Somerset Holiday IV: WSR Train Ride...
Hi again all! After a couple of days of viewing (& hearing!) WSR trains we decided to take the train ride today. After checking the timetable we made the 5-minute walk to Blue Anchor Station where we bought our tickets before awaiting the first train to Bishops Lydeard (the 10:15am ex-Minehead). The train was soon in sight, hauled by the ex-GWR Large Prairie Tank No4160. Once aboard, the others found seats whilst I found a window to put my head out of (these enthusiasts will never learn!). Leaving Blue Anchor the trains climb Washford Bank, which certainly seemed to make 4160 work a little travelling bunker-first. Once over the bank trains reach Washford, a small village. There is then the very scenic section to Watchet where the line meets the sea once again. From the quaint village of Watchet, with its Marina, trains skirt the sea before passing Doniford Halt (a request stop which serves the local Haven Holiday Park). From here, it is a short run to Williton. On this occasion we were passed by the first Minehead bound service behind 38XX 2-8-0 No3850. Once past Williton the trains come inland again, heading for the very scenic little station at Stogumber. I would of liked to alight here to take in the atmosphere but we hadn't the time unfortunately! 4160 soon stormed out of Stogumber and up towards Crowcombe Heathfield, another passing station. (We didn't pass anything on this occasion).
From the very well-kept station at Crowcombe the train made its "leisurely" way to the end of the line at Bishops Lydeard, around 17 miles from Blue Anchor. It is worth remembering that you can also travel the other way from Blue Anchor, towards Minehead, via Dunster, which is a distance of around 3 miles. However, we wouldn't be doing this section today, we did it on Sunday! (see earlier post). At Bishops Lydeard, the Class 117 DMU was waiting for the token. Once this was received, the 4-car unit (which includes a Buffet facility), departed for Minehead. Meanwhile, 4160 was uncoupled and ran over into the Platform 1 road for watering. The shot above shows the Fireman atop 4160's tanks aiding the filling. In the small Bay Platform I noticed Small Prairie No5553 (owned by Pete Waterman), which I saw on Sunday at Minehead (see earlier post). After admiring 4160 for a little longer we made our way to the Bus Stop in the station car park where we would be catching the Bus Link to Taunton (around 3 miles away). The Bus (number 28 I think) duly arrived and we boarded.
After a walk around the bustling town of Taunton we caught the 3:05pm "number 28" bus back to Bishops Lydeard Station. We would be catching the final train of the day, the 4:15pm to Minehead, calling at Blue Anchor of course! This train was, as luck would have it, hauled by the same engine (but I'm not complaining!) ex-GWR 41XX No4160. We had a look in the well-stocked station shop before the others boarded the train whilst I went to have a look at the engine running round. 4160 was soon on the front of the train (as seen below) and the crew took a well earned break. However, during this break I was invited onto the footplate(!) for a look and a chat (see seperate post). At departure time I was aboard the train (at a window directly behind the engine!) and the Guard gave the "Right Away" to the driver. 4160 cautiously edged out of Bishops Lydeard before accelerating towards Crowcombe and beyond. Once back at Williton, the train was held so that 3850 could pass on the final steam service to Bishops Lydeard of the day.
Below, 3850 arrives at Williton with the 4:05pm ex-Minehead...
Williton Station seems to be the main engineering base of the railway as many boilers and locomotives were seen dotted around the site. In the works, the threateningly massive Bullied 4-6-2 West Country Pacific "Braunton" was just poking her head through the slightly open doors. (This engine does run on selected occasions). One WSR that has been in store for a while now is ex-GWR Small Prairie No4561, seen below, sporting a "rain cover" on the chimney. In front of her are the frames of one of the WSR Manors...
Just before the train departed, a fork-lift truck came out of nowhere carrying a large smokebox! This was positioned in front of one of the boilers before the fort-lift was shut down. Looks like it may well be fitted by now! The boiler, rather large in stature, had the number "6960" chalked on the side. After pondering for a while I remembered...this was the boiler of 6960 "Raveningham Hall", an ex-GWR Hawksworth Modified Hall which used to be based on the SVR. I didn't see the loco itself so I don't know whether the boiler was just there for contract work or whether the loco section is there as well and 6960 is now resident. (Please comment if you know any different!). The large boiler and smokebox can be seen below...
After a good run, 4160 soon arrived back at Blue Anchor. Here we alighted whilst the Prairie crossed over with the Class 117 DMU. The DMU was forming the days last train, the 4:55pm ex Minehead, to Bishops Lydeard. I said goodbye and thank you to the crew on the engine before 4160 stormed out of Blue Anchor and off towards her home at Minehead Sheds. I must say, I thought that, at 20 miles, the WSR run would be so long that it was boring but, I must admit, the scenary was fantastic...very very good! Well worth a trip! I would recommend it to anyone and, to top it off, the staff are very friendly and helpful. Tomorrow we're off to Minehead. Shall we be seeing more WSR trains?...I should think so! Thanks for reading. Good evening...
Hi again all! After a couple of days of viewing (& hearing!) WSR trains we decided to take the train ride today. After checking the timetable we made the 5-minute walk to Blue Anchor Station where we bought our tickets before awaiting the first train to Bishops Lydeard (the 10:15am ex-Minehead). The train was soon in sight, hauled by the ex-GWR Large Prairie Tank No4160. Once aboard, the others found seats whilst I found a window to put my head out of (these enthusiasts will never learn!). Leaving Blue Anchor the trains climb Washford Bank, which certainly seemed to make 4160 work a little travelling bunker-first. Once over the bank trains reach Washford, a small village. There is then the very scenic section to Watchet where the line meets the sea once again. From the quaint village of Watchet, with its Marina, trains skirt the sea before passing Doniford Halt (a request stop which serves the local Haven Holiday Park). From here, it is a short run to Williton. On this occasion we were passed by the first Minehead bound service behind 38XX 2-8-0 No3850. Once past Williton the trains come inland again, heading for the very scenic little station at Stogumber. I would of liked to alight here to take in the atmosphere but we hadn't the time unfortunately! 4160 soon stormed out of Stogumber and up towards Crowcombe Heathfield, another passing station. (We didn't pass anything on this occasion).
From the very well-kept station at Crowcombe the train made its "leisurely" way to the end of the line at Bishops Lydeard, around 17 miles from Blue Anchor. It is worth remembering that you can also travel the other way from Blue Anchor, towards Minehead, via Dunster, which is a distance of around 3 miles. However, we wouldn't be doing this section today, we did it on Sunday! (see earlier post). At Bishops Lydeard, the Class 117 DMU was waiting for the token. Once this was received, the 4-car unit (which includes a Buffet facility), departed for Minehead. Meanwhile, 4160 was uncoupled and ran over into the Platform 1 road for watering. The shot above shows the Fireman atop 4160's tanks aiding the filling. In the small Bay Platform I noticed Small Prairie No5553 (owned by Pete Waterman), which I saw on Sunday at Minehead (see earlier post). After admiring 4160 for a little longer we made our way to the Bus Stop in the station car park where we would be catching the Bus Link to Taunton (around 3 miles away). The Bus (number 28 I think) duly arrived and we boarded.
After a walk around the bustling town of Taunton we caught the 3:05pm "number 28" bus back to Bishops Lydeard Station. We would be catching the final train of the day, the 4:15pm to Minehead, calling at Blue Anchor of course! This train was, as luck would have it, hauled by the same engine (but I'm not complaining!) ex-GWR 41XX No4160. We had a look in the well-stocked station shop before the others boarded the train whilst I went to have a look at the engine running round. 4160 was soon on the front of the train (as seen below) and the crew took a well earned break. However, during this break I was invited onto the footplate(!) for a look and a chat (see seperate post). At departure time I was aboard the train (at a window directly behind the engine!) and the Guard gave the "Right Away" to the driver. 4160 cautiously edged out of Bishops Lydeard before accelerating towards Crowcombe and beyond. Once back at Williton, the train was held so that 3850 could pass on the final steam service to Bishops Lydeard of the day.
Below, 3850 arrives at Williton with the 4:05pm ex-Minehead...
Williton Station seems to be the main engineering base of the railway as many boilers and locomotives were seen dotted around the site. In the works, the threateningly massive Bullied 4-6-2 West Country Pacific "Braunton" was just poking her head through the slightly open doors. (This engine does run on selected occasions). One WSR that has been in store for a while now is ex-GWR Small Prairie No4561, seen below, sporting a "rain cover" on the chimney. In front of her are the frames of one of the WSR Manors...
Just before the train departed, a fork-lift truck came out of nowhere carrying a large smokebox! This was positioned in front of one of the boilers before the fort-lift was shut down. Looks like it may well be fitted by now! The boiler, rather large in stature, had the number "6960" chalked on the side. After pondering for a while I remembered...this was the boiler of 6960 "Raveningham Hall", an ex-GWR Hawksworth Modified Hall which used to be based on the SVR. I didn't see the loco itself so I don't know whether the boiler was just there for contract work or whether the loco section is there as well and 6960 is now resident. (Please comment if you know any different!). The large boiler and smokebox can be seen below...
After a good run, 4160 soon arrived back at Blue Anchor. Here we alighted whilst the Prairie crossed over with the Class 117 DMU. The DMU was forming the days last train, the 4:55pm ex Minehead, to Bishops Lydeard. I said goodbye and thank you to the crew on the engine before 4160 stormed out of Blue Anchor and off towards her home at Minehead Sheds. I must say, I thought that, at 20 miles, the WSR run would be so long that it was boring but, I must admit, the scenary was fantastic...very very good! Well worth a trip! I would recommend it to anyone and, to top it off, the staff are very friendly and helpful. Tomorrow we're off to Minehead. Shall we be seeing more WSR trains?...I should think so! Thanks for reading. Good evening... 
No comments:
Post a Comment