THEN AND NOW - 40STEPS/ FAIRWATER YARD
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| The view of Fairwater Yard in 1985 taken from the Staplegrove Road bridge. (Photo: Dave Jones) | Taken on the 11th January 2007, 66581 and 66551 can be seen in Fairwater Yard shunting wagons for the Network Rail South West Track renewal program (Photo: Jeff Treece) |
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| 33027 is seen on the Fairwater Head shunt (Ex Taunton avoider) on the 8th March 1988 seen shunting a large amount of engineering wagons (Photo: Jeff Treece) | 18th July 2007, 66623 can be seen shunting the large Network Rail HOBC from Fairwater Yard to form the 6Y11 departure to Lavington later in the evening. (Photo: Brian Garrett) |
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| 50025 is seen passing 40 Steps in the 1980's. The impressive signal gantry was still in place, and BR ownership was very noticeable. (Photo: Dave Jones) | 67016 is seen passing through Taunton heading South on the 1st October 2005 with the 1Z49 Tonbridge - Par 'EdenEx' charter. (Photo: Brian Garrett) |
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| 47612 is seen arriving at Taunton on the 26th July 1986 with a North bound passenger service formed of BR Blue and Grey Mk1 coaching stock. Note the length of the train during this peroid! (Photo: Jeff Treece) | 43034 and 43192 arrive into Taunton working a Northbound service to London Paddington on the 18th July 2007. Note the newly refurbished coaching stock. (Photo: Brian Garrett) |
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| A Pair of Great Western HST's are seen arriving and departing from Taunton around 1996. The changeover from Intercity Livery into the corporate 'Great Western' with Merlin Branding was still underway at this point. (Photo: Dave Jones) | 15th December 2005, Midland Mainline HST (Right) on hire to Virgin Trains due to a shortage of Voyagers, is seen departing Taunton with the 1V29 Leeds - Plymouth. The set is formed of 43048+43066, it passes a Firstgroup HST heading for London Paddington. (Photo: Jeff Treece) |
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| This is an undated shot from around 1986 of a Class 45 piloting a possible failed Class 50 around the Taunton Station avoided. This line linked Taunton East Yard with Fairwater Yard which gave a way of routing freight away from Taunton Station without disrupting passenger train movements. (Photo: Dave Jones) | This is the shot taken in 2007shows the relayed headshut, which is now in use with Network Rail to shunt the large HOBC and TRT trains which are based in Fairwater Yard (Photo: Brian Garrett) |
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| 29th April 1970 shows D7033 departing from Fairwater Yard using the 'Taunton Avoider' which swung behind Taunton Station, over Station Road and linked with Taunton East Yard. This rare photo is also dated by the vehicles in the foreground as well as the locomotive! (Photo: Bernard Mills) | This is the shot taken in 2007, 66611 is seen using the newly extended head shunt to Fairwater Yard, laid on the previous track bed of the old Taunton Avoider. The extensive tree growth shows how well maintained the vegetation used to be under BR (Photo: Jeff Treece) |
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| On the 10th June 2001, a brand new 57601 is seen working a test run from Laira to Taunton and back, at the time the loco was operated by Firstgroup. The striking livery of the unique machine made it a popular machine. The loco is seen departing Taunton heading back South (Photo: Brian Garrett) | Nearly 6 years after the shot on the left, 57601 is seen passing the same spot at 40 Steps heading South to Penzance with 47854 in tow. The Loco is now operated by West Coast Railways and was working a light engine move to Penzance to work a return charter to Bristol. (Photo: Brian Garrett) |