(Photo: Phil Izzard)
Published on 30th September 2022
Making a rare early morning appearance in Taunton 'The Royal Scotsman' train is pictured passing Norton Fitzwarren on Friday 30th September 2022 operating 1Z79 04:30 Gloucester - Bath Spa (via Newton Abbot).
Dedicated Royal Scotsman locomotives No.66743 and No.66746 are pictured returning guests from a stunning run rise Devon Sea Wall, sadly by the time the train reached Taunton cloud had already arrived to cover the morning sunlight. The Royal Scotsman spends the majority of its time in Scotland, but once a year the dedicated GBRf locomotives visit other locations in mainline England before the season ends and parts of the set are sent for winter maintenance.
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Published on 24th September 2022
DEPG former British Rail Hymek No.D7018 operated its final Diesel Diagram of 2022 on the 24th September 2022.
There are just two more weekends heritage diesel diagrams left for the season which will use Class 33 No.33057. October 8th and 9th and October 15th and 16th No.33057 (D6575) will operate on the Red Timetable. The Class 33 will depart Bishops Lydeard at 12:30 and later depart from Minehead at 14:30.
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(Photo: Phil Izzard)
(Photo: Phil Izzard)
(Photo: Phil Izzard)
Published on 23rd September 2022
With the Autumn Season nearly upon us and some RHTT services in the country already operating, DB Caro moved the southwest based RHTT set o St Blazey on Friday 23rd September 2022.
Normally this rather dirty job attracts a pool of more weather worn locomotives, however this year fresh from the Toton paint shop No.66069 has been supplied. No.66069 and No.66120 are pictured passing Norton Fitzwarren operating 3Z99 10:14 Westbury - St Blazey.
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(Photo: Phil Izzard)
Published on 23rd September 2022
LSL Class 47 locomotives No. 47593 'Galloway Princess' and No.47614 (No.47853) pass Beambridge on Friday 23rd September 2022.
The pair were leading a three-day Statesman Rail charter, day one of the trip was 1Z23 06:06 York - Penzance. The charter was hauled by the pair throughout the weekend and was booked to visit Kingswear and Exeter on the Saturday before returning to York on the Sunday.
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Published on 20th September 2022
After overnight engineering work in Cornwall, Taunton was treated to a procession of engineering trains returning to their respective yards on Sunday 18th September 2022.
First to arrive back into Taunton was Freightliner Class 66 No. 66593 '3MG Mersey Multimodal Gateway' leading 6Y15 07:23 Par - Fairwater Yard HOBC slowly through Norton Fitzwarren on Sunday 18th September 2022.
The loco was operating in 'top and tail' formation with No.66518 returning from overnight ballast cleaning duties in Cornwall.
The second service was held at Taunton for 50 minutes before continuing east Colas Rail Freight Class 70 locomotives No.70813 and No.70804 top and tailed a short rake of five Network Rail Autoballaster wagons operating 6C23 08:00 Par - Westbury.
The third service ran 72 minutes early Colas Rail Freight Class 70/66 combination top and tailed their train through Cogload Junction on Sunday 18th September 2022. No.70817 and No. 66849 'Wylam Dilly' were returning north operating 6Y16 08:45 Burngullow Junction - Westbury.
(Photo: Shaun Mockridge)
(Photo: Brian Garrett)
(Photo: Brian Garrett)
(Photo: Brian Garrett)
(Photo: Alex Barraclough)
Published on 20th September 2022
Taunton witnessed a rare light engine steam locomotive move late on the 12th September 2022.
LMS Black 5 No. 45231 'The Sherwood Forester' operated light engine with no support coach between as 0Z31 12:59 Southall - Bishops Lydeard where it would join with BR Standard No. 70000 'Britannia' for a charter the next day. The loco is pictured paused at Taunton waiting to head onto the West Somerset Railway.
Britannia and Sherwood Forester departed together on the 13th September as 5Z43 12:12 Bishops Lydeard - Bristol West Junction in preparation to join Saphos Trains 'The Bristol Forty' charter which they hauled between Bristol and Crewe.
As an added piece of history The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence for just under 90 years, from 1881 to 1970. In 1970, the regiment was amalgamated with the Worcestershire Regiment to form the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment, which in 2007 was amalgamated with the Cheshire Regiment and the Staffordshire Regiment (then Prince of Wales's) to form the present Mercian Regiment. The lineage of the Sherwood Foresters is now continued by The Mercian Regiment. The name of the regiment is carried on both a steam and diesel locomotive.
Published on 13th September 2022
25 Years separate these two photographs, taken in the same location in the village of Creech St Michael.
With the recent rare visit of two of the last remaining class members operating on the mainline, we have dipped into the Taunton Trains achieve to compare with a tour passing the same location in 1997. Naturally the undergrowth situation remains an ongoing issue for all photographic locations, this has changed the angle slightly but princely the location at Creech St Michael has provided a good and safe location from which to take photos of passing trains.
Pictured passing Creech St Michael on the 13th September 1997, Class 33 locomotives No.33051 and No.33030 haul Hertfordshire Rail Tours 'The Six-Five Special'. The Charter was a one way circular tour from London Victoria to London Victoria via Taunton, Exeter and Yeovil Junction. As this point in the journey the pair were operating 1Z33 12:28 Bristol Temple Meads - London Victoria. Upon arrival back into London passengers were offered a short 'add-on' one way leg of the trip out to Finsbury Park via the North London Line hauled by No.33116.Pictured passing Creech St Michael on the 13th September 1997, Class 33 locomotives No.33051 and No.33030 haul Hertfordshire Rail Tours 'The Six-Five Special'. The Charter was a one way circular tour from London Victoria to London Victoria via Taunton, Exeter and Yeovil Junction. As this point in the journey the pair were operating 1Z33 12:28 Bristol Temple Meads - London Victoria. Upon arrival back into London passengers were offered a short 'add-on' one way leg of the trip out to Finsbury Park via the North London Line hauled by No.33116.
West Coast Railways Class 33 locomotives No.33029 and No.33025 pass Creech St Michael on the 13th August 2022 operating 1Z50 07:13 London Paddington - Minehead 'West Somerset Steam Express' charter. The locos operated the tour throughout, replacing the booked steam locomotive due to the risk of lineside fires.
To view the gallery, please click here.
(Photo: Shaun Mockridge)
(Photo: Taunton Trains Collectionn)
Published on 11th September 2022
Double headed Freightliner Class 66s lead 6Y15 07:26 Par - Fairwater Yard HOBC set back to base on Sunday 11th September 2022.
No.66602 and No.66518 lead with No. 66593 '3MG Mersey Multimodal Gateway' at the rear of the High Output Ballast Cleaner returning from overnight engineering work in Cornwall.
(Photo: Ashley Harris)
(Photo: Jeff Treece)
Published on 10th September 2022
BR Standard Class 7 No. 70000 'Britannia' stands at Fairwater Yard on Saturday 10th September 2022 having arrived as 5Z63 09:48 Bishops Lydeard - Fairwater Yard.
The locomotive joined the English Riviera Express' charter where the locomotive hauled the train through to Kingswear. 'Britannia' also carried a wreath as a mark of respect for Queen Elizabeth II who passed away on the previous Thursday. The added poignancy of the destination at Dartmouth, being where The Queen first met her future husband Prince Philip at the Royal Navel College just across the water from Kingswear.
To view the gallery, please click here.
(Photo: Shaun Mockridge)
Published on 8th September 2022
Large logo-liveried Class 37/4 No. 37418 'An Comunn Gaidhealach' headed back to Derby on the 8th September 2022 having visited Cornwall and Devon over the course of the previous day.
The loco was seen pushing inspection saloon 'Caroline' operating as 5Z02 10:30 Exeter Riverside - Derby RTC. The train passed Taunton just hours before the tragic news of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
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Published on 8th September 2022
The 8th September 2022 marks the passing of Her Majesty The Queen after 70 years on the throne, our longest serving and much loved Monarch.
The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral during the afternoon as a cherished Sovereign. In Taunton we will remember the visit of Queen Elizabeth to our town by Royal Train on the 8th May 1987 which marked the first visit of a Monarch to Taunton in almost 500 years after the Monmouth Rebellion.
Crowds of over 30,000 lined the streets of Taunton to witness the event of Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh arriving from London on board the Royal Train and were received by Lord-Lieutenant for Somerset (Lieutenant Colonel Walter Luttrell). The Royal Train arrived into Taunton Station around mid-morning behind Class 47 No.47628 ‘Sir Daniel Gooch’. The Queen and Prince Philip carried out engagements in Castle Square (watching performances from the Taunton Deane Morris Men visiting the Museum of Somerset), as well as speaking with members of the public who’d gathered. The Queen also had a visit to the Municipal Buildings located in Corporation Street. A visit to Musgrove Park Hospital also took place, before luncheon at the Country Hotel in East Street. Later the Royal glass-topped Rolls Royce transported the Queen and Prince Philip out of the town passing roads lined by local schools and school children waiting for their glimpse of the Queen Elizabeth.
(RIP 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022)
(Photo: Denise Garrett)
(Photo: Derek Garrett)
Published on 6th September 2022
Captured at Durston on Monday 6th September 2022 before a large thunderstorm passed through the area bringing much needed rain to Somerset.
Freightliner Class 66/5 No. 66593 '3MG Mersey Multimodal Gateway' and No.66518 pass Durston operating 6Y15 17:54 Fairrwater Yard - Barry transporting the Network Rail HOBC in preparation for overnight ballast cleaning duties.
(Photo: Simon Harling)
Published on 6th September 2022
Lorum Rail Group provided traction for an inspection saloon run on Monday 6th September 2022.
Large Logo Class 37/4 No. 37418 'An Comunn Gaidhealach' was provided to haul Inspection Saloon 975025 'Caroline' operating as 5Z02 11:24 Derby RTC - Exeter Riverside. The next day the loco would also visiting Fowey Docks and Kingswear.
(Photo: Paul Wilkins)
(Photo: Ash Bere)
GWR 4-6-0 'Manor' No. 7822 'Foxcote Manor' passes Woolsten Moor on the 5th October 2013 operating the 09:00 Bishops Lydeard - Minehead service during the 2013 Autumn Steam Gala weekend.
(Photo: Brian Garrett)
Published on 5th September 2022
The West Somerset Railway has reluctantly announced that the 2022 Autumn Steam Gala will be cancelled this year.
The four day event was booked to take place between the 29th September to the 2nd October 2022. The cancellation has been put down to poor advance ticket sales and the lack of suitable smaller locomotives which need to fit within the weight restrictions currently in place on the line.
This is the first gala to be cancelled in may years (outside of the Covid restriction period), and perhaps highlights the ongoing cost of living issues affecting the disposable income of households throughout the UK. With the cost of transport, fuel, gas, food, accommodation increasing alongside a 100% increase in coal, all preserved railways will be looking to adapt to see them through this latest period of instability, particularly those which don't have a central location with access to larger populations within the UK.
To view the gallery, please click here.
Published on 4th September 2022
Freightliner sent two trains (formed of four locomotives) to Cornwall on Saturday 3rd September 2022 for overnight engineering works.
Class 66 locomotives No.66516 and No.66512 headed for Burngullow Junction from Westbury with a rake of Network Rail JNA wagons for loading, passing Taunton at 20:24, and No.66518 and No. 66593 '3MG Mersey Multimodal Gateway' departed from Fairwater Yard with the Network Rail HOBC set heading for the same location.
The pair of trains then returned on Sunday 4th September captured in the Whiteball area.
To view the gallery, please click here.
(Photo: Simon Harling)
(Photo: Simon Harling)
Published on 3rd September 2022
2022 has been a bumper year for Class 47 locomotives in the South West, with the veteran locomotive being the locomotive of choice for visiting charters.
A total of 14 different Class 47 locomotives have appeared so far at Taunton this year.
Saturday 3rd September 2022 provided four Class 47s operating in 'top and tail formation on two sperate visiting charters. Saphos Charters 'English Riviera Express' from Crewe to Kingswear was formed of large-logo Class 47 No. 47593 'Galloway Princess' and BR Blue Class 47 No.47614. The Northern Belle charter (operated by West Coast Railways) operated between Birmingham New Street and Paignton, this train was formed of West Coast maroon Class 47 No. 47746 'Chris Fudge 29.7.70 - 22.6.10' and two-tone green Class 47 No. 47815 'Great Western'.
(Photo: Brian Garrett)
(Photo: Shaun Mockridge)
(Photo: Brian Garrett)
Published on 2nd September 2022
Following on from our last feature of images from the John Vaughan collection we are able to turn the block back 33 years to the 2nd September 1989 to feature images taken on a typical Summer Saturday.
The Summer time table change was always welcomed by railway enthusiasts and photographers alike due to the increased amount of holiday services which were provided to transport increased passenger numbers to their various holiday destinations in the south west. This annual event would bring rare an interesting locomotive hauled stock through the Taunton area. We are pleased to be able to feature another splendid set of images from railway photographer John Vaughan highlighted the increased variety surrounding summer operations in the Taunton area.
To view the gallery, please click here.
(Photo: John Vaughan)
(Photo: John Vaughan)
(Photo: John Vaughan)
(Photo: John Vaughan)
(Photo: John Vaughan)
(Photo: John Vaughan)
(Photo: John Vaughan)
(Photo: John Vaughan)
To view news stories from August 2022 click here, or for news from October 2022, click here.