News Archive for July 2025

Published on 26th July 2025

British Rail Class 45, D67, later to become No. 45118, was built at Crewe Works and entered service on May 5, 1962.

It was part of the final batch of "Peak" diesel-electric locomotives, which were a common sight on the Midland Main Line and other key routes. In September 1965, the locomotive was selected to receive the name 'The Royal Artilleryman'. This name was part of a larger British Rail initiative to honour various British Army regiments and the Royal Marines by naming a number of Class 45 locomotives after them. The nameplates were fitted without a formal ceremony. This naming practice highlighted the close relationship between the military and the railways, with the Royal Artillery being a prominent and historic branch of the British Army. In December 1973, as part of the TOPS re-numbering scheme, D67 became 45118. It was also converted to a Class 45/1, meaning its original steam-heating boiler was replaced with an electric train supply system to heat passenger coaches. On the 7th May 1987, while hauling a mail train, the loco suffered a fire near Rotherham. The damage was found to be extensive, and with a surplus of Class 45/1 locomotives being withdrawn, it was condemned the following day. After languishing in storage for several years, it was moved for preservation in September 1990. Restoration work began soon after, and on October 10, 1993, the engine was successfully restarted for the first time in over six years. The locomotive was eventually restored to its British Rail blue livery. In 2024, after further extensive restoration to mainline standards by Locomotive Services Ltd based at Crewe. Under LSL ownership No.45118 became the first Class 45 to haul a mainline passenger train in 17 years, and continues to set new records with the places it visits.

In passing Taunton on the 26th July 2025 the locomotive added three new tallies to its new mainline career to haul its first passenger train in the southwest in 39 years, and be the first mainline operational Class 45 to visit Taunton in 18 years, the last being No. 45112 'Royal Army Ordnance Corps' in May 2007 ironically also returning a charter from Minehead to Derby. The first Class 45 to visit Devon in 19 years, the last being No. 45112 'Royal Army Ordnance Corps' on the 22nd April 2006 with Pathfinder Tours ‘Devonian’ which sadly failed at Taunton and was assisted by No.47703 from Taunton.

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Published on 25th July 2025

With the first two snow ploughs moved out of Fairwater Yard on the 24th July 2025 by rail, another Colas Locomotive (No.70806) arrived from Westbury on the 25th July 2025 to continue the shunting which wasn't carried out the previous day.

No.70806 operated 0Z71 07:15 Westbury - Fairwater Yard light engine arriving at 08:06. The loco firstly extracted ADB965235 from Road 7 by means of shunting various HOBC vehicles to leave the plough infront of the shed so it can be collected by a road transport low loader in due course.

The second operation was to move ADB965223 from the western head shunt and position this to be collected by the waiting low loader for loading onto the trailer. ADB965223 was loaded onto Reid Freight WR21OXT MAN TGX 41-580 before departing the yard for Wolverton.

With shunting duties complete the Class 70 from Colas returned to Westbury light engine leaving one single snow plough at Fairwater Yard to be collected by road transport. This brings to an end 10 years of snow ploughs being based at Fairwater Yard, and also removes another of the special workings which operated on a yearly basis to keep the ploughs in working order.

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Published on 24th July 2025

Tuesday 23rd July 2025 saw two Class 37 locomotives arrive into Taunton in preparation to remove two Network Rail ZZA drift ploughs from Fairwater Yard to Wolverton for storage by rail.

Fairwater Yard has been the Network Rail strategic base for the snow ploughs since 2015 when Bristol Barton Hill Depot transferred ownership. Each year the snow ploughs have been taken out for a mainline test run to prove their fitness to run in the event of heavy snow fall. In 2025 the yard contained four ploughs ADB965217 ADB965240 which were moved to Taunton on the 16th January 2025 by West Coast Railways from Eastriggs, and long term residence since 2019 ADB965235 and ADB965233 which were moved to Fairwater Yard from Crewe after a major refurbishment program by Network Rail.

Swietelsky Rail Class 37 No.37405 and Colas Rail Freight Class 37 No.37116 arrived on Wednesday operating light engine as 0Z40 17:49 Coleham ISU - Fairwater Yard arriving at 20:33, 102 minutes ahead of schedule. They stabled on the eastern head shunt ready to couple to ADB965217. Next morning on the 25th July the pair set about various shunting manoeuvres to form up ADB965217 and ADB965240 ready to be removed by rail. The locomotives were also planned to move the second pair of ploughs ADB965235 and ADB965223 ready for those to be removed by road transport, however owing to no Network Rail staff being on site this wasn't possible and the waiting lorry was sent away empty to return the next day. This selection of images illustrates the arrival and shunting activates which took place on the 24th July 2025. The booked movement as 7Z41 08:27 Fairwater Yard - Wolverton ended up departing Taunton at 12:23 running 236 minutes behind schedule. Those images taken within Fairwater Yard by trained personnel from places of safety.

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Published on 19th July 2025

Three days after returning the Flying Scotsman to the Severn Valley Railway DB Cargo Class 66 No.66003 was back in the Taunton area and allocated to work the Saturday daylight china clay empties from Westbury to Goonbarrow Junction.

The Class 66 followed The West Somerset Steam Express from Westbury to Taunton before continuing onward into Devon and Cornwall.

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Published on 19th July 2025

The Saphos Trains 'English Riviera Express' charter operated on Saturday 20th July 2025 and was the first of two charter trains to pass through Taunton that day.

The 1Z50 05:18 Crewe - Kingswear tour operated in 'top and tail' formation with No. 47805 'Roger Hosking MA 1925-2013 ' leading with No. 57311 'The Institution of Mechanical Engineers' at the rear. The charter met with a small delay at Bristol which resulted in spirited running from the Class 47 to Taunton. Upon arrival into the station the Class 47 was removed to stable at Taunton for the day, while GWR 4-6-0 No. 5029 'Nunney Castle' was added for the steam leg to Kingswear. The Class 57 remained on the rear of the train for assistance and shunting movements at Kingswear.

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Published on 16th July 2025

What is normally a GWR Class 802 turn was covered by a Class 166 Turbo unit on Wednesday 16th July 2025.

Captured passing through Creech St Michael Class 166 No.166216 substitutes by working GWR service 2C64 06:58 Gloucester to Exeter St Davids. The unit later returned working 2U12 09:50 Exeter St Davids to Cardiff Central via Bristol Temple Meads making a very rare daylight appearance for the Class at Taunton

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Published on 13th July 2025

With the last glimmers of sunset from North Hill reflecting on the smokebox door of Flying Scotsman the late running evening dining service pulls away from Blue Anchor at Kerr Moor on Saturday 12th July 2025.

After a day of scorching temperatures into the 30s, sunset was missed at this location by minutes. No. 60103 'Flying Scotsman' was paired with Class 33 No.33048 (D6566) which was also providing assistance due to the fire risk. Shortly after passing this point the train had to perform an emergency stop due to sheep on the line ahead which resulted in a further 15/20 minute delay before the special dining service was able to continue to Minehead. The visit of the famous locomotive was extended one day to operate on Sunday 13th July due to an operational incident on Friday 11th which prevented Flying Scotsman from exiting the shed at Bishops Lydeard.

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Published on 12th July 2025

BR Class 40 ‘Andania’ stepped in to provide diesel traction instead of steam because of the ongoing heatwave on Saphos Trains ‘English Riviera Express’ charter on Saturday 12th July 2025.

No. 40013 'Andania' (D213) was pre positioned and arrived at Taunton on Friday 11th July stabling in the sidings behind Platform1/2. On the day of the tour Class 57 No. 57311 'The Institution of Mechanical Engineers' and No. 47805 'Roger Hosking MA 1925-2013 ' operated 1Z89 06:15 Three Bridges - Kingswear to Taunton, where upon arrival the Class 57 was removed and switched to the Class 40 for onward travel to Kingswear.

The return trip from Kingswear of the English Rivera Express the Class 40 was removed at Fairwater Yard and then operated light engine back to Crewe, the Class 57 No. 57311 'The Institution of Mechanical Engineers' (which had been stabled at Taunton for the day) was added to return the charter to Three Bridges in top and tail formation with No. 47805 'Roger Hosking MA 1925-2013 ' again.

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Published on 9th July 2025

Having spent a period of time on static display at Bishops Lydeard to allow the general public/ ticket holders to visit to the locomotive up close and experience a visit to the footplate, Flying Scotsman returned to passenger trips during the 8th July 2025.

The evening special dining charters have presented some good opportunities to capture the locomotive at times of day when steam trains don't normally operate over the length of the line. With more hot weather forecast and the lineside vegetation tinder dry the locomotive was assisted by resident Class 33 No.33057 (D6575) from the rear of the train to reduce the risk of lineside fires. Other normal passengers services on the West Somerset Railway are also likely to be Diesel Hauled over this coming weekend.

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Published on 5th July 2025

Owing to the risk of fire on the West Somerset Railway due to the ongoing lack of rain the WSR switched one of their blue timetable services from steam to diesel.

Class 33 No.33048 (D6566) covered the Blue Timetable on the 5th and 6th July 2025. The loco operated the 10:15 Bishops Lydeard - Minehead, 12:20 Minehead - Bishops Lydeard, 14:25 Bishops Lydeard - Minehead and 16:35 Minehead - Bishops Lydeard providing 80 miles operation

In addition the West Somerset Railway also announced as special operating day the former GWR HST in operation on the 5th July. The HST ran the 09:20 Minehead - Bishops Lydeard, 10:55 Bishops Lydeard - Minehead, 13:15 Minehead - Bishops Lydeard and 15:05 Bishops Lydeard - Minehead services. This is possibly the last time the HST will be used on the West Somerset Railway as the set is rumoured to have bene purchased by West Coast Railways.

In addition to the diesel action the current restoration of DEPG Hymek No.D7017 in the shed at Minehead is nearing completion in preparation for the 50th Anniversary of Hymek preservation celebrations. The loco being visible through the shed window at Minehead repainted into its British Rail blue with white windows, a livery it last carried around 30 years ago in the mid 90s.

Published on 4th July 2025

The Flying Scotsman has completed its first week of hauling passengers on the West Somerset Railway and will no begin a period of static displays at Bishops Lydeard Station for pre paid ticket holders only.

The world famous locomotives will be hauling the final set of passenger services during week commencing 7th July.

We have included a selection of images from the past week.

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Published on 3rd July 2025

The GWR 'Night Riviera' service is the only loco hauled service left in the Westcountry, operating overnight in each direction between Cornwall and London both services call at Taunton in the early hours of the morning.

More recently the reliability of the GWR Class 57/6 fleet has been called into question with a selection of other Class 57 locomotives from other operators drafted in to cover shortfalls in fleet availability. Two recent images captured at Taunton are featured showing one of the rare hire in locomotives and one from the GWR home fleet.

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