine highlights the beautifully-restored and repainted water tank between the turntable and bay platform at Minehead on 9 October 2021. Photo: Tim Edmonds.

Departmental Review Another busy and interesting few months in the departments

Shed Report

new 10-year boiler certificate is complete and they hope that it will be in action in early 2022. Progress has been helped by the easing of working restrictions in Minehead shed, allowing more volunteers to return.

No. 5199 returned to Minehead at the beginning of September for a 28-day routine boiler washout and attention to a few minor tasks on the maintenance list. A broken driving wheel spring was then discovered, and this was quickly attended to as suitable spares are held in stock. After a successful steam test, No. 5199 was returned to service. The locomotive returned to Minehead top-and-tailed with No. 9351 on an 11-coach ECS on 2 November after the close of the main running season.

No. 7822 Foxcote Manor has generally performed well on the daily service trains. Recent routine work included the replacement of the cast-iron brake blocks, with the middle and rear sets showing greater wear than the leading set. The cost of brake blocks has risen sharply in recent months, now in

No. 6024 King Edward 1: The owners, the 6024 Preservation Society Ltd., report that basically all of the major work to return the King to achieving a

Manor No. 7822 Foxcote Manor leaving Crowcombe Heathfield with a down Bishops Lydeard to Blue Anchor service on 3rd October 2021. Photo: Don Bishop

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Manor No. 7828 Odney Manor passing through Doniford Halt with a Blue Anchor bound service on 1st October 2021. Photo: Don Bishop

excess of £800 for the set, even before delivery and fitting costs. Other jobs on the work programme included lapping the blower and investigating a leak around the safety valves, but this should be cured when the new safety valve casting is machined and fitted. No. 7822 spent a week in October on driver training/charter duties for a group that normally charter a train on the Severn Valley Railway.

steam on the majority of days. Arrangements are being made for Foxcote Manor to be on the Battlefield Line until January. After that there is a list of jobs to be tackled during the Winter maintenance programme, but more of that in the next Journal.

By the close of October and the end of the main season for normal service train running, No. 7822 had completed another 28 days in service and become due for another boiler washout, its second. The locomotive owners, the Foxcote Manor Society, then received a request for help from the Battlefield Line at Shackerstone. Their hired-in locomotive No.6989 Wightwick Hall had failed a boiler exam due to broken stays and could not take any further part in their Christmas trains. After checking with the WSR regarding No. 7822's requirements, Minehead were able to release it as our Christmas services, although more intense than previous years, still only required one engine in

No. 7828 Odney Manor returned to Minehead during the second week of August for its 28-day routine boiler washout. However, during the mechanical inspection a problem was discovered with its Churchward tender T2206, resulting in it being stopped for repairs. In order for the locomotive to be returned to service as soon as possible a request was made to the Erlestoke Manor Fund to borrow the 4000-gallon tender T2792 that was originally attached to No. 7802 Bradley Manor during its early days in preservation. That tender was missing a wheel set, but excellent work by the Severn Valley Railway resulted in that being located and replaced within a day so that the tender could be dispatched to

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Minehead. Some maintenance work was required before it could enter service, including a new axlebox pad which needed replacing. On completion, the tender was weighed and attached to No. 7828, the locomotive then being successfully steam-tested and returned to service ready for the Mixed Traffic Weekend. No. 9351 was sent to Minehead for a routine boiler washout, returning to service just in time for the Autumn Steam Gala. Now that the scaffolding has been removed from the water tower next to the turntable, the opportunity was taken to turn the locomotive on the turntable before it returned to duty. It now faces towards Taunton. It returned to Minehead with No. 5199 as described above.

Saturday 19 September saw volunteers continuing the build by starting the long task of riveting the tender together. As the holding bolts were removed, red-hot half-inch rivets were put in their place. The rear seams and a good number of rivets holding the tender tank to the bottom rail are now completed. October 30 saw the rear sheet bolted into place for the final time, and the left- and right-side corner pieces tack-welded to keep them in position. The corners will be fully welded on, and the top section of each piece will be flared out to match the eight-inch radius of the side and rear sheets. Other work consisted of marking out and drilling for the two rear steps, marking out for the internal water indicator shaft bearings, and annealing the original water feed pipes and modifying their shape to fit between the tank elbows and water valves.

New tender T2061: Work has slowed a little due to other staff commitments GWR 20-ton Toad Brake Van No. keeping the steam fleet active during the 68765: With the formation of a new peak season. First task was to ensure the working group in Minehead to side panels were upright, straight, and concentrate on bringing some of our parallel to each other. This involved use wagon fleet back to life, the first to of spacer bars and ratchet straps until the receive their attention was this 1942-built desired result was achieved. The three new transverse baffles Williton Works has 14XX No 1466 under contract restoration. were in stock from Seen here is the chassis, cab and tanks. Photo: Mike Johns the laser-cutting specialist, and they had to be trial-fitted. The edges were trimmed to match the profile of the floor plates, the top edge of each baffle needed to be level with the top angle irons on each side. This was needed because the top tank plate will be welded to these. The baffles will then be welded to the side angles, which will be riveted to the side plates to prevent distortion. 48

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The mechanically complete chassis for Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T no.1857 is currently parked awaiting its repaired boiler. Photo: Mike Johns.

Williton Works At the end of October, the following locomotives were in the Works.

GWR Toad owned by the 813 Fund. No. 68765 has been completely repainted into the GWR dark grey livery and labelled with OXLEY SIDINGS as its home depot. It left the works at the start of October. PMV 1464: Built to a Southern Railway design at Wolverton in 1951, this privately-owned wagon has jumped the restoration queue over the GWR gunpowder Van W105499. Because of the Christmas Winterlights train venture, a generator van was required urgently, and the PMV was the chosen candidate as it had been mechanically overhaul in recent times and just needed painting. It is to be turned out in BR maroon livery, and being vacuum-braked and through-piped for steam heating, it can be marshalled at either end of a passenger train. TSO W4876: Painted into maroon livery, but as it is dual- braked, should be in the red-and-cream set. However, this is a disabled access vehicle at one end and should therefore be coupled next to a brake coach. As the railway already has a disabled access vehicle (W4875) in the red-and-cream set, W4876 will join the maroon set where it is required. Keith Smith WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

GWR 2-6-2T No. 4561: Steady progress had been made on the chassis which is complete with brake hangers and brake beam in position. It was thought a new axle would be required but fortunately a search found a Swindon document of 31 July 1959 “BR-WR Details of Loco. Axles” which showed scrapping sizes. This confirmed there was enough metal left on the one badly-worn journal to restore its profile for further use. The wheelsets are now at Tyseley for the axle journals and crank pins to be refurbished. Meantime, work has progressed on the coupled wheel axleboxes which are now fitted with new bronze liners and have now to be riveted in place. The next job is grinding the horn block faces true and then fitting each axlebox in position before the wheels are returned. GWR 0-4-2T No. 1466: The mechanically-complete chassis of this locomotive is currently parked behind No. 4561 waiting for its boiler to be repaired. Progress is being made with assembly of the firebox, a new backhead is in position together with new ¾ steel sides and new throat plate. These have been set up ready for welding and/or riveting once approved by the boiler inspector. Following this work, the boiler barrel has to be replaced and new smokebox fitted. The inner copper 49

Not the Swindon Shed! To save the transport costs for moving it to and from Williton, the Works regular coach painter Harry Spencer spent 10 days at Pontpool re-painting W80977W on site. Photo: Mike Johns

firebox form has been completely disassembled to allow proper access for some welding repairs to be done and full crack testing of the remaining platework. Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T No.1857: The mechanically complete chassis is parked awaiting its repaired boiler which has now been completed and hydraulically and steam tested to the boiler inspector's satisfaction. It now awaits the availability of a crane to enable it to be replaced on the chassis and the locomotive completed. Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST No. 2074 Llantarnam Abbey: The chassis is complete except for re-fitting the eccentric straps and Josh is machining and re-bushing the coupling and connecting rods for which new bronze bearing are on order. The first of the eccentric straps are being machined. The Works is waiting delivery of the boiler 50

which has yet to be overhauled ready for fitting to the frames. Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST No. 2201 Victory Recently arrived and is due a complete overhaul and return to working order. Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST No. 2015 Tom Parry This is currently in the paint bay to receive a cosmetic restoration/overhaul only. The locomotive is intended to go on static display with a group of rail goods vans which have been restored as overnight holiday accommodation. BR(W) 4-6-0 No. 7822 Foxcote Manor A replacement “W” valve, part of the lubrication system in the cab, is being machined following problems in service with the existing valve. Class 14 0-6-0DHNo. 9518: The Works has completed the riveting work on the horn blocks of this “Teddy Bear” chassis, which now awaits refitting of its wheelsets by DEPG. Ex-GWR Inspection Saloon No. W80977W: To save the costs of moving WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

the saloon, to and from Williton, the Works regular coach painter Harry Spencer, spent some 10 days at Pontpool re-painting the vehicle on site. Mike Johns DEPG Williton Depot News Having reached the end of the running season, it has certainly been an interesting year! At Williton we have returned to our normal regime of work parties, albeit with some minor adjustments to minimise any risk of contracting or spreading the Covid demon. Our regular volunteers can testify to Williton Depot's famous fresh-air environment! Work on restoring Class 14 No. D9518 has continued apace and the team are almost ready to refit the wheelsets to the frames. The wheelsets look fantastic after the attention they've received recently. The frames are now inside the Swindon Shed, and the two refurbished horn guides have been riveted back into place.

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The next major task is to check the alignment of the horn guides and make any necessary adjustments before the wheels are refitted. We were offered the use of a highly-accurate optical alignment checker, but we declined in favour of the traditional tensioned wire method because of the continued presence of the final drive and jackshaft, which obstructs the laser beam. The components used in tensioned wire, however, can be easily extended or adjusted to work round this four-ton obstruction. There is something rather satisfying about using traditional methods, partly as it was the technology originally used when Class 14s were built, but also it is good to practise the old skills to ensure they survive and are passed on. Rearrangement of large items in our main shed has seen some of the larger lumps of D9518 brought together ready to reattach to the frames. Our other Class Hymek No. D7018 approaching Leigh Woods Crossing with a down service to Dunster on 1st October 2021. Photo: Don Bishop

14, D9526, has been on hire to the Kent & East Sussex Railway since early July. This has been arranged to cover for K&ESR resident sister loco D9504, which was stopped for a major overhaul. The hire has not been without problems, however, and some small defects have been found along the way. Early on it was discovered that there was an imbalance in exhaust manifold temperatures, so some careful adjustments were required, along with a freshly-overhauled set of fuel injectors. Other defects of a minor nature have been resolved on site by the K&ESR team, but it serves to illustrate the difference in locomotive care that is needed when changing from occasional to regular daily use. Hymek No. D7018 has been a popular locomotive this year with its series of day excursion trains. It has been good to see many of our loyal supporters turning out repeatedly to ride on these trains. The Hymek has also put in appearances to cover a one-day steam loco shortage at short notice and to pad out the Autumn Steam Gala where normally we would

have a hired-in loco. Through the coming winter we intend to sort out the reluctance to change gear that we have been experiencing. There’s nothing like a challenge! The two Cromptons both celebrated their 60th birthdays this year, D6566 in August and D6575 in November. To avoid any doubt, we recognise a loco's official date of release to traffic as the date to celebrate. To mark the occasion, the day excursion train on 21 August was topand-tailed by the pair, and their owner was invited to cut a celebratory cake when the train arrived at Dunster. I wish I was able to report some significant news about our Class 47, North Star, but for a number of reasons this has not been possible and we await further news from North Yorkshire Railway as to when and how the D7018 runs non-stop through the temporarily-closed Washford station with the 11.15 Blue Anchor to Bishops Lydeard service during the Mixed Traction Weekend on 17 September 2021. Photo: Tim Edmonds.

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locomotive will move there. As the season progressed here in Somerset, North Star was shunted about to keep it out of the way of everything else that was going on. Every so often we have run up the engine to check that all is still in operable condition, but we have been unable to use it. Already the paintwork is beginning to show signs of being stored outside in all weathers, which is a great shame. We continue to wait for the next stage in this locomotive's career. Hymek D7017 is poised and ready to enter the Swindon Shed as soon as she is called. This will launch the project to replace the springs on both bogies and attend to any other problems we may find underneath. Meanwhile the loco is run up from time to time to keep everything “turning and burning” and otherwise in good order. It also helps cycle the batteries through a proper discharge and recharge sequence, which keeps them in good health. Barclay No. 578, which is the ex-Royal Ordnance Factory Puriton loco that we are looking after, has been inside the main shed for a few weeks and has been receiving some much-needed care and attention. All the wasted metalwork on the bonnet and exhaust stack has been replaced with new metal and is now receiving the attention of the paintbrush. Welding repairs also have been done on the rear corners of the battery compartment and to a crack on the front corner of the radiator bonnet. During our work week, a blitz was carried out on the running plate which was needle-gunned back to bare metal, primed and painted in gloss black. It is good to see new paint being applied as it acts as a spur to get the rest of the job done. Attention has also been given inside the cab, where the doors now have securing latches so they can be pegged open. The instrument panel has had new seals fitted to the air gauges and a repair made to the torque convertor pressure gauge, which appears WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

to have been quietly leaking a tiny amount of diesel into the back of the panel for years. It should be pointed out that this loco uses the fuel as hydraulic oil, hence the reason for diesel in the torque convertor. A repair has been made to the hand throttle governor handle and it is now very easy to start the engine. When it came to us it had a reputation for being totally dependent on Ezy-Start to get it running. This reputation was enhanced by the fact that for MoD service, the engine was fitted from new with a system to inject an ether compound into the inlet manifold to aid starting in seriously subzero temperatures. As far as we know the loco was never sent to work in Norway in winter so the system is essentially redundant. Bleak it may be on the Somerset Levels but it rarely gets below minus 15°C, which is when such a system is needed! Since the repair to the governor, there is no need to use EzyStart at all. During the work week, the loco was called into use several times to shunt our yard, and it is proving itself to be a very useful little loco. The new venture with the Winterlights programme of illuminated trains to be run on dark evenings, the trains are to be top-and-tailed with steam and diesel and run between Bishops Lydeard and Crowcombe Heathfield only. This working is an operational expedient to enable an intensive service to be run without the delays incurred in running round, and it allows a rapid passenger changeover at Bishops Lydeard. Advanced bookings were extremely encouraging so we expect the railway to do well out of it. As for our work week, DEPG usually has one and sometimes two in a year, and it is a good way to make large amounts of progress on a number of fronts. We usually manage to have one or two large projects as the centrepiece, and this year 53

was no exception. We originally planned this around changing the springs on D7017, but as we got closer to the start date it was clear that we would not have space in the Swindon Shed at the right time to make this work. Instead, we focussed our efforts on a number of smaller but nevertheless significant projects. As well as the good progress on D1010, Barclay No. 578 and D9518, we made more improvements to our shed infrastructure, including enhancing the security of the building itself. The work week is also a good opportunity for some of our volunteers to take a short holiday in Somerset and contribute practically on a level that they wouldn't be able to do on a day visit. Socially, the week is good fun New pair of door frames under construction for Auto 169. and this year there were a few Photo: John Wood. tired but happy faces when it One of the main aims at that stage was to was time to go our separate ways. Thanks ensure the assembled section would fully are due to all the volunteers who took align with the existing bodywork and that part and helped us move things forward. it would all sit squarely and centrally on May I also thank all of you who show an the frames. Which it does. There are a few interest in DEPG's activities, and wish components still to finish, and the you all a very merry Christmas and happy securing bolt holes need to be marked New Year. from underneath and then accurately Martin Howard drilled. The work involved with the onset of winter and the limitations of working Auto 169 Notes under tarpaulins means we have decided In mid-September we decided to that, having identified the remaining dismantle the temporary “wigwam” that work required, we will undertake this in we had constructed a couple of years back the relative comfort of our workshop. in the pre-Covid days (remember them?). We will attempt to fully construct section The object was to get the next section of three in the early Spring. We have flooring assembled ready to take the completed the steaming and shaping of section three bodywork. Work was the 12 timbers that make up the three completed on the removal of the cover roof hoops in section three, and they will and the following day we set to work with be glued in place. Work will continue the assembly work, which went very well. over the Winter on final work on this 54

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section, along with section four work, which in fact is well underway. The major woodwork is now completed on one pair of the luggage doors on section two, and the other pair should be completed before Christmas We cut the remaining soleplates to length having previously marked the uprights. At the other end of the carriage a number of the main mortises have already been cut. Best wishes to everyone for a pleasant Christmas and New Year John Wood TRACKSIDE, News from the volunteer cutting back gang Following a request from our infrastructure manager, Peter Chilcott, the team headed for Minehead on a weekend in August for cutting back near Drift Road crossing. As parking at this location is very difficult, Peter arranged for the team to park in the loco shed car park. The kit was loaded at Seaward Way Level Crossing on to a four-wheeled skate which was then pushed to the site. The purpose was to clear the undergrowth from the up and down sides to enable a track relay to take place. The new track was already laid out on the up side, but the undergrowth was starting to encroach. On the down side, the plan was to clear the undergrowth to allow the existing track to be removed and placed in the cess for subsequent removal. During the weekend, we successfully cleared the undergrowth using brush cutters and hedge trimmers. While using the brush cutters we had to very careful because brambles had grown over sleepers with chairs still attached from previous spot re-sleepering, which could seriously damage the blades on the machine if we hit a chair. Hopefully when the relay takes place the old sleepers and chairs can be removed from the cess out of harm’s way. Vegetation was also removed from around an existing culvert WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

that had become hidden in the undergrowth, to expose the parapet wall and railing. Our weekend of working in September brought a change of venue for the team as we had been requested to cut back vegetation on the up side between Whitehall Bridge and Mineral Line Bridge at Watchet. This work had been requested by the owners of the two adjacent properties as the vegetation had started to encroach on to their gardens. On the Saturday we cleared a strip of vegetation some 150 yards long next to the properties, using a combination of brush cutters, hedge trimmers and hand tools. The next day we concentrated on improving the visibility for the loco crews on the approach to Mineral Line Bridge on the down side, and burning of the brash. In October the team returned to Whitehall Bridge, Watchet, after a request by several property owners at Werren Close, to clear the vegetation between two of them. As well as clearing the vegetation behind their boundary fence, we were asked to clear the coppiced regrowth from the embankment slope. The first day we cut our way down to the boundary fences and then cleared around the coppiced trees, which needed felling because they were shading a number of gardens. The largest trees had been felled by the end of the day. Then on the Sunday, the smaller coppiced regrowth was felled and the embankment tidied up. All of the brash was burned and some of the logs were stacked in the cess for collection. The house owners were pleased with our work, and a small dogwood tree was left in place at the request of the adjacent property owner. Future cutting back dates: February 12 and 13; March 12 and 13; and April 9 and 10. Steve Gooding 55

The Story of Williton Footbridge - Part 7 Claire Sheppy MRICS continues the story of this project

With Chris van den Arend having died in December 2010 it fell to John Parsons and John Byfield to see this wonderful project, to return a footbridge to Williton, through to its completion. The weather was very cold – all builders and civil engineers know to avoid pouring concrete in freezing weather – so it looked as if there was no way that the concrete would be poured before Christmas, and the consulting engineers, Cass Hayward, sent a long memo to John Parsons stressing when not to pour concrete. One of the good things about having Cass Hayward as consulting engineers was that John Parsons’s son was their head.

west, and I recorded in my diary that on December 17 there was deep snow just a day after Chris Van den Arend’s funeral. With more falling on December 20, it wasn't until after Christmas that I once again went to Williton to check the levels to make sure the top of the formwork was exactly the right height to take the footbridge base.

West Somerset had some quite deep snow, relatively unusual for the South-

Craning in sections of footbridge, 16 March 2011. Photo: Claire Sheppy

On Saturday 8 January I went back to Williton where by now the formwork for all four concrete pads was in place and all of the reinforcing cages had been made, so my job was to re-check the levels to ensure all four corners of all four

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The footbridge was officially re-opened on 16 July 2011 by Gerald Creed, who had rescued it from Trowbridge. Photo: Claire Sheppy

formwork boxes were set at the right height. With the weather having warmed up somewhat, it was possible to pour the concrete 11 days later, and I was able to return to Williton to check the concrete levels. The bridge itself returned from Cardiff on 16 March 2011 and was installed on the same day. Before that both John Parsons and John Byfield had been to Tema Engineering to check it. Needless to say, watching the bridge going in was quite spectacular, it having it arrived on a lowloader. An enormous crane was needed as it had to be lifted over the main station building. By the end of the day, it was in place – main span, trestles stairways, and all. Then to make it usable. A start was made on the steps at the end of March. In an earlier article I mentioned that Chris van WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

den Arend had arranged for the materials to be bought and paid for, ready for use, but it was John Baines of the Repair and Maintenance Department (RAMS) who acquired and prepared the timber for the steps. It was a little while before the footbridge had a roof but as soon as possible after it had been checked and inspected the bridge was finally ready to be used. The first steam locomotive to pass under the bridge was No. 70000 Britannia, which somehow felt very fitting. Coincidentally, also on 16 March, Martin Hope was appointed as the new Williton stationmaster. He had been involved with the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway, but to follow in the footsteps of Chris van den Arend was no easy job. As is often the case, the completion of the work to bring the bridge into use took longer than envisaged, but on Saturday 25 June the independent assessor inspected the work. A week later, his report gave the go-ahead to use the bridge subject to obtaining the West Somerset Railway company 57

approval. The Office of the Railway Regulator also had to be notified. The bridge was inspected on Sunday 10 July by the WSR general manager, who gave the green light to open it. Martin wrote in the Journal that the word spread quickly that the footbridge was open and soon many photographers descended on the station to get their first shots from this new location. In fact, I wasn't one of them as I had already had the opportunity to take photographs with the permission of John Parsons, the project manager. On Saturday 16 July it was officially opened by Gerald Creed, who had rescued it from Trowbridge in the first place. Fittingly, a brass plaque has been placed on the centre of the footbridge span in honour and remembrance of Chris van den Arend whose dream has now been fulfilled. Without those two and so many others the footbridge would not be in place today.

The work was still not quite finished, as it was intended it should have a roof once again, and I will deal with this in my next, final part.

Bed and Breakfast

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Memories IAN TABRETT looks at events in the past as reported by the Journal

40 Years Ago (from Journal Vol 4 No. 4, October 1981) The achievements of a group of enthusiastic but not too skilled volunteers were documented in words and pictures in a feature entitled “The Smallest Gang on the Line.” They were in fact a dozen or so boys – pupils of Pyrland Hall, the junior school of King's College in Taunton – and their exploits with shovels, forks and other equipment were described by their teacher, John Reeves. He explained that most Monday afternoons for the best part of a year they had been tackling lineside undergrowth and grass near Bishops Lydeard station. At first they found it heavy going but then made slow and steady progress, with Mr Reeves acting as lookout – “a grey-haired, bespectacled character in a boiler suit and fluorescent safety vest.” The WSR company reported that the

West Country tourism industry had seen a slump in 1981 and the line had suffered a 12 per cent drop in passengers, although the Quantock Pullman had been a great success, and thanks to “a stupendous volunteer effort” would continue running on Saturdays and Sundays through the Winter. However, to cut costs, the company had to make general manager Doug Hill and Blue Anchor signalman Peter Jackson redundant, while weekday services were being axed to allow essential maintenance to locomotives, dmus and coaches. 30 Years Ago (from Journal No. 57 Winter 1992 Under the heading “What a relief” the Journal noted that after five years of negotiations between Somerset County Council and holiday complex owners the Rank Organisation, Minehead's new relief and seafront roads were about to be completed. The work included a new level crossing with half barriers east of Minehead station signal box at the point previously dubbed “the crossing to nowhere” but The schoolboy volunteers ready to work on the line near Bishops Lydeard. Sadly, like all of the pictures in the October 1981 Journal, it suffered uncharacteristically poor reproduction and did not do the lads justice. Photo: John Reeves

WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

The Christmas Eve Minehead-Blue Anchor Santa Special is headed by what the caption recorded as “GWR 0-6-0 Pudding Class Pannier tank No. 6412.” Photo: Peter Barnfield

had carried a record number of passengers, although demand for the Santa Specials had seen a dramatic drop.

which, West Somerset tourism officer Tim King warned, would become very busy with holiday traffic. The project had also opened a large area of development land, with a new supermarket, petrol station, bus and car park, indoor swimming pool and business units.

(from Journal No.97 Winter 2002)

The railway's new operating superintendent, Steve Martin, reported that 1991 had seen action from more motive power than ever before: six steam locos, and diesel traction represented by seven classes. He appealed for help in running the coming season's services during which more steam and special events were planned. From the commercial and retail department, James Hatch and Hein Burger wrote that in a year of serious recession which had badly hit a number of heritage lines, the WSR 60

20 Years Ago The issue reported: “The year 2001 was, by a very wide margin, the most successful in the history of the preserved WSR. The line carried a total of 169,275 passengers against 154,421 in 2000, which was the previous record figure.” In his operating notes, Steve Martin said the October school half-term trains had proved the worth of running an enhanced service, while in December Dunster by Candlelight continued to grow, with two special trains arriving from the network and four locos in action on WSR trains, including the QB dining set, causing a hectic time which filled Minehead with as many trains as could be accommodated. The Santa Specials, as usual, had been very busy and the Carol Train had grown in popularity. WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

For the coming year, the catering department's David Baker announced plans were well in hand for fish and chip specials using the dmu – and including a bottle of local wine with the meal – while from Minehead more Saturday evening Coastal Belle dining trains were in prospect with the offer of week-end breaks at a Dunster hotel plus a rover ticket on the line. Finally, the Journal welcomed the WSRA's new full-time administrator, who took over the office on BL's Platform 1 in November: Keith Sandford, appointed from a large number of applicants, who had already gained experience in a number of volunteer roles. And of course he is still cheerfully carrying out his work today. 10 Years Ago (from Journal No.137 Winter 2012) From Port Talbot Railway, 0-6-0 Saddle Tank No. 813 at Bishops Lydeard in September. Photo: David Williams Visiting 4MT 2-6-4 Tank No. 80136 powers from Roebuck Cutting on a post-Christmas service from Minehead. Photo: Don Bishop

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This bumper 88-page issue was packed with news – both of the past season and hopes for the coming one – and features. The frontispiece was given over to a picture of Mike Webber and Ian Coleby (now Journal editor) who had organised

November's Whizzer Walk. This sponsored event was the second to raise funds for the Heritage Carriages Project and St Margaret's Hospice; the first in 2008 covered the 10-mile section of line from Williton to Minehead and the latest the more demanding trek from Williton to Bishops Lydeard. The two stalwarts hired the company DMU to collect the 90 walkers and then deliver them back at the end, plus all the volunteers needed to provide necessary support and refreshments. The biggest worry, they reported, was the weather but early cloud and light rain soon gave way to clear skies and – as I can attest, having taken part in both events – walkers “enjoyed some excellent hospitality at all the stations and were able to sit and bask in the sunshine.”

but is determined to take all possible precautions to ensure that those photographing at the lineside enjoy their hobby as safely as possible.” Whizzer Walk fund-raising event organisers Mike Webber (left) and Ian Coleby on the trail near Stogumber. Photo: Mike Dunse

An important change involved a tightening-up of conditions for the issue of lineside photographic permits. In future, all holders would be expected to attend a Personal Track Safety course and to pass a written test, after which those successful would be issued with a threeyear pass and a numbered high-visibility jacket. The Journal emphasised: “This does not mean the railway has become in any way hostile towards photographers

An Interesting Curiosity Our friends at the Isle of Wight Railway have recently sent us the two tickets shown on the left. They said that as they were WSR artefacts, they were better off in our museum than theirs. These tickets would not normally be remarkable, but they are. They were both issued on the same day, 26 October 1961. Whilst the Adult return from Norton to Taunton is a contemporary BR(W) 2nd class return, the first class child ticket is still using GWR ticket stock from before 1947. And its ticket number 002 too. So one can only surmise that first class child returns from Taunton to Norton were very rare indeed - so much so that only two have been issued from GWR days until 1961. A rare find. 62

WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

Association News Jacquie Green updates

Victorian railway station, a museum, and With the railway quiet for most of a working steam railway. It was a delight November apart from a few ECS moves, to look around the heritage transport the focus was on preparations for the museum, indulge in a brake van ride and Christmas trains. The PLC was delighted engage in some useful networking with to report that the Santa Express trains other heritage transport enthusiasts. sold out so that a second tranche of dates and times were released for the The day before the trip to Henley I was Winterlights experience. Meanwhile, the WSRA won another award from the WSRA General Manager receiving Transport Trust Transport Trust, this time the 2021 awards from the Princess Royal. Photo: WSRA David Muirhead Commemorative Award, for the Hawksworth inspectors saloon together with a donation towards an internal refurbishment. I was privileged to attend the award ceremony last month at Fawley Hill Museum, near Henley, where I collected the award together with the 2020 Alan Moore Award for the restoration of Small Prairie No. 4561, from Princess Anne the Princess Royal. Fawley Hill is the private estate of Sir William and Lady Mcalpine and includes a restored

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WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

out on the railway leading a community group excursion on a trip that included a ride along the line. This was organised with the Quantock Land Partnership Scheme community engagement officer and a project called Positive People run by PLUSS Somerset. It was part of a series of photo walks they Happy faces on the community walk at Crowcombe have been running station. Photo: Quantock Land Partnership Scheme to encouragepeople to re-engage after about the railway. The community trip lockdown and gain was very successful on a number of levels, confidence and social skills to lead a and I am looking forward to developing fuller life. The group of 23 people the concept, both within the WSR family including leaders met at Bishops Lydeard and in partnership with other local and boarded a reserved carriage to organisations with a community focus. So Stogumber, where an enthusiastic Bob polish off your walking boots and watch Preston was waiting to tell the group this space! about the cattle dock restoration project. After that we set off across the fields and Finally, thanks to everyone who has woods to walk back to Crowcombe helped the WSRA and the railway to get Heathfield station, using the route through this difficult year and to wish all originally identified by Audrey and Ron WSRA members and supporters a very Short in the WSRA publication of 2000. happy Christmas and a healthy New Year. It was a journey of just three miles but we I look forward to seeing as many as were a mixed group and we took a possible on the Winterlights experience leisurely pace, taking time to get to know over the festive season. each other, and in my case to wax lyrical Latest 50-50 Club Winners Month

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WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

News from the WSR Groups The latest reports from other groups in the WSR family

West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust The Heritage Trust has been focussed on a number of projects during the last 12 months, despite Covid trying to disrupt our activities. The improvements to the Gauge Museum, the restoration of our collection of top-light coaches, the excellent community and education work, the model railway and several other initiatives are all keeping us busy, and I pay tribute to the team of Trustees and volunteers who are making this all happen. The Gauge Museum continues to go from strength to strength and to anyone who has not visited the museum in the last 12 months, I urge you to come along and see the excellent work completed by Geoff Evens, Helen Anson, Chris Austin and the whole volunteer team to modernise the museum. It really is a remarkable transformation and a sight to behold. The whole viewing experience has been improved and the interactive screen alone is worth a visit with a huge number of photos and written content accessible from a large attractive opening touch screen. We are pleased that Ian Camp has been appointed as the new curator. Separately, Andrew Forster has just completed a detailed examination of our heritage carriages currently residing at Williton and Dunster to determine which one's are viable for restoration, and which are more suited to the provision of spares. The original goal was to deliver a train of 7-8 coaches which could be used WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

up and down the line. However, a shorter-term objective might be to initially restore 3-4 of the coaches, perhaps to operate as part of a shuttle train on special operating days. With support from the Government's Culture Recovery Fund, all the heritage carriages are securely under covers for the first time, just in time for the onset of winter. The final set for 6705 will shortly be installed once some minor external repairs have been completed. The carriage restorers have been working on fabricating the new soleplate required for the restoration of coach 3639 (a former first world war ambulance coach) which is a particularly complex job but will form the base on which the rest of the body can be rebuilt. At the end of September, the Gauge Museum hosted a local art company who have organised a travelling exhibition that they have been staging in various venues throughout the summer. They were in residence at the Gauge Museum from 25th September to 3rd October and from the feedback received, it seems the exhibition went really well. I believe this has been a great success and has also served to provide another important 65

example of the railway engaging with the local community for mutual benefit. Finally, the model railway team are also doing excellent work and they continue to upgrade the layout, Gauge Junction, upstairs in the Gauge Museum. Interest has been good since the re-opening of the railway and on a couple of days this month, the team had over 100 visitors during the day, which made it a busy time for all! The Trust still has plenty of projects in the pipeline including work to provide more robust covered accommodation for the carriage restoration project and getting 6705 signed off for fitness to run along the line, along with an eventual move to Bishops Lydeard. We will be reviewing our business plan at the end of October and updating it for the next two years, when it will be shared with members after sign off by the Board. Mike Thompson Taunton Model Railway Group In my last article I reported that we were rounding-up our members to see who could be available to operate our Bath Green Park layout on gala days. We had a

great response and were pleased to be able to support the WSR by opening on all five days. As one of the operators, I was surprised by how much I had forgotten since our last open days in 2019! Fortunately, most of the other operators aren't as forgetful and I was suitably educated (my thanks to Bob, Steve and Mike for their patience). While visitor numbers were down on what we enjoyed pre-pandemic, we were nevertheless suitably encouraged as no doubt was the WSR who were also wondering what to expect. So suitably inspired by the visitor turn out in September, we opened our doors on Wednesday 27 October, with a number of our members making themselves available to make the day a success. It seems that the next time we open will be sometime early next year. So follow us on Facebook where we will post any updates. We have been pleased to welcome a couple of new members, both of whom have made a full assessment of us from sample visits to make sure that we are a civilised bunch. Christopher, who is a keen and talented GWR modeller, is already applying his hand to some elements of our new layout. His railway interests don't stop there, as he works for the present-day GWR. Alan has also joined us, having retired from his work as a pastry chef and tutor. He has plans to cook up quite a large layout and is another GWR fan so will A team from the Trust dismantled the old portacabin behind the museum prior to redevelopment of the area. Seen here, the building has been collapsed! Photo: Mike Thompson

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help to balance out the preponderance of Southern, Midland and North Eastern enthusiasts. Once we are able to offer refreshments again on our open days, he has offered to rustle up some cakes for our voracious visitors. Hope he has got a big oven! Peco are celebrating their 75th anniversary and the 60th Anniversary of the launch of Peco Streamline. One of our members has been working part-time at their shop in Beer and recently emailed members a fascinating YouTube video, “Peco Autumn Watch - a peek behind the scene.” It is worth looking up if you have ever wondered what the tooling and machinery look like to produce track, wagon and scenic item kits, some of these produced in wood with a laser cutter. Trackwork illustrated included the relatively-new bullhead track with slips and pointwork tooling as well as 009 wagons and rolling stock and Z gauge flexible track.

first job on leaving school was at W&H models (long gone) and I recall N gauge offerings were Lone Star and Arnold, but have no recollection of anything O gauge that was stocked. How times have changed! While my interest has always been with OO gauge, when I see some of the amazing models coming out in O gauge, such as the forthcoming LSWR B4 tank by Dapol, offered by one of the “box shifters” starting at under £200, it does get tempting. I should quickly point out that we have members who as well as OO also model in N, 009 and O gauge so whatever your railway modelling interests, you will get a warm welcome from our group. If like Christopher and Alan you would like to come along to some of our evenings email me at secretary.tmrg@hotmail.com. In the meantime, we wish you a Happy and infection-free Christmas!

Simon Ford In the latest issue of Bath Green Park is seen from the buffer stops. Photo: TMRG Model Rail I was interested to read a piece by Chris Leigh, the founding editor, about the different modelling scales. He might have kicked off a bit of a controversy by writing: “The fact is, compared to OO all the other railway modelling scales and gauges are minorities.'' He is, of course, quite correct. To be fair he does go on to write how the range of models now available in O gauge and N has ballooned since he was a youngster. So, while they might be “minorities” they are catching up fast. My WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

WSR JOURNAL – WINTER 2021

WSRA Journal 175 Winter 2021

Articles inside

Association News

Letter from the Chair

Along the Line

Story of Williton Footbridge

Renewing Seaward Way Crossing

Gala Team News

Departmental Review

General News