DECEMBER 2010 NEWS :
Calling all Photographers!! The next GWRSA Meeting will be on the 10th January 2011, in the 'snug bar' at the Taunton Railway Club adjacent to Killkenny Car Park (Taunton Station). The WSRA Taunton Group will hold their annual photo competition. The competition is open to anyone who wishes to enter. Entries may be made (on the night) in multiple formats (35mm Slide, Digital Print or a Digital file on CD/DVD). Categories for the evening will be 'Heritage Steam', 'Modern Image' and 'Non Railway Subjects'. Entries will cost 10p each with a small prize for the winning entries. For the first time this year entries can be made in digital format and will be accepted on a CD/DVD (Please ensure that this is virus free!) and projected for all in attendance to see and vote on. So for all you keen photographers out there (and especially those who submit to this website), let's see your best work of 2010 you may even win a prize.
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Taken during the West Somerset Railways Winter Steam Gala, visiting Pannier Tank No.5764 from the Severn Valley Railway looked at home in the Somerset Countryside. On the 30th December 2010, No.5764 waits depart Crowcombe with the 10:00 from Minehead to Bishops Lydeard, driver Alan Dorrington looks on as WSR Mogal No.9351 arrives from the opposite direction working up the grade from Bishops Lydeard. (Photo: Cameron Walker) |
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A warming Christmas scene is captured at Bishops Lydeard on the evening of the 22nd December three days before Christmas Day. SDJR 7F No.88 can be seen in light steam stabled with resident Class 08 D3462. We would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our readers a Happy New Year and we hope you've enjoyed the local railway scenes captured in 2010! (Photo: Cameron Walker) |
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Seen on the 22nd December, Class 66 No.66018 heads the final stone train from Minehead to Taunton. Having unloaded the final batch of stone at Minehead the 6Z25 empties returned to Whatley Quarry. This unique operation has proved once again what a valuable asset the West Somerset Railway has to deliver such payloads to their destination without using the existing busy roads in the area. (Photo: Cameron Walker) |
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Christmas and Snow rarely coincide but 2010, was the year of exception. On the 22nd December Steam Locomotive 9351 powers away from Bishops Lydeard with one of the Santa Special trains heading for Crowcombe Heathfield. The Winter scene looks even better when presented in Black and White. (Photo: Cameron Walker) |
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142621 passes slowly through Creech St Michael with the 2C71 Cardiff - Taunton stopping diagram. The snow returned in urnest adding to the already heavy covering which had fallen overnight in the Taunton area. (Photo: Brian Garrett) |
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With loose powdered snow on the ground, fast moving trains provide a spectacular demonstration of their surrounding air flow and turbulence as they pass through at speed. 221137 was one of the lucky Cross Country services which seemed unaffected by the overnight snow fall. Shortly after this image was taken the next batch of snow for the area arrived (Photo: Brian Garrett) |
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As Christmas draws closer the chances of a white Christmas as also growing with every day. The 17th and 18th saw Taunton receive two batches of overnight snow, while the first on the 17th wasn't to bad, the 18th produced up to 4 inches on the ground. Trains throughout the South West were affected, with points failures at Cogload Jn and Taunton Station area. 43037 is seen leading an ECS through a festive Creech St Michael at 11:30 having been sat in Taunton Station since 07:10 unable to release it's brakes. (Photo: Brian Garrett) |
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Colas Rail returned their Mini HOBC set from the Plasser Works at West Ealing to Tavistock Junction on December 16th. In dimpsy lighting conditions, 47749 passes Taunton while working the 6Z76 to Tavistock Jn Yard. (Photo: Phil Izzard) |
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31454 worked South light engine from Washwood Heath to Meldon Quarry on the 10th December to assist 31190 at the Dartmoor Railway. The Pair will be working a series of Mince Pie and Santa Specials over the coming weeks. It's unsure this the locomotives will remain on the line, or return to Washwood Heath in the New Year. The popular Intercity liveried 31454 passes 40 Steps heading South to Meldon. (Photo: Steve Yarde) |
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Regular readers of Taunton Trains will recal that back at the begining of November we launched our Class 60 archive pages on the website. Since then we've been able to add many more of the missing examples of the Class working in the Taunton area. This all adds to our aim to record one image for each Class member working through Taunton. Why not have a look at the Class 60 pictorial page and see if you can help us complete the task. Email Taunton Trains if you have any images to add! |
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On the 9th day of Christmas DB Schenker gave to us, a big red GM product! 59206 has been the first German DB branded locomotive to visit the West Somerset Railway. On the 9th December 59206 'John F Yeoman - Rail Pinoneer' approaches Blue Anchor in wonderful Winter sunlight with the return 6Z25 empties from Minehead to Taunton, before working back to Westbury and on to the Mendip Quarries. (Photo: Rob Sherwood) |
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Colas Rail's 47749 'Damelza' visited old haunts in Devon during the 7th and 8th December. The locomotive worked South light engine from Washwood Heath to Tavistock Jn on the 7th, before returning North on the 8th as the 6Z76 from Tavistock Jn to West Ealing Plassuer works. The colourful convoy is seen passing 40 Steps as the consist heads for London. (Photo: Jeff Treece) |
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Colas Rail's 47749 'Damelza' visited old haunts in Devon during the 7th and 8th December. The locomotive worked South light engine from Washwood Heath to Tavistock Jn on the 7th, before returning North on the 8th as the 6Z76 from Tavistock Jn to West Ealing Plassuer works. The popular Class 47 locomotive is seen at Bradford on Tone, where the Autumnal colours are still very much in evidence, despite the recent harsh weather. (Photo: Alexander Martin Brown) |
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Sunday 5th December saw a rare DB Schenker freight move, which normally passes Taunton under the cover of darkness, during the early hours of Saturday morning. 66011 was called upon to work the re timed 6M60 from Exeter Riverside to Didcot (A revised destination as this service normally operates to Bescot via Newport). DB Schenker 66011 is pictured at Taunton passing railfreight competitor Freightliner Heavy Haul, taking the relief line at 40 Steps. (Photo: Jeff Treece) |
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We recommence Taunton Trains with another shot featuring the varied class's of General Motors locomotives which have been appearing on the Minehead Stone services. The 3rd December saw Aggregate Industries liveried 59005 'Kenneth J Painter' arriving into Minehead as the sun rises in the East. All Class 59 variants /0, /1, and /2 have now appeared on the West Somerset Stone services. (Photo: Alexander Martin-Brown) |
| 2010 NEWS | |||||
Want to look at what happened in NEWS 2009? Have a look in our Archive Page