The Silk Mills Gallery

Images taken at Silk Mills

13th September 2025 Owing to the non-availibilty of any servicable steam locomotives, West Coast Railways were forced again to provide heritage diesel traction for an advertised steam charter by The Railway Touring Company. No.47802 and No.47812 top and tail 'The West Somerset Steam Express' charter through Silk Mills before crossing over to the West Somerset Railway. The 1Z25 07:13 London Paddington - Minehead charter was re-timed to remove water stops meaning the train was much earlier than originally planned through the Taunton area. (Photo: Brian Garrett)

6th September 2025 Great Western Railway 'Castles' have a brief encouter passing Fairater Yard on Saturday 6th Septmeber 2025. Vintage Trains operated 'The Mayflower' charter with Tyseley based GWR Castle No. 7029 'Clun Castle' double heading with LMS Jubilee No. 45596 'Bahamas' as 1Z43 06:04 Birmingham New Street - Plymouth. The pair hauled the train between Bristol and Plymouth. After a pause in Platfrom 3 at Taunton the charter departed just after the arrival of Saphos Trains 'English Riviera Express' arrived into Platfrom 2. However it wasn't quite timed to allow No. 5029 'Nunney Castle' to be moved onto the front of its charter before The Mayflower left. The best that could be achieved as his image is two GWR Castles' passing at Fairwater Yard. In another brief encouter No. 5029 'Nunney Castle' hauling The English Riviera Express overtook The Mayflower at Tiverton Loop. (Photo: Brian Garrett)

6th September 2025 Great Western Railway 'Castles' have a brief encouter passing Fairater Yard on Saturday 6th Septmeber 2025. Vintage Trains operated 'The Mayflower' charter with Tyseley based GWR Castle No. 7029 'Clun Castle' double heading with LMS Jubilee No. 45596 'Bahamas' as 1Z43 06:04 Birmingham New Street - Plymouth. The pair hauled the train between Bristol and Plymouth. After a pause in Platfrom 3 at Taunton the charter departed just after the arrival of Saphos Trains 'English Riviera Express' arrived into Platfrom 2. However it wasn't quite timed to allow No. 5029 'Nunney Castle' to be moved onto the front of its charter before The Mayflower left. The best that could be achieved as his image is two GWR Castles' passing at Fairwater Yard. In another brief encouter No. 5029 'Nunney Castle' hauling The English Riviera Express overtook The Mayflower at Tiverton Loop. (Photo: Brian Garrett)

6th September 2025 Nunney Castle powers away from Taunton on Saturday 6th September 2024 (sadly being assisted from the rear of the train), becoming the second GWR Castle to pass over the same section of track in under 40 minutes. No. 5029 'Nunney Castle' was hauling the steam leg of Saphos Trains 'English Riviera Express' charter 1Z49 05:44 High Wycombe - Kingswear. The diesel leg having been coved by No. 47712 'Lady Diana Spencer' and No. 57311 'The Institution of Mechanical Engineers' in 'top and tail' formation. The Class 57/3 remained with the train providing assitance from the rear. The English Riveira Express later overtook Vintage Trains 'The Mayflower' charter at Tiverton Loop, and later it was possible to see the sight of two Castle locomotives on the Dawlish Sea Wall at the same time following one another. This image taken on a camera pole at an elevation of 5m. (Photo: Brian Garrett)

6th September 2025 GWR Hitatchi IET No.800016 passes the western end of Fairwater Yard at Silk Mills on the 6th September 2025. No.800016 had just departed Taunton while operating 2C69 09:00 Cardiff Central - Exter St Davids. Image taken on a camera pole at 5m. (Photo: Brian Garrett)

6th September 2025 Double headed Class 37s potter through Silk Mills on the reielf lines light engine on the 6th September 2025. No. 37418 'An Comunn Gaidhealach' and No.37240 had hauled Vinatage Trains 'The Mayflower' charter from Birmingham New Street to Bristol Temple Meads before handing over to Great Western and LMS steam locomotives. No. 37418 'An Comunn Gaidhealach' and No.37240 then shaddowed the tour south operating as 0Z45 09:37 Bristol Temple Meads - Plymouth light engine. The colourful pair are picutred passing the west end of Fairwater Yard, from a camera pole at 3m elevation. (Photo: Brian Garrett)

6th September 2025 Cross Country 'Pride' Voyager No.220005 leads classmate No.220027 south at Silk Mills on the 6th September 2024 while operating 1V44 06:11 Leeds - Plymouth service. (Photo: Brian Garrett)

7th August 2025 In a rare paired combination giving a nod back to their original Class 155 status as originally built, Network Rail Class 153 Track Condition Monitoring Units (TCMU2 No.153384) and (TCMU1 No.153379) pass Silk Mills on Thursday 7th August 2025 operating 2Q54 12:49 Bristol Kingsland Road - Par Liner Sidings. (Photo: Phil Izzard)

2nd August 2025 GBRf operated the Weed Control Train south on the 2nd August 2025. No. 66742 'ABP Port of Immingham Centenary 1912-2012' and No. 66738 'HUDDERSFIELD TOWN' operated 3Q98 16:01 Kings Norton - Exeter Riverside . The pair are pictured passing Silk Mills running 73 minutes early. Also of note is the final Network Rail ZZA Drift Plough ADB965235 still awaiting collection in the background on Road 7. (Photo: Phil Izzard)

27th June 2025 Making an early morning appearance at Taunton passing Silk Mills the Network Rail New Measurement Train operated on Friday 27th June 2025. No. 43013 'Mark Carne CBE' is pictured with No. 43062 'John Armitt' passing the two Network Rail snow ploughs while operating 1Q18 05:43 Reading Triangle Sidings - Paignton via Penzance. (Photo: Phil Izzard)

8th June 2025 GWR nine-car Hitachi IET No.802114 passes alongside Fairwater Yard at Silk Mills on the 8th June 2025. The set was operating the late running 1C81 12:03 London Paddington - Penzance. (Photo: Brian Garrett)

8th June 2025 GWR five-car Class 800 Intercity Express Train No. 800021 'Gill Clay' passes Fairwater Yard at Silk Mills on Sunday 8th June 2025 under darkening skies. The set was operating 2C75 12:00 Cardiff Central - Exeter St Davids. (Photo: Brian Garrett)

8th June 2025 A Network Rail Track Inspection Train passed through Taunton on Sunday 8th June 2025. No.153311 made its first ever visit to Somerset by operating 2Q10 10:00 Derby RTC - Yeovil Junction (via Exeter St Davids). The unit (originally built as a Class 155) has spent the majority of its life transporting passengers for Anglia and East Midlands Trains. Network Rail acquired the vehicle after it came off lease along with four others of the same class to replace its aging Class 150 test unit. No.153311 is pictured passing Silk Mills shortly after passing Taunton Station. (Photo: Brian Garrett)

7th June 2025 Passing the GBRF Empty Stock Movement for the mock Britannic Explorer test run on the 7th June 2025. GWR Class 166 No.166211 makes a rare appearance in daylight while operating a stock transfer move. No.166211 operated 5Z74 Exeter TMD - Bristol Temple Meads for tyre turning at the GWR Bristol Depot. (Photo: Adam Hiscock)

25th May 2025 The Railway Touring Company returned No. 60163 'Tornado' to the south west for the first time in four years on the 25th May 2025. No. 60163 'Tornado' is pictured accelerating away from its stop at Taunton operating 'The Royal Duchy' charter 1Z33 08:48 Bristol Temple Meads - Par. The charter was allowed to operate with steam powering the train and a Class 47 No.47802 at the rear of the train. (Photo: Brian Garrett)

18th April 2025 GWR Hitachi bi-mode Intercity Express train No.800016 passes Silk Mills on the Good Friday 18th April 2025. The five-car unit was operating the 2C69 09:00 Cardiff Central - Penzance stopping service. (Photo: Brian Garrett)

18th April 2025 British Rail Green Class 37 locomotives No. 37667 'Flopsie' and No.37521 storm out of the gloom at Silk Mills on Good Friday 18th April 2025 hauling 'The Chairmans Train'. Having been hauled from Kingswear to Taunton by GWR steam locomotive No. 5029 'Nunney Castle', the train reversed at Taunton with Class 37 locomotives provided to take the train south into Cornwall for the rest of the weekend. No. 37667 'Flopsie' and No.37521 (which had swapped formation since arrival earlier in the week), operated 1Z30 11:00 Taunton - St Germans where the on board guests would alight for an afternoon break before re-joining the train at Lostwithiel later in the afternoon. (Photo: Brian Garrett)

12th April 2025 The Midland Pullman HST set passes Silks Mills on the 12th April 2025 operating 'The Torbay Riviera Pullman' charter. No. 43049 'Neville Hill' leads No. 43058 'Loch Eil' while operating 1Z31 06:22 Chester- Paignton passing the double snow ploughs and caravan encampment at the south end of Fairwater Yard. (Photo: Adam Hiscock)

12th April 2025 Cross Country 'Pride' Voyager No.220005 makes regular appearances at Taunton throughout each week. No.220005 is pictured on the 12th April 2025 operating 1V47 08:03 Manchester Piccadilly - Paignton. The pride colours having been incorporated into the Cross Country 'X' on the side of the unit. (Photo: Adam Hiscock)

7th March 2025 The full yellow corporate Network Rail New Measurement Train (NMT) visited the south west on Friday 7th March 2025 as part of it's booked testing diagrams. No. 43013 'Mark Carne CBE' and No. 43062 'John Armitt' are pictured passing two of the four drift ploughs based at the Silk Mills end of Fairwater Yard, while operating 1Q18 05:43 Reading Triangle Sidings - Paignton via Penzance. (Photo: Phil Izzard)

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