News Archive for August 2025

Published on 31st August 2025

After spending day two of its three day visit to the Southwest in Cornwall, the Britannic Explorer luxury train headed back through Taunton on Sunday 31st August 2025.

Day three of the trip allows guests to enjoy a boat tour from the picturesque seaside town of Fowey, or a visit to the Colwith Distillery. After re-joining the train passengers are transported out of Cornwall through Devon and back into Somerset arriving into Bruton for a cone our private route of the Hauser & Writh international art gallery, an evening dinner is incorperated away from the train at Da Costa with dishes inspeiced from the Veneto reigon of Northern Italy. After dinner passenger rejoin the train to move to the resting location for the night at the East Somerset Railway.

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Published on 31st August 2025

Owing to a shortage of servicable steam locomotives from West Coast Railways, The Railway Touring Company suppied a pair of heritage Class 47 locomotives for 'The Royal Duchy' charter on Sunday 31st August 2025.

No.47812 and No.47802 operated 1Z33 08:48 Bristol Temple Meads - Par in top and tail formation and were captured passing through the Taunton area with a short rake of Mk2 coaches in between them heading for Cornwall.

Published on 31st August 2025

The DEPG / West Somerset Railway celebrated 50 years of Hymek preservation on the West Somerset Railway on the 30th and 31st August 2025.

With both Hymeks reunited for the first time since 2019 a special timetable operated to provide three round trips to Minehead on both days combining both single locos and double-heading. The special services were packed with passengers throughout the event. Both locomotives looked superb for the celebration, with D71017 freshly outshopped in a former British Rail blue livery compelte with the original D+EG logo which the loco first displayed during its early preservation days. Credit goes to the dedicated preservationists that ensured these locomotives survided.

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Published on 30th August 2025

Having arrived onto the West Somserset Railway on the 29th August, and continued through to Minehead and back the luxury train spent the night stabled at Bishops Lydeard (owing to issued with switching in the signal box at Crowcombe late the night before).

With the Hymek 50th Anniversary event due to start early on the Saturday 30th August 2025 passengers were treated to some early morning shunting and locomotive movements while enjoying their breaktfast. The Britannic Explorer was booked to depart as 1Z62 09:00 Bishops Lydeard - Penzance with No. 66744 'Heart of Wales' leading to Taunton before a change of direction to head west into Devon and Cornwall.

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Published on 29th August 2025

The long awaited and much advertised Belmond Britannic Explorer luxury train finally visited Taunton in the last glimmers of light on the 29th August 2025.

The Britannic Explorer was originally due to start operating with passengers on board in June 2025 but issues with the set meant a much-delayed introduction into passenger service. The 29th August marked the inaugural run to the South West with a three-day land cruise from London Victoria to Cornwall and Bruton via overnight stays on the West Somerset Railway, Cornwall and East Somerset Railway, with tickets priced at £6300 for the experience, the train being fully sold out.

Upon arrival at Taunton the Britannic Explorere makes its way onto the West Somerset Railway where it works over the full length of the branchline, it includes a pause at Kerr Moor for a view over the Somerset Coastline before continuing through to Minehead and returning back to Crowcombe Heathfield where the train pauses for the night. Next morning the set departs for Taunton where reversal takes place to continue forward to Devon and Cornwall.

The Britannic Explorer's history is steeped in Irish heritage. Originally built in the 1980s as Mark 3 carriages for Irish Rail, these coaches were later acquired and transformed into the Belmond Grand Hibernian. From 2016 to 2019, the Grand Hibernian brought luxury rail travel to Ireland, offering tours of the country's stunning landscapes. Following its service in Ireland, the carriages were relocated to England and completely redesigned to become the Britannic Explorer set, to begin a new chapter of luxury journeys in Great Britain. GBRf operate the train on behalf of Belmond and is hauled by two Class 66 locomotives in ‘top and tail’ formation. No. 66748 'St Michaels Mount' is the dedicated locomotive (carrying the full Britannic Explorer blue livery) with a second GBRf liveried Class 66/7 supplied from the available fleet.

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Published on 23rd August 2025

With the amount of trains which pass through Taunton on a daily basis it would be easy to think that it would be possible to capture two trains in the same image at he same time.

However it's more difficult than you would think, with a closing speed of around 100mph getting two trains in the perfect positions while going in oposite directions can be challenging, more often than not they end up out of position. We have featured three images below taken on Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd August where sysmetric images were achieved.

Three trains for the price of one at Cogload Junction on the 22nd August 2025. As No. 802010 'Corporal George Sheard / Kieron Griffin and Ocha' operating 2C85 17:00 Cardiff Central - Taunton is held on the Cogload Junction ramp, No. 802002 'Steve Whiteway' and No.802012 pass whle operating 1C89 16:37 London Paddington - Plymouth service. These two images allowed a passing shot and second shot suggesting two trains would be following closly behind one another.

A lucky passing shot at Creech St Michael on Saturday 23rd August 2025. DB Cargo Class 66 No.66054 rounds the curve operating the Saturdays Only 6V76 10:35 Westbury - Goodbarrow Junction with China Clay empties in tow heading for loading in Cornwall. Going in the oposite direction a GWR service heads to London Paddington.

Published on 23rd August 2025

The popular Saphos Trains 'English Riviera Express' charter which runs from varied locations around the UK most weekends in the summer, operated again on the 23rd August 2025 and 1Z60 07:10 Slough - Kingswear.

The tour featrued the first visit of No. 47593 'Galloway Princess' (recently repainted into Intercity Executive livery by Locomotive Services Ltd. The Intercity loco looked incredible taking passengers back to the 1980's when the livery was first unveild by Intercity. No. 47805 'Roger Hosking MA 1925-2013 ' was the rear end locomotive for the day. Upon arrival at Taunton the lading Class 47 was removed from the train, while passengers watched Great Western steam locomotive No. 5029 'Nunney Castle' attach to the front of the charter set before departure south.

The return leg of the charter swapped locomotives in Fairwater Yard, with low evening sunlight bathing the train in glint as No. 47593 'Galloway Princess' departed back to Slough.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Published on 22nd August 2025

The Network Rail Track Inspection HST visited Taunton on the 22nd August 2025 on its monthy diagram to inspect the track in the south west of England.

The New Measurement Train was operating in a revised shortened formation of four Mk3 coaches. The test train was also formed with a single Network Rail powercar (No. 43013 'Mark Carne CBE') and a Colas Rail powercar (No.43274). The HST operated 1Q18 05:43 Reading Triangle Sidings - Paington via Penzance and Dawlish Warren, this ran into delays in Cornwall which resulted in a 48 minuate delay arriving into Paington. The 1Z18 15:39 Paington - Taunton via Bristol East Depot diagram operated around 40 minutes behind schedule, and didn't save time by terminating at Bristol Temple Meads (as had been carried out in the past), arrival back into Taunton was 56 minutes behind schedule. The last diagram of the day 1Q19 18:38 Taunton - London Paddington departed 49 minutes late at 19:27 arriving back into London Paddington 21:11 running 29 minutes late. Ironically the set then ran empty back to Derby RTC through the night arriving 11 mintues early at 00:15 (Saturday morning).

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Published on 22nd August 2025

With the injection of fomer Avanti West Coast Voyagers into the Cross Country Fleet, an air of variety has entered the day to day operations on the Cross Country network.

Cross Country also operate the brightly coloured 'Pride' voyager No.220005 which is painted in a special livery to show support for the LGBTQ+ communit. The colourful unit visits Taunton most weekdays on long distance passenger diagrams. We have provided a selection of images captured in the Taunton area in recent weeks.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Published on 19th August 2025

The Northern Belle Northern Belle luxury dining train created by the Orient Express and voted one of the worlds top ten luxurious trains visited Taunton on Tuesday 19th August.

The Northern Belle is operated by West Coast Railways using Class 57/3 locmotives in top and tail formation. The train visits all parts of the UK network during each year giving the luxury travel expierance to passengers.

No. 57314 'Conwy Castle' and classmate No. 57313 'Scarborough Castle' ran 1Z60 08:19 Birmingham International to Paignton on Tuesday 19th August 2025 operating the 'Historic Torquay and Liesure' charter and were captured while passing through the Taunton area.

Published on 16th August 2025

UK Railtours operated 'The West Somerset Railway' charter on Saturday 16th August 2025 using the Hastings DEMU.

The Hastings DEMUs are from a class of 23 diesel-electric trains built in the late 1950’s to replace steam-hauled stock operating between London and Hastings via Tunbridge Wells. The six-coach units, incorporating diesel generators at each end, were unique in having especially narrow bodies which enabled them to pass through the unusually narrow tunnels on the Hastings line. They were finally withdrawn in 1986. The Hastings set was formed as motor coach No.60119 leading formed with 60529, 70262, 69337, 60528, and No. 60118 'Tunbridge Wells' operating as 1Z13 07:02 Tongbidge - Minehead. The set was an hour late due to a railway incident prior to departure requiring BTP attendance which was outside the control of the tour operators or set owners. Upon arrival at Minehead passengers were also able to travel back to Bishops Lydeard on a Steam/ Diesel service formed of WSR Mogul No.9351 and DEPG Class 33 No.33048 (D6566), before rejoining the charter to head back to Tonbridge.

Published on 16th August 2025

August 30 and 31st 2025 will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of ‘Hymek’ Deisel Hydraulic preservation on the West Somerset Railway.

Over the weekend Williton stablemates No.D7017 and No.D7018 will be reunited for a weekend of Hymek operation over the line. The locos will operate over 120 miles both as single and paired formations with a special eight coach train. Some services will also operate ‘semi-fast’. Tickets can be purchased from the West Somerset Railway with normal fares applying.

D7017 has just returned from Minehead after a 10-month bodywork restoration and repaint into blue with white windows, and now carries the D+EG branding which it first has when it arrived into the care of volunteers some 50 years ago. Today the Diesel and Electric Preservation Group has constructed a large depot and workshop building at Williton and has eight locomotives in its care, a mixture of diesel hydraulics and diesel electrics. With the care, dedication, of the DEPG volunteers at Williton these locos have stood the test of time in preservation and looked after for future generations to enjoy and learn about, in the same way those early preservationists from 50 years also did.

West Somerset Railway General Manager Kerry Noble commented “The DEPG has been part of the West Somerset Railway from the earliest days and it’s great to be able to highlight their hours of patient work by putting a weekend spotlight on two of their fleet. It’s sobering to think that in the year of Railway 200 that they have been caring for “modern traction” for half a century and that the two “Hymeks” have spent four times as long on the WSR as they did in British Railways’ service”.

We have provided a pictorial history of the history behind No.D7017 given its latest overhaul and hope you enjoy some of the archive images from the Taunton Trains vault.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Published on 9th August 2025

Rail Operations Group (ROG) Class 37/6 No. 37608 'Andromeda' returned north light engine from Laira on the 9th August 2025.

The light engine movement 0D94 09:57 Laira - Honeybourne Sidings is pictured arriving into Platform 4 at Taunton where the loco was held for a departing passenger service before continuing.

The locomotive is named after The Andromeda galaxy, also known as Messier 31 (M31), which is a barred spiral galaxy and the closest major galaxy to our own Milky Way, located about 2.5 million light-years away from Taunton.

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Published on 9th August 2025

Steam Dreams aims to offer a magical journey, promising unique experiences.

For those passengers leaving Colchester at 06:11 in the morning, a trip to the Devon Riviera hauled by a steam locomotive from Taunton was certainly a magical experience. Taunton Station is the changeover point for both Steam Dreams and English Rivera Express charters switching from heritage diesel to steam locomotive, and it also the chance for passengers to have a leg stretch, take photos, ‘selfies’, and get up close to the hauling locomotives while they are swapped. On the 9th August 2025 Steam Dreams operated their ‘Paignton and Kingswear’ charter (1Z72 06:11 Colchester – Kingswear), the charter was hauled to Taunton by LSL heritage diesel locomotives No. 47712 'Lady Diana Spencer' (currently displaying No.47709 and No.47711 on either side), and No. 57311 'The Institution of Mechanical Engineers' in ‘top and tail’ formation. Arrival into Taunton was at 10:29 where the lead locomotive was removed and steam locomotive GWR ‘Castle’ No. 5029 'Nunney Castle' added to the front of the train.

Published on 7th August 2025

In their freshly painted condition, newly converted Network Rail Class 153 test units No.153384 (TCMU2) and No.153379 (TCMU1) pass through Taunton.

The 'Track Condition Monitoring Units' were operating 2Q54 12:49 Kingsland Road - Par Liner Sidings, passing Taunton 89 minutes behind schedule. Both units formerly operated for East Midlands Trains in passenger use have now found a new purpose converted for track monitoring duties with Network Rail.

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Published on 2nd August 2025

DB Cargo / EWS Class 66 No.66063 operated the DB Cargo Saturdays only china clay empties for the second week in a row, returning a healthy rake of 18 JIA wagons to Cornwall for loading.

The impressive train was captured passing through the Taunton area operating as 6V76 10:35 Westbury - Goonbarrow Junction, but later recessed in Exeter Riverside where the train terminated.

Published on 2nd August 2025

Saphos Trains operated their 'English Riviera Express' charter on the 2nd August 2025 which operated as 1Z82 05:39 Wolverhampton - Kingswear.

No. 47712 'Lady Diana Spencer' (The Scotrail Class 47 currently carries the identities of two former classmates No.47709 'The Lord Provost' on one side and No.47711 'Greyfriars Bobby'.') hauled the charter south in top and tail formation with No. 57311 'The Institution of Mechanical Engineers'. Upon arrival at Taunton the lead locomotive was removed and replaced with Great Western steam locomotive No. 5029 'Nunney Castle' for the steam leg through to Paignton.

To view the gallery, please click here.