News Archive for September 2023

Published on 23rd September 2023

The West Somerset Railway / GWR held a 'Castle' HST operating day over the length of the preserved line on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th September.

The WSR is currently providing storage space for two HST sets (one at Minehead, one at Bishops Lydeard). In order to keep the sets in working order a passenger running day (alongside booked heritage diesel and steam services), was organised. The event was well attended with lots of additional passengers taking the unique opportunity to travel on a HST set over the length of the line.

No. 43162 'Caerhays Castle' and No. 43042 'Tregenna Castle' formed the 10:00 Minehead - Bishops Lydeard, and 12:30 Bishops Lydeard - Minehead service.

Published on 23rd September 2023

The Freightliner/ Network Rail operated High Output Ballast Cleaner operations from Fairwater Yard ceased on the 22nd September 2023 for the foreseeable future.

This leaves Taunton without further regular freight / engineers operations from Fairwater Yard as we enter the Autumn/ Winter period.

Freightliner Class 66 No.66531 No.66511 are pictured in Fairwater Yard on the 22nd September 2023. The pair having arrived back in 'top and tail' formation with 6X37 06:19 Heywood Road Junction - Fairwater Yard. On this occasions 6X37 arrived three and a half hours early after the job was cancelled on site, due to the failure of a Ballast Regulator. Image taken by trained and qualified personnel.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Published on 18th September 2023

So that’s it, Monday 18th September 2023 brings to a close 47 years of history for the High-Speed Train operating Cross Country routes throughout the length and breath of the country.

First introduced in 1976 the iconic High-Speed Train (HST) has been like every traveller’s pair of comfy slippers. The reliable machine allowing the unrivalled comfort of the classic designed Mk3 coach where passengers could relax with big windows, comfy seats at speeds up to 125 mph. How times have changed. Apart from a last charity farewell charter (which will not visit Taunton), the Cross Country HST is now in retirement leaving the four and five-car Voyagers to move passengers to opposite ends of the UK. The DFT can add another tick to their industry cost cutting measures in removing four more trains they consider too expensive to operate from the network. There are few other trains operating today which have captured the hearts of the travelling public, and operated through nearly five decades, countless upgrades, and constant health and safety hurdles and still achieve such excellent reliability in service covering around 700 miles a day. From Tuesday 19th September the UK Cross Country network will devoid of HSTs forever ending the next chapter in the HST history in the south west.

The final Cross Country HST service to operate passes Norton Fitzwarren on the 18th September 2023 with a specially lengthened set of eight coaches with tribute powercars No.43008 and No.43007 at either end. The final diagram was 1E63 16:27 Plymouth - Leeds (taking the diversionary route via Westbury due to engineering work between Weston-super-Mare and Bristol).

HSTs will continue to operate with GWR through in their current ‘Castle’ 2+5 configuration but further reductions to the fleet will be happening in October 2023.

Published on 17th September 2023

The end of Cross Country HST services are nearly here.

Saturday 16th September No.43321 and No.43378 operated 1V44 06:09 Leeds - Plymouth and Sunday 17th September No. 43366 'HST 40' and No.43303 dropped onto a surprise diagram 1Z52 12:12 Birmingham New Street - Plymouth which operated via Bath and Westbury. The HST set had been running Empty Stock to Laira depot but was called upon at Birmingham to go into service to cover for a late running Voyager service. After torrential rain all day, we took the opportunity of a weather window which coincided with 1Z52 passing the Taunton area. Owing to its diversionary route we managed to record the unusual sight of a Cross Country HST passing under the famous Cogload Junction flyover, rather than over the top.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Published on 17th September 2023

Saturday 16th September 2023 had just one GWR 'Caste' HST set in operation, with another substituting later in the day for a part diagram.

All other services were in the hands of the Hitachi IET Class 800 and Class 802 bi-mode units. The single out and back HST diagram for GWR consisted of No. 43153 'Chun Castle' and No. 43155 'Rougemont Castle' (ironically both former Virgin Trains powercars) operating 2C67 08:00 Cardiff Central - Penzance and 2U26 13:50 Penzance - Cardiff Central. We were able to capture the service in both directions.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Published on 16th September 2023

A week long closure of the line between Weston-super-Mare and Bristol Temple Meads started late on Saturday 16th September 2023.

As with all engineering closures these bring large amounts of engineering trains, materials, and equipment to the area. With overnight engineering work also being carried out in Cornwall, Taunton was very busy with engineering trains coming and going throughout the late afternoon and into the night. The final service of the day hauled by GBRf was unable to be recorded as it passed through after the station platforms had been closed for the night. Engineers also worked through horrific thunderstorms and torrential rain and flooding on the first day of the blockade to keep the track replacement program on schedule.

Published on 16th September 2023

UK Railtours operated 'The Skipping Devonian' railtour from Peterborough to Paington on Saturday 16th September 2023.

The diesel hauled charter used two Royal Class 67 locomotives from DB Cargo. No.67005 and Platinum Jubilee liveried No.67007. The pair operated in 'top and tail' formation throughout. Class 67 locomotives were once common place at Taunton operating postal and charter services. It is believed No.67005 last visited Taunton on in December 2021.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Published on 16th September 2023

LMS 4-6-0 'Jubilee' No. 45596 'Bahamas' visited Taunton on Saturday 16th September 2023 operating The Railway Touring Company 'West Somerset Steam Express' charter.

Once at Bishops Lydeard the locomotive was removed for servicing and turning, while two WSR locomotives (No.9351 and No. 7828 'Odney Manor') hauled the train through to Minehead and back. In the late afternoon Bahamas took over for the run back to London Paddington.

Published on 11th September 2023

GWR moved the first of two HST sets for storage on the West Somerset Railway on Monday 11th September 2023.

No. 43042 'Tregenna Castle' and No. 43162 'Caerhays Castle' (with coaching stock set GW03) moved to the West Somerset Railway as 5Z12 09:58 Laira – Minehead, driver Rob Kitley had the privilege of retiring the latest set from mainline passenger service. The second set to follow on the 12th will be stored at Bishops Lydeard. The West Somerset Railway is no stranger to the storage of HST stock and indeed previously stored Ex Midland Mainline and Virgin stock prior to transfer to First Great Western (now Great Western Railway) in 2005.

In a deal struck between GWR and the WSR one of the sets will be used to operate passenger services on the WSR on the 23rd and 24th September as part of the ‘Yellow’ timetable. The HST will operate 10:00 Minehead – Bishops Lydeard, 12:30 Bishops Lydeard – Minehead, 14:30 Minehead – Bishops Lydeard and 16:35 Bishops Lydeard – Minehead.

We have included images from todays movement and included images of previous stored HST sets which have appeared at the WSR below.

Published on 6th September 2023

With the countdown well and truly underway to the last Cross Country HST service on the 18th September 2023.

Now is the time to capture the last images of the iconic Class.

Intercity liveried HST powercar No.43008 arrives into Platform 2 Taunton with partner No.43007 at the rear on Monday 4th September 2023, The tribute powercars were operating Cross Country diagram 1V44 06:06 Leeds - Plymouth.

Cross Country HST formed of power cars No.43304 and No.43303 climb past Beam Bridge with ease on Wednesday 6th September 2023 in charge of the 1V44 06:12 Leeds to Plymouth service with just weeks to run before the end of HST operation on the Cross Country network.

Published on 3rd September 2023

The last Bank Holiday of the year was a busy one for the West Somerset Railway with trains running full and passengers / holidaymakers making the most of the last three day weekend of the year.

On the 27th August 2023 the Blue Timetable (two train) service was in operation with 4-6-0 'Manor' No. 7812 'Erlestoke Manor' hauling the steam service and a Class 33 No.33057 (D6575) operating the heritage diesel service.