News Archive for March 2015

Britannia Leaves

(Photo: Jeff Treece)

Published on 31st March 2015

Having completed its visit to the West Somerset Railway 'Spring Steam Gala' No. 70000 'Britannia' departed back to Southall with its mainline support coach.

The loco is due to reappear at Taunton on the 18th April hauling a mainline special and slightly faster speeds than the 25mph it spent most of this weekend operating. No. 70000 'Britannia' is seen passing 40 Steps l working 5Z70 10:00 Bishops Lydeard - Southall on the 31st March 2015.

Coal Wagons go for Store

(Photo: Paul Clarke)

Published on 31st March 2015

Colas Rail Freight rounds off the month on the 31st March 2015 with perhaps a contender for 'working of the year'.

Colas Class 70 No.70810 was provided to haul a rake of HHA coal wagons from storage at Gloucester New Yard to Exeter Riverside Yard. Coal has never been a commodity hauled on the rails of the South West so the sight of coal wagons so far south (and going into storage) is certainly rare. The locomotive is pictured passing Taunton Station hauling the 4V13 14:40 Gloucester Yard to Exeter Riverside Yard. Having stabled the wagons in Exeter, the loco later returned north light engine.

To view the gallery, please click here.

WSR - Spring Steam Gala 'Welsh Steam Locomotives'

Published on 29th March 2015

The West Somerset Railway held its annual Spring Steam Gala between the 26th and 29th of March 2015 amid mixed weather conditions which gradually deteriorated as the weekend progressed.

The theme of 'Welsh Steam Locomotives' provided a mixture of large and small locomotives operating over the twenty-mile route. A host of visiting steam locomotives all with connections to Wales were operating for the public to enjoy. These included LMS 2MT No.46521 (visiting from the Great Central Railway), Class 4200 No.4270 (Visiting from the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway), and 'Taffy Tank' No.5643 (from the Furness Railway Trust).

We have provided a selection of steam images from the gala weekend for your enjoyment.

To view the gallery, please click here.

(Photo: Phil Izzard)

First Class 70 Hauls Colas Log Traffic

(Photo: Quentin Hawkes)

Published on 25th March 2015

Class 70 No.70804 has made a bit of a name for itself in the South West.

After becoming the Class 70 to traverse the Heathfield Branch in Devon on the 23rd March, the locomotive then became the first Class 70 to haul the Teigngrace logs. On the 25th March 2015, No.70804 is pictured passing the village of Creech St Michael hauling the loaded train back to the timber processing plant at Chirk.

DB Red on Aggreagtes

(Photo: Paul Clarke)

Published on 24th March 2015

DB Schenker Class 59/2 No. 59202 'Alan Meadows Taylor - MD Mendip Rail Limited' was provided for the Exeter Riverside stone trip on the 24th March 2015, having worked south with the loaded train to Exeter Riverside from the Mendip Quarries, the locomotive returned through Taunton at around midday with 6C28 13:44 Exeter Riverside - Whatley Quarry empty MBA wagons returning to Westbury.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Colas Hire Loocmotive from Freightliner

Published on 24th March 2015

Owing to a shortage of traction in the South West on Tuesday 24th March 2015, Colas Rail Freight hired in a Class 66/5 Locomotive from Freightliner Heavy Haul.

In turn to cover for a Class 70 which has been hired to Freightliner Intermodal. The rare Class 66/5 working is pictured passing Allerford near Victory Crossing hauling the 6V54 05:35 Chirk Kronospan - Teigngrace log empties. No.66555 operated the train as far as Exeter Riverside Yard before a Colas Class 70 was provided for the remainder of the journey.

(Photo: Quentin Hawkes)

Sleeper Shambles

(Photo: Paul Clarke)

Published on 23rd March 2015

Sunday 22nd/ Monday 23rd March saw the First Great Western 'Sleeper Shambles' continue unabated.

Barely a month goes by without this service being reported having had operational issues. Sunday 22nd March 2015 saw hire in Class 57/3 No. 57306 'Branchline Society' failed at Penzance before departure with brake defects. Passengers (expecting to sleep) were put onto a standard HST set formed of No.43174 and No.43040 for their overnight journey to London Paddington. Meanwhile, the popular 'daylight empty sleepers' were finally transferred to London by means of FGW's own Class 57/6 No. 57604 'Pendennis Castle'. The normally nocturnal ensemble passing Taunton at 14:35 having had a lie-in at Penzance operating as 5Z70 10:25 Penzance to Old Oak Common.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Mendip Stone

(Photo: Paul Clarke)

Published on 23rd March 2015

Mendip Rail Class 59s have recently been seen in action on heavy stone trains operating to replenish the stockpile of aggregate at Exeter Riverside Yard.

On the 11th March, 2015 No. 59101 'Village of Whatley' is pictured hauling the empty 6C28 13:44 Exeter Riverside - Whatley Quarry with a rake of EWS Monster Box (MBA) Wagons in tow.

Colas Break New Ground

(Photo: Paul Clarke)

Published on 23rd March 2015

Colas Rail Freight broke new ground with their Class 70s on the 23rd March 2015, taking No.70804 for a ballast drop on the Heathfield Branch.

This was the first time the locomotive type had traversed the branch line, and it's believed to be the first ballast drop on the freight only line in nearly 20 years. Class 70 No.70804 is pictured returning through Taunton with the 6C30 10:09 Newton Abbot - Westbury empty autoballasters.

Britannia arrives for WSR Gala

(Photo: Chay Farzaneh)

Published on 20th March 2015

Passing Taunton on the 20th March 2015, was BR Steam Locomotive No. 70000 'Britannia', the locomotive operated as the 5Z70 07:29 Southall to Bishops Lydeard.

The loco will soon be taking a starring role in the West Somerset Railway's 'Spring Steam Gala' weekend. No. 70000 'Britannia' is pictured passing the ever-changing scene at 40 Steps, en route to the West Somerset Railway at Bishops Lydeard.

The Royal Train

(Photo: Chay Farzenah)

Published on 20th March 2015

HRH Queen Elizabeth II passed through Taunton during the early hours of the 20th March 2015 heading to Plymouth where she rededicated HMS Ocean at the Royal Navy Dockyard after a £65m refit.

The train operated overnight from London Euston to Plymouth recessing on the Heathfield Branch until it was time for the train depart for Plymouth. The empty set is pictured passing 40 Steps, Taunton formed of the normal top and tail Class 67's. No.67006 and No.67026 were provided for this service, although neither locomotive was 'spectacularly presented' such is the lack of care which goes into providing a locomotive to haul our monarchs.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Mendip Stone to Devon

Published on 11th March 2015

Mendip Rail Class 59s have recently been seen in action on heavy stone trains operating to replenish the stockpile of aggregate at Exeter Riverside Yard.

On the 11th March, 2015 No. 59101 'Village of Whatley' is pictured hauling the empty 6C28 13:44 Exeter Riverside - Whatley Quarry with a rake of EWS Monster Box (MBA) Wagons in tow.

To view the gallery, please click here.

(Photo: Paul Clarke)

Double 'Grids' on the Logs

Published on 11th March 2015

Colas Rail Freight used a Class 56s on the Teigngrace Log service on the 11th March 2015.

The superpower type 5 combination was captured as they passed through the Taunton area.

No.56105 and No.56078 approach Taunton with 6M51 08:56 Teigngrace to Chirk Kronospan loaded logs on Wednesday 11th March 2015. Taunton's Fairwater Yard is just visible in the background.

No.56105 and No.56078 are pictured passing Taunton with the loaded 6M51 08:56 Teigngrace - Chirk Kronospan. The locomotives provided a stunning sight passing through the station with the heavily loaded train.

To view the gallery, please click here.

(Photo: S A Ginn)

(Photo: Paul Clarke)

Network Rail TRT returns

Published on 11th March 2015

The Network Rail TRT has recently returned to Fairwater Yard for a short period of time, during the week several movements were observed in relation to the relocation of the train.

On the 11th March 2015 Freightliner liveried Class 66/9 No.66952 passes through Taunton with three loaded sleeper wagons from the TRT set conveying used sleepers for recycling, operating as 4M18 09:46 Fairwater Yard - Washwood Heath, where the loco collects fresh sleepers to return to Taunton.

(Photo: Paul Clarke)

Weekend Engineers Trains - March

Published on 8th March 2015

Sunday 8th March 2015 saw two engineers trains return from overnight work in Devon.

The first to pass Taunton was EWS liveried Class 66 No.66199. The loco worked the 6W25 08:09 Exeter St Thomas - Westbury engineers, passing Taunton shortly after 08:30. The loco is pictured on the approach to Hyde Lane Crossing (Bathpool), which has recently seen extensive line side vegetation removed by Network Rail.

The second engineers to return to Westbury was hauled by Mendip Rail Class 59/1 No. 59101 'Village of Whatley' 'Village of Whatley'. The 6W26 09:55 Newton Abbot - Westbury is pictured passing Norton Fitzwarren on the approach to Taunton.

(Photo: Brian Garrett)

(Photo: Phil Izzard)

Citizens Rail - Class 153

Published on 6th March 2015

Former London Midland liveried Class 153 No.153325 is now sporting a brand new livery.

The unit has been wrapped in red vinyl branding with Citizens Rail (Citizens ' Rail is an EU Interreg IVB project that brings people together to create better regional railways in England, France, Germany, and the Netherlands). The colorful unit is pictured arriving into Taunton with the 2C67 08:00 Cardiff Central - Paignton diagram leading a First Great Western Class 150 unit on the 6th March 2015.

To view the gallery, please click here.

(Photo: Paul Clarke)

To view news stories from February 2015 click here, or for news from April 2015, click here.