News Archive for March 2020

GWR confirms deal with the Department for Transport

(Photo: Taunton Trains)

Published on 31st March 2020

GWR has confirmed a deal with the Department for Transport as a direct award for another three, (possibly four), years.

FirstGroup has signed the new contract to continue operating the GWR franchise from the 1st of April 2020. The new award provides continued service for customers and provides increased funding to further improve train services, which will include new, flexible, Season-Tickets for those who do not travel to work daily, and the further extension of paperless pay-as-you-go schemes.

FirstGroup took over Intercity Great Western on 4th Feb 1996 and transferred to Greater Western in April 2006. In March 2013 the company handed the keys back when they made the decision not to take up an optional extension on the franchise. Since then the franchise has been on a direct award from the Department for Transport, this current award will take GWR/ Firstgroup through to March 2023.

Explore Taunton Trains

Published on 29th March 2020

Taunton Trains remains fully operational with content being added to the website daily, so why not explore our extensive Photo Archive, every photo we add to the website is automatically linked to the individual galleries in our Photo Archive section.

Our Database project is continuing with daily updates being added from various years into our online Online Workings Database, why not take a look around at the wealth of over 80,000 individual records now hosted.

Don't forget our Youtube Page has lots of interesting videos for your enjoyment.

Why not take a look back in time, our News pages are now backdated to June 2015 with more updates planned in the coming weeks.

Remember our What's New Page will give you all the latest updates and images which have been added to the website.

Every Thursday we will be continuing our regular #throwbackthursday feature with a single image from the past taken in the Taunton area. This will appear on the News Page for one day only, but the image will continue to live in our Throwback Thursday Gallery so be sure to take a look.

Starting week commencing Monday 30th March we will also be featuring a selection of past mainline steam images from photographer Steve Ginn's collection, a new image will be displayed each day on the front page of the website for a period of 10 days.

Whatever your current situation with regards to the Coronavirus we hope everyone is staying safe and is in good health.

WSR Diesel Gala - June - CANCELLED

Published on 27th March 2020

The West Somerset Railway has taken the very difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Diesel Gala which was to be held in June.

The ongoing worldwide Coronaviurs pandemic have caused widespread lockdown around the world. It would be unwise of any company to plan any forward events until the Government can provide clear advice on what the rest of the year holds for the country.

The WSR is fully committed to running a Diesel Gala again and will work hard to deliver an exciting event again once the country is back to full health.

GBRf 50s return stock to GWR

(Photo: Phil Izzard)

Published on 23rd March 2020

GBRf / Fifty Fund Class 50s No. 50049 'Defiance' and No. 50007 'Hercules' demonstrate the perfect amount of 'social distancing' while top and tailing the 5Z44 09:16 Long Marston - Laira through Norton Fitzwarren on the 23rd March 2020.

The pair were used to return former GWR stock to GWR. Mk3 12161 and HST powercar No.43091 are the first item of stock to return from store at Long Marston to be returned to service by GWR. The colourful combination was captured on one of the first Spring days of 2020.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Social Gathering

Published on 22nd March 2020

Social Gathering.....with all the recent changes to our daily lives amid the #Covid19 pandemic and social distancing/ isolation, we have put together a gallery to illustrate images from when our lives were carefree and gathering of people was something which wouldn't have been given a second thought.

Some photographers strive to not have a single person their image, focusing on just the train or the scene at hand. However, there are times when using people in an image can have brilliant illustrative effects, and we have used these types of images on Taunton Trains in years gone by. With social distancing at up at two meters set to be with us for the foreseeable future and huge changes to daily life, commuting and events affecting the entire world, our images also show what we have to look forward too once the situation has passed.

(Photo: Brian Garrett)

(Photo: Phil Izzard)

(Photo: Brian Garrett)

GWR: Coronavirus - Train Service reduction

Published on 20th March 2020

Following discussions with Government and the wider rail industry, Great Western Railway is reducing services to reflect national advice against non-essential travel, while maintaining services critical to keeping key workers moving during the current situation.

The new timetable will operate from Monday 23 March, with some changes to services expected over this weekend (21-22 March).

This new timetable will be in operation seven days a week until further notice. The changes prioritise key routes essential for those people continuing to deliver vital services as the UK responds to the current situation. GWR is working to enter all the changes into online and digital timetables, and these should all be updated in the next seven to ten days. From then individual journeys can be checked on Check Your Journey

Further information can be found on at GWR

WSR Spring Steam Gala - Cancelled

Published on 17th March 2020

Owing to government advice the West Somerset Railway have confirmed their 2020 Spring Steam Gala weekend has been cancelled due to the worldwide Coronavirus outbreak.

The railway has considered the advice of social distancing to slow the spread of the outbreak and took the decision to cancel the event.

NMT Visits Taunton

(Photo: Josh Keyes)

Published on 14th March 2020

On the 13th March 2020 the Network Rail NMT visited Taunton as part of its regular track testing diagram on the UK rail network.

No. 43013 'Mark Carne CBE' is pictured in Platform 3 at Taunton having arrived ready to return to London Paddington with No. 43062 'John Armitt' leading 1Q19 18:57 Taunton - London Paddington.

WSR - Memories from the 90s

Published on 14th March 2020

Continuing our look back at photographic memories from the local area, this week we are featuring early images from the West Somerset Railway taken in the 1990s.

We feature a range of steam and diesel images which highlight how much progress has been made on the railway over the past 25 years.

(Photo: Brian Garrett)

(Photo: Brian Garrertt)

(Photo: Brian Garrett)

Colas Loaded Cement

(Photo: Phil Izzard)

Published on 11th March 2020

A grubby Colas Rail Freight Class 70 is pictured passing Silk Mills on the 11th March 2020.

The locomotive No.70809 passes Fairwater Yard at Silk mills on the 11th March 2020 hauling the loaded 6C35 05:46 Aberthaw - Moorswater cement with short wheel based PCA tanks in tow.

Freightliner Run Late

Published on 10th March 2020

You can always count on the new Freightliner livery to brighten up even the dullest of days.

The loaded aggregate flow to Exeter Riverside is rarely seen as it normally runs under the cover of darkness passing Taunton at 06:30. However on Tuesday 10th March 2020 the 7C27 05:27 Westbury - Exeter Riverside departed 155 minutes late, losing even more time on the route, the train passed Taunton at 09:33 running 175 minutes behind schedule. The loaded train was captured passing Norton Fitzwarren.

(Photo: Phil Izzard)

The Devon Crompton

Published on 8th March 2020

The Devon Crompton charter was operated by The Branchline Society on Sunday 8th March 2020. The tour operated using two veteran Class 33 locomotives, No. 33207 'Jim Martin' (from West Coast Railways) and No.33012 (from the 71A Preservation Group). The 1Z38 09:38 London Victoria - Coleford Junction ran via the former southern stomping group of the Class arriving into Yeovil Junction around 13:00. the tour then reversed to include the Yeovil Junction - Yeovil Pen Mill link before proceeding west to Exeter, Crediton and Coleford Junction. The 1Z39 16:40 Coleford Junction - London Waterloo return leg of the charter was routed via Taunton, Bristol, Bath, and Westbury to Salisbury to include some of the former routes the Class once operated in British Railways days. - This video shows the No. 33207 'Jim Martin' and No.33012 making light work of Whiteball Bank heading into Somerset and back to the Capital. The wreath attached to the lead locomotive was in respect of former Salisbury driver Tom Doel who passed away on the 7th March 2020.

Test Trains from the past

Published on 7th March 2020

We have recently been sent a selection of images featuring images of various Network Rail test trains that have passed through Taunton over the past 10 years or so from Steve Ginn's extensive photographic collection.

We hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane featuring different combinations of Class 37s from Direct Rail Services and even Network Rails own Class 97 locos. Test Trains are a vital part of the work Network Rail carries out across the UK each week to ensure the track and infrastructure is in good condition and maintained to the highest standards.

(Photo: S A Ginn)

Unique Saturday Service

Published on 7th March 2020

A unique diagram that operates on a Saturday is the use of a five-car IET set on the Taunton - Cardiff corridor stopping services.

This unique operation uses a high-speed Class 800 IET set instead of the usual Class 158 or HST. The full diagram is normally allocated to a Class 800 set rather than a Class 802.

The Saturday full-service diagram normally operates as follows: 2C71 10:00 Cardiff Central - Taunton, 2U16 12:18 Taunton - Cardiff Central, 2C81 15:00 Cardiff Central - Taunton, 2U26 17:18 Taunton - Cardiff Central

On Saturday 7th March 2020 No.800017 passes Creech St Michael operating the 2U16 12:18 Taunton - Cardiff Central stopping service.

(Photo: Brian Garrett)

Whiteball spy Odette Hallowes

Published on 6th March 2020

GWR chose International Women's day to name one of their Hitachi IET sets No. 800314 'Odette Hallowes GC MBE LdH' celebrating the highly decorated WW2 spy who risked her own life conducting undercover operations in France. She was interrogated by the Gestapo using brutal torture techniques but refused to betray here fellow agents by pretending to be related to Winston Churchill. Odette lived at Whiteball (near Wellington) and London and was one of the few women to gain the prestigious George Cross.

The Hitachi IET set was named by HRH The Princess Royal at London Paddington station with members of her family present before operating several passenger diagrams between there at Bristol Temple Meads and was crewed entirely by women. Be sure to keep an eye out for this nine-car IET set passing Taunton (and most importantly Whiteball), in the coming weeks. (Video: GWR)

Sunday Morning Sunlight

Published on 1st March 2020

With Storm Jorge having battered the South West over the weekend, Sunday 1st March did at least start off bright and sunny allowing a window of opportunity for photography.

Two Sunday morning favourites to target are 2K16 07:59 Exeter St Davids - Severn Beach, and 2M30 09:42 Exeter St Davids - Bristol Temple Meads, both of which are booked for a Class 165 and Class 166 on respective diagrams. Sunday 1st March 2020, therefore, was an out of the ordinary event with 2K16 being covered by a two-car Class 158, and 2M30 then being formed of a Class 165 and Class 166 making a five-car set.

This image is thought to be the first daylight pairing of a Class 165/166 west of Taunton which occurred on Sunday 1st March 2020. No.165132 and No. 166221 'Reading Train Care Depot' paired up to work the 2M30 09:42 Exeter St Davids - Bristol Temple Meads stopping service, while the first diagram of the day was covered by 158769. The colourful combination passes Silk Mills on the approach to Taunton in glorious morning sunlight before the next torrential downpour arrived.

(Photo: Adam Hiscock)

To view news stories from February 2020 click here, or for news from April 2020, click here.