News Archive for July 2019

Published on 24th July 2019

After over 40 years in service, GWR's fleet of the iconic HST trains has ceased operating their intercity services from London Paddington having now been replaced with a fleet of new Hitachi Intercity Express Trains.

Over the forty years of service, the HST has carried hundreds of names of people and organisations from the cities, towns, and communities.

In a unique exhibition and rare event, STEAM - Museum at Swindon is hosting an exhibition of former HST nameplates, but also a chance to view a brand new set of 'Castle' based names which will be applied to the newly reformed HST sets. We are very pleased to announce that Taunton Castle (a name once carried by GWR Steam Locomotive No.7036) will be one of the names to adorn a newly refurbished HST powercar in the future. As an added bonus 'Dunster Castle' will also be another local nameplate for enthusiasts to keep an eye out for.

The nameplates will be on display at Swindon Steam until the 18th August (where after the new Castle nameplates are expected to begin appearing on the newly reformed GWR Class 255 'Castle' sets) and the older removed HST nameplates will then remain on display until 31st December 2019.

Rest assured we will be featuring 'Taunton Castle' and following its daily workings on the Taunton Trains website when it appears!

We would like to thank Railway Herald Magazine and Jack Boskett for the use of the above images.

Published on 21st July 2019

The Royal Duchy steamed into town on Sunday 21st July 2019 with LMS Coronation Class No. 6233 'Duchess of Sutherland' leading the The Railway Touring Company charter, we have included a selection of images from the charter as it passed through the Taunton area for your enjoyment.

For further charters operating in the area don't forget to check out our Tours Page for more information.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Published on 9th July 2019

For those rising early on Tuesday 9th July 2019, there was a chance to view the annual visit of The Belmond Royal Scotsman set passing Taunton.

The train is contracted to GBRf to provide two matching liveried Class 66 locomotives. The 8-day land cruise was hauled by No.66743 and No.66746 with passengers paying around £17,000 for a single cabin and £11,000 for a twin/double travelling for 8 days on board the luxury train touring the UK. The Royal Scotsman set as its name suggests spends most of its season touring Scotland, however since GBRf had taken over the haulage contract more destinations have been added into the annual itinerary. The 1Z80 04:30 Gloucester - Newton Abbot allowed passengers to take in the early morning views of the Dawlish and Teignmouth sea wall, while passengers were treated to breakfast on board the train. After running around the set at Newton Abbot the train returned to Bath Spa for a short break before heading to Banbury via Southampton and an evening arrival into Oxford.

The train was formed as follows:
Mk1 99965 - Observation Car, Mk1 99967 - Dining Car 1, Mk1 99960 - Dining Car 2, Mk1 99337 - State Car Spa, Mk1 99961 - State Car 1, Mk1 99962 - State Car 2, Mk1 99963 - State Car 3, Mk1 99964 - State Car 4, Mk3a 99968 - State Car 5
Mk3a 99969 - Service Car.

Published on 8th July 2019

One this is for certain in the privatised railway industry is that colourful liveries are very much in abundance.

Customer liveries on railway locomotives have always been bold but Freightliner and Ocean Network Express have taken there corporate branding to a whole new level. On the 10th June 2019, Freightliner Class 66 No. 66587 'AS ONE, WE CAN' became the first UK Locomotive to carry the ONE magenta/ pink house colours of the International shipping company.

Ocean Network Express (ONE), is a Japanese container shipping company that has its headquarters in Tokyo and Singapore. It was formed in 2016 as a joint venture of the Japanese shipping companies Nippon Yusen Kaisha, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, and K-Line, inheriting the container shipping operations of its parent companies. By the end of 2018 ONE then launched its new look with the brightest pigment possible, the idea was inspired by the cherry blossoms common in Japan, which is where all three parent companies are based. ONE also undertook a huge social media drive to announce its new status in the global shipping market, since then its containers have slowly been appearing in the UK on ships, trains, and lorries. The pro active approach to shipping and social media has seen rapid growth. The pink livery applied to the locomotive is not the same shade as the pigment used on shipping containers and ships, but is still catches the eye as it passes through the landscape.

On Monday 8th July 2019 the ONE liveried locomotive No. 66587 'AS ONE, WE CAN' arrived in Taunton light engine to collect used sleepers from Fairwater Yard and haul them to Doncaster for recycling.

As Freightliner has now returned to a common-user pool of locomotives, customer liveried locos will often stray from their normal Freightliner duties, as was the case with this locomotive working a train for Network Rail. #asonewecan

Published on 7th July 2019

SR West Country class No. 34046 'Braunton' visited Taunton again on Sunday 7th July 2019 hauling Saphos Trains 'The English Riviera Express' charter.

The locomotives operated with an immaculate rake of mixed Mk1 and Mk2 coaching stock from Locomotive Services Ltd. The southbound train called at Taunton in both directions.

On the return leg from Kingswear to Bristol, the locomotive accidentally started two lineside fires, one near Tiverton Parkway and one at Cogload Junction, however, given we are at the height of the vegetation growing season, and little rain has fallen coupled the un-kept nature of the lineside it's hardly surprising. A stray ember from the steam locomotive would not need to float far to find some lineside vegetation to set alight, especially at Cogload Junction where the lineside grows up to the running lines.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Published on 6th July 2019

Colas Rail Freight Class 67s stood in for the Network Rail HST on Friday 5th July 2019 on South West track testing diagrams.

The New Measurement Train HST set was out of traffic for annual planned maintenance and upgrades. Colas were contracted to provide replacment locomotives for testing diagrams in the South West. The colourful train was captured on passing the Taunton area during its track recording runs.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Published on 3rd July 2019

The first locomotive sporting the new Freightliner 'Genesee and Wyoming' orange and black colours visited Taunton briefly on Wednesday 3rd July 2019.

Having arrived light engine from Stoke Gifford No.66623 (which formerly carried Bardon Aggregates livery) departed with the 4L18 09:56 Fairwater Yard - Doncaster Wood Yard with a rake of used sleepers for recycling. The loco is pictured passing Broomhay Crossing at Bathpool on route north.

Published on 2nd July 2019

It is with deep regret we inform you that good friend, and rail enthusiast Russell Watkins passed away on the 25th June 2019 after a short battle with cancer.

Russell was a larger than life character, having grown up Nuneaton his railway enthusiasm grew from a young age, as did his photography. Many a wayward hour was spent on the line side watching trains as well as many hours spent riding trains on the UK rail network, particularly in the Midlands. He was one of the founding members and honorary president of the Nuneaton Railway Circle. Russell was also heavily involved in railway preservation movement having spent time at the Shackerstone Railway and most recently in helping preserve and restore No.37227.

Russ had retired to the South West living in Dawlish with his loving wife Sharon and was able to view trains passing along the Dawlish Sea Wall. He was never happier than with friends, on a railway, pint in hand, and a pie on his plate (with extra gravy) reminiscing about railway tales and general life experiences of the past and present. He always had a smile on his face and a story to tell, and had an infectious love of life.

As an accomplished photographer, Russell captured some classic British Rail scenes from all over the UK including Taunton. He was kind enough to scan and send many of his images to Taunton Trains so a permanent gallery has now been set up in his honour.

Russells life will be celebrated on 31st July at St Nicholas Church in Nuneaton. Family and Friends will raise a toast to the man with a smile with Russell's favorite Ale, 'Foxes Hat' from the Church End Brewery. We wish his family the utmost condolence and best wishes at this difficult time.

Russells Flirkr account hosts over 3000 images which he had been slowly expanding prior to his diagnosis. - RIP Russell Watkins

To view the gallery, please click here.

Published on 1st July 2019

Saphos Trains operated their second steam excursion of the year to pass through Taunton on Sunday 30th June 2019.

West Country No. 34046 'Braunton' was provided for the visit to the Devon Riviera. The immaculate steam locomotive hauled the 1Z28 08:00 Bristol Temple Meads - Kingswear calling at Taunton between 10:02 and 10:44 and later returned north on hauling the return 1Z28 16:50 Kingswear - Bristol Temple Meads, both trains were routed via Westbury.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Published on 1st July 2019

The West Somerset Railway 'Special Events Planning Department' have reported the most recent Diesel Gala weekend exceeded its budget target by 10% with over 2900 passengers travelling on the railway during the heritage diesel event.

The run up to the gala was certainly not smooth with axle loading restrictions preventing larger locomotives from attending, and also the unfortunate mechanical issues which prevented No.31163 from attending. In the end, the railway booked a pair of Class 25s D7535 (No.25185) and D7612 (No.25262), courtesy of the South Devon Diesel Traction group, Class 37 D6948 (No.37248), courtesy of the Growler Group at Gloucestershire & Warwickshire Rly, and a pair of GBRf Class 73/1s No. 73107 'Tracy' and No. 73136 'Mhairi'.
These were joined by locos from the Williton based Diesel and Electric Preservation Group, No.D7018 hauling its first passenger service in 24 years. It was joined by classmate No.D7017, giving the rare sight and sound of a pair of these popular diesel hydraulics in action. Another pairing was Class 33s D6566 (No.33048) and D6575 (No.33057) with Class 14 No.D9526 also working trains over the length of the line.

Another successful part of the event was the Beer and Cider Festival staged at the Washford museum and restoration base of the Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust which was run and staffed by volunteers from the Somerset Branch of CAMRA (the Campaign for Real Ale). Some 2000 pints were sold, with supplies running out on Saturday evening, this helped add to the profits which were added to the takings from the Gala event.

We have provided a link below to some of the colourful images taken during the weekend event and will be adding more in due course.

To view the gallery, please click here.