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BR Class 50 No.50012 'Rodney' made the next leg of it's journey to Eastleigh on the 30th June, when it was towed from Taunton, where it had been stabled with Class 56 No.56303. The pair of locos first moved down to Fairwater Yard at 07:11 before DCR's Class 56 ran round the locomotive and then departed to Eastleigh. Once at Eastleigh the DCR uncoupled 50012 and collected The Fifty Fun's Class 50 No.50031 'Hood' which was then towed to Derby, where it will also be undergoing repairs. (Photo: Nathan Williamson) |
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Another West country legend Class 37 No.37207 'William Cookworthy' also left the South West on the 29th June. Allelys Heavy Haulage provided the transport for the journey from the Plym Valley Railway to Barrow Hill. The unique combination is seen making the climb from Jn27 Tiverton on the M5 heading north at 21:30. (Photo: Mike Rowland) |
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The former preserved Class 37 is expected to undergo a full overhaul at Barrow Hill before being made ready to return to the mainline with a new operator. The Class 37 is seen at Tiverton Parkway, the unique road/rail combination spent the night in Sedgemoor Services before continuing to Barrow Hill on the 30th. Maybe one day we will be able to feature No.37207 climbing Whiteball Bank without the assistance of a Allelys Heavy Haulage Truck! (Photo: Mike Rowland) |
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First Great Western's only 'genuine' three car Class 158 No.158798 currently carries the colourful 'springboard' livery. Springboard is a charity providing one-to-one support to improve reading and writing for children who are in danger of being left behind in the education system. The colourful Class 158 is seen at Taunton on the 30th June ready to depart with a stopping service to Cardiff. (Photo: Paul Clarke) |
| BR Class 50 No.50012 'Rodney' made the next leg of it's journey to Eastleigh on the 30th June, when it was towed from Taunton, where it had been stabled with Class 56 No.56303. The pair of locos first moved down to Fairwater Yard at 07:11 before DCR's Class 56 ran round the locomotive and then departed to Eastleigh. Once at Eastleigh the DCR uncoupled 50012 and collected The Fifty Fun's Class 50 No.50031 'Hood' which was then towed to Derby, where it will also be undergoing repairs.(Video: Nathan Williamson) |
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Another historic relic of the past visited Taunton on the 29th June. BR Class 50 No.50021 'Rodney' has been languishing at Tyseley (and many other railway yard locations) since the it was withdrawn in April 1990. The locomotive now has a new owner and is currently in transit to Eastleigh works, where it's hoped the locomotive will be returned to operational condition. It seems as the 2017 anniversary of the class nears ever closer every effort is being made to get as many of the former Class members operational once more. (Photo: Paul Finnimore *With Permission*) |
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It's been 25 years since BR Blue Class 50 No.50021 'Rodney' last traveled the metals of the South West, the locomotive was towed from Derby to Taunton on the evening of the 28th June by DCR's Class 56 No.56303. The two locos recessed in the sidings behind Platform 1, prior to leaving for Eastleigh on the 30th. Once at Eastleigh the loco will be delivered to the locomotive shops for assessment. The pair are pictured at Taunton on the 28th June. (Photo: Paul Finnimore *With Permission*) |
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The recent line side clearance of Cogload Junction has provided some great images of late. This shot of Colas Rail Freight Class 60 No.60076 (formerly named 'Sulivan') climbs over the Cogload Junction flyover on the 17th June 2015 hauling the 6V74 log empties to Exeter Riverside Yard for loading. (Photo: Stephen Ginn) |
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Freights operating on Sunday evenings are few and far between in the Taunton area, but on the 14th June this colourful combination passed through the area. DB Schenker liveried Class 66/0 No.66118 hauled a rake of mixed open box MEA wagons to Burngullow in preparation for a new sand flow which starts on Monday 15th. No.66118 is pictured at Cogload Junction hauling the 6V11 19:25 Westbury - Burngullow. (Photo: Adam Snow) |
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The 6V11 was also captured at Norton Fitzwarren as the train passed a northbound First Great Western HST. This image captured the train at a distance to avoid the HST from entering the frame. The loaded train is due to re pass Taunton at 06:27 on Tuesday morning heading back to Westbury. (Photo: Sclub) |
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Sunday 14th June started the summer season of steam operations on the Torbay Express. BR 7P No.70000 'Britannia' worked the first train of the year to Kingswear. The loco is seen returning through Cogload Junction with the 1Z28 to Bristol Temple Meads following a servcing stop at Taunton. (Photo: Adam Snow) |
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Heritage Diesel replaced steam traction on 'The Cathedrals Express' charter to Minehead on the 11th June. The charter was originally booked to travel to Kingswear with LNER A4 'Sir Nigel Gresley', but was later revised to LNER B1 No.61306. The tour was then revised to visit Minehead rather than Kingswear, and the traction revised in favour of a Class 47. West Coast Railways provided Class 47/7 No.47760 for the trip from West Brompton (London) to Minehead which the locomotive operated throughout. The 1Z61 charter is seen arriving into Taunton before venturing to the Somerset coastline at Minehead. (Photo: Paul Clarke) |
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On of the Network Rail MPV's connected with the Great Western Mainline electrification program visited Taunton on a driver training run on Thursday 11th June. MPV's are registered via their International numbers No's, 99-70-9131-022-4 & 99-70-9131 022-2 and are pictured at Taunton having arrived from Swindon 12:20. The pair changed direction in Platform 3 at Taunton before returning to Taunton. (Photo: Paul Clarke) |
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Monday the 9th June was originally going to be the day locomotives returned to their homes around the UK from the West Somerset Railway, after their weekend powering through the Somerset countryside. However due to the failure of Class 66/7 No.66763 the movement was postponed until Tuesday 9th June. Class 66/7 No.66763 is pictured at Cogload shortly after 10am returning Class 59 No.59003 to Eastleigh, before returning the other two heritage locomotives to their respective bases. Well done to all the volunteers who took part in last weekends event! (Photo: Cameron Walker) |
2015 WSR Diesel Haulage
After a feast of Diesel Haulage between the 5th and 7th June on the West Somerset Railway there is still the chance to catch a ride behind classic British Railways traction before the end of the year. The 2015 season still features some Diesel operation over the length of the West Somerset Railway. The DEPG hom fleet (based at Williton) are booked to operate various services throughout the summer. A one Day Rover ticket on the West Somerset Railway for the 2015 season costs £18.50 but if you book in advance you can get this ticket for £16.65. The 2015 Diesel Diagram has been altered which means you must now check the 'Yellow' or 'Green' timetable for your day of travel,
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Direct Rail Services operated a route refresher from Crewe Gresty Bridge to Plymouth on Monday 8th June, initial hopes that a new Class 68 may make a visit into the South West were dashed when Class 57/3 No.57311 produced for the diagram. The locomotive is pictured passing Taunton while operating the 0Z45 09:35 Crewe - Plymouth light engine move. (Photo: Paul Clarke) |
West Somerset Railway - Mixed Traffic Weekend - June 5th - 7th 2015 |
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As the last crankshaft makes its final rotation and the final exhaust note falls silent, the curtain falls on the challenging eventful and colourful 2015 Mixed Traffic Weekend. The three day gala event saw the DEPG home fleet locos joined by visitors Class 45 No.45060 'Sherwood Forester', Class 56 No.56006, and GBRf repatriated Class 59 No.59003 'Yeoman Highlander'. Each day had its own particular challenges, after the failure of 56006 on Saturday with fuel starvation, caused by clogged fuel filters, and then the failure of 45060 on the Sunday, it was left to the WSR home fleet locos and GBRf Class 59 to fill in the gaps. The event seemed well supported helped by three days of good weather, the best day for warmth and good light being the Sunday, which no doubt bought people out to the line. We would like to extend our thanks to all the crews and volunteers involved on the front line of the 2015 event. While it wasn't possible for all the locomotives to complete their full weekend of diagrams it did provide additional surprise variations in the timetable and extra 'double heading' which wouldn't of occurred had original timetable been operated. Credit should also go to the crew on 56006 on Saturday for having four attempts to get the locomotive moving prior to calling 'The Peak Army' for a tow. The Class 56 had it's filters cleaned and was operational by Sunday morning, but a desicison was taken to cancel the operation of the Class 56. After the Class 45 failed on Sunday with a compressor fault the locomotive was hauled to Bishops Lydeard where its fault was fixed within ten minutes, but again another desicison was made to cancel the locomotive diagrams for the rest of Sunday. Both locomotive groups have issued appologies for their ability to operate their locomotives. The DEPG's own locomotives covered he remaining diagrams over the weekend providing further locomotive haulage for enthusiasts to enjoy. |
| As the West Somerset Railway returns to its normal day to day operations, and the sound of steam trains returns, we would like to think that the WSR could seek feedback from enthusiasts to further help build on the sucess of this years event and future events on the line, Lots of time and effort has been taken by many volenteers to bring the locomotives and the event to the masses and thier efforts should not go unnoticed. To record the extensive weekend of colourful diesel action we've provided a separate gallery via our 83B Weebly Website. and the below videofrom Keith Miller. |
| Why not site back, relax and catch up with some of the scenes captured throughout the West Somerset Railway over the weekend with the supurb video filmed by Keith Miller. We would like to thank Kieth for allowing us to feature his montage of clips filmed over the duration of the weekend. More videos can also be found on Kieths own Youtube Channel. |
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In preparation for this weekend's West Somerset Railway 'Mixed Traffic Event' GBRf moved locomotives from Eastleigh and Didcot to the West Somerset Railway. Initially Class 59 No.59003 was booked to haul the convoy, but this ended up falling to Class 66/7 No.66763. The GBRF locomotives are pictured at Banklands on the approaches to Taunton with No.56006 and No.45060 "Sherwood Forester' in tow. (Photo: Adam Snow) |
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The other odd working of the day also occurred on the West Somerset Railway when Freightliner Heavy Haul provided celebrity Class 66/5 No.66522 to haul a restored Class 201 'Thumper' Unit from Williton to Okehampton. The unit has been restored under contract at Williton and was being moved back to the Dartmoor Railway. It was perhaps a tad ironic that a diesel thumper unit should be leaving the West Somerset Railway the weekend before a Mixed Traffic Gala. Class 66 No.66522 (carrying its shabby Shanks livery) is seen passing Castle Hill with No.1118 in tow. (Photo: Adam Snow) |
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Once in Fairwater Yard the Class 66 ran around it's unique load before then heading south to Exeter Riverside where another reversal would take place to access the Okehampton Branch. (Photo: Jason Prole) *taken by trained and qualified staff. |
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