News Archive for November 2025

Published on 29th November 2025

The Railway 200 Exhibition Train completed its visit to the West Somerset Railway on the 29th November 2025.

Thousands of people visited the exhibition train over the course of the week-long visit, some travelling locally by car, others travelling in by the GWR passenger link from Taunton Station. The special train allowed visitors to discover the past, present, and future of the railways, telling the story of the last 200 years of innovation. Many hands-on activities were available, allowing the younger generation to enjoy and learn.

It's expected the train will be collected on Sunday, 7th December from Bishops Lydeard to depart for its next destination of London Paddington between the 8th to the 13th December.

Published on 26th November 2025

As part of the visiting Railway 200 Exhibition Train, GWR operated a shuttle service between Taunton and Bishops Lydeard.

GWR supplied a two-car Class 150/2 unit which travelled empty from Exeter St Davids. The free shuttle service operated between the 25th - 28th November, transporting passengers to visit the Railway 200 Exhibition Train visiting the West Somerset Railway. The first day of passenger shuttles was operated by No.150248.

Class 150 units were once a common sight at Taunton, operating on the regular Taunton - Bristol - Cardiff corridor, until their diagrams were taken by timetable changes, replacing the Class with five-car Hitachi IET units. The Class 150s can now be found operating in Devon and Cornwall.

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Published on 23rd November 2025

A vast improvement to Station Road, Taunton, has been the clearance of undergrowth, brambles, and buddleia, which had been allowed to grow over the parapet of Network Rail land and out of the walls of the former railway depot abutment wall.

Councilor Mike Rigby (Independent) has been instrumental in improving the appearance of the town and station area. It has taken Mike several years persistence to get Network Rail to cut back the undergrowth, making the area look much smarter and safer for pedestrians, not having to dodge the dangling brambles. On the opposite side of Station Road, new railings have been installed, replacing the original Victorian railings on the walking approach to Taunton Station (south side) from Station Road. The pathway has also been improved with new tarmac. The previous railings were life expired, and the pavement area was uneven. While the railings are not a direct replacement, they are in keeping with the previous heritage look and provide a much safer guarding to the edge of the ramped walkway. These improvements provide a much cleaner and better impression of the town to the previous run-down and unkept look allowed to deteriorate over the last 7 - 10 years.

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Published on 19th November 2025

The Railway 200 exhibition train 'Inspiration' arrives at the West Somerset Railway under the cover of darkness on the 19th November 2025.

The five-coach special liveried train operated overnight from Llandudno to Bristol East Depot, where the train recessed before travelling down to Taunton and Bishops Lydeard, arriving at 07:33. The train was hauled in top and tail formation with two specially liveried Class 66/7 locomotives No. 66719 'Michael Portillo' and No. 66710 'Karen Harrison'. Upon delivering the train to Bishops Lydeard, the two locomotives departed immediately back to Doncaster Roberts Road.

The exhibition train will be available to visit between the 24th November and 29th November 2025. Tickets to visit the Railway 200 Exhibition Train can be booked online for free via the West Somerset Railway website.

Published on 18th November 2025

After the abandoned rail drop in Cornwall on the 1st/ 2nd November, the rail delivery train was taken back to Cornwall on the 17th/ 18th November 2025.

Having completed the rail drop on the St Ives branch overnight, powerhaul liveried Class 66/4 No.66416 and Freightliner liveried Class 66/5 No.66509 returned north on the 19th November 2025, operated 6Y97 06:31 St Erth - Westbury. The train was held at Taunton between 11:39 (where it was running 45 minutes early) and 12:56, departing on time to Westbury.

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Published on 10th November 2025

GBRf Class 57/3 locomotives No. 57306 'Branchline Society' and No. 57310 'UK Railtours' with FEA 64231 and FEA 64235 pass Cogload Junction with the returning 3S13 08:46 Westbury to Fairwater Yard via Salisbury RHTT on Monday 10th November 2025.

GBRf Class 57/3 No. 57310 'UK Railtours' is pictured between operating the Network Rail Rail Head Treatment Train stabled at Fairwater Yard, where the RHTT wagons are refilled with water ready for the next evening departure. The loco is currently located on the north end of the set on the 12th November 2025. (Photo taken by trained and qualified personnel)

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Published on 10th November 2025

On Monday, 10th November 2025, DC Rail Freight returned three locomotives from starring at the South Devon Railway Diesel Gala event over the previous weekend.

No.56103 (DR Rail), No.47715 (Rail Engineering Solutions), and No.56045 (DC Rail) all headed south to the gala event under the cover of darkness on Friday, 7th November, to arrive in time for the start of the Diesel Gala the next morning, they joined home fleet locomotives for the two day event with the Class 56 locomotives taking it in turns one operating on each day. The three locos then returned back to Willesden DC Rail sidings on Monday 11th November

No.56045 has recently been repainted by DC Rail into its original BR Blue livery. The loco was built in 1978 by Doncaster Works and remained in traffic until 1999. After a period in store, the loco had a reprieve in 2005 when it was purchased by Fastline Freight and renumbered to No.56301. The loco was stored again five years later, after Fastline Freight ceased trading. It was then purchased by the Class 56 Group, and had a period operating with UK Rail Leasing spot hire work. DC Rail purchased the locomotive in March 2025 and returned it to its current colours and original British Rail number.

The Class 47/7 No.47715 was built in 1964 at Brush Loughborough and saw mainline service until 1997. Its use in Scotland on the regular Edinburgh - Glasgow Queen Street corridor was most notable. It was later purchased by Fragonset and used as a spot hire and charter locomotive until the company ceased trading. The Class 47 then entered preservation at the Wensleydale Railway for ten years. Later, after being purchased by Railway Engineering Solutions, it moved to the Chinnor and Risborough Railway. The company has plans to restore it to mainline standards for use as a testbed for modern rail technology, such as ETCS and TPWS.

The final DC Rail Class 56 No.56103 was built in December 1981 (approaching its 44th birthday). It was last overhauled in 2024 and remains a regular performer for DC Rail Freight.

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Published on 6th November 2025

GBRf has recently swapped its Class 57/3 locomotives being used on the RHTT circuit from Fairwater Yard.

No. 57306 'Branchline Society' arrived light engine from Leicester on the 30th October, joining No.57305, No.57305, and No. 57310 'UK Railtours'. No.57305 departed Taunton on the 4th November light engine to return to Leicester with a DSD fault to be fixed. No.57303 departed on the 6th November heading to Doncaster Roberts Road.

With No. 57306 'Branchline Society' having arrived light engine from Leicester on the 30th October, No. 57306 'Branchline Society' was out operating the RHTT on the 3rd November 2025. In full GBRf fleet colours, No. 57306 'Branchline Society' and No. 57310 'UK Railtours' pass Wick on the Somerset Levels operating 3S13 08:46 Westbury - Fairwater Yard via Salisbury.

Newly arrived onto the GBRf RHTT circuit, No. 57306 'Branchline Society' leads No. 57310 'UK Railtours' south through Creech St Michael on the 6th November 2025. The pair of Class 57/3 locomotives were operating with the Network Rail RHTT set operating as 3S13 08:46 Westbury - Fairwater Yard via Salisbury.

To view the gallery, please click here.