Join us at our headline event this year, our not-to-be missed Spring Steam Spectacular, which this year runs between Friday 2nd May and Bank Holiday Monday 5th May. You can expect to experience a feast of steam action, with locomotives and attractions to suit enthusiasts and families alike. This year, the event is particularly special, with it being a major part of the Railway 200 celebrations, a nationwide event celebrating the 200th anniversary of the modern railway. We will be hosting a wide range of different locomotives of different ages and from different railway companies to celebrate this big anniversary. Multiple visiting locomotives will join our own home fleet, all working hard hauling a variety of services through the Quantock Hills and along the Bristol Channel.
Our Railway really comes to life during our Gala events, with a busy timetable in operation from early morning to late evening. This will allow you to get off at as many stations as you wish, and to travel behind all of our operating locomotives. A variety of special trains will be in operation, including local passenger, parcels, demonstration goods and even some exciting non-stop express journeys. You'll also be able to travel down our rarely opened section of line between Bishops Lydeard and Norton Fitzwarren. The turning triangle at Norton Fitzwarren and turntable at Minehead will both be in use, ensuring as many trains as possible will be facing smokebox first. Don't forget your camera! Various heritage displays, model railways and museums will also be open along the line.
Our first confirmed visiting locomotive for the event in 2025 is LMS 'Jubilee' Class 4-6-0 no.45596 'Bahamas'. The engine will join us courtesy of the Bahamas Locomotive Society, and we are grateful for the opportunity to host this prestigious mainline locomotive at one of our events. Built in 1935 by North British of Glasgow, the engine soon entered service with the London Midland and Scottish Railway, entering traffic based at Crewe North shed. In 1961, 'Bahamas' became unique among her classmates when she was fitted with a double chimney in an experiment to improve the performance of the class. The engine was fortunate enough to have never ended up in a scrap yard, being bought directly from British Railways in 1967 by the Bahamas Locomotive Society. She has remained in their care ever since then, re-entering service following her latest overhaul in late 2018. Since then, the engine has become a top performer of the mainline scene, and we have had the engine visit the WSR on in-coming mainline charter services several times in the last few years. This Gala appearance will be the first opportunity to travel behind 'Bahamas' over the full length of the WSR and will be the first time a 'Jubilee' has appeared at a WSR Gala. The engine is usually based at the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway in Yorkshire, and does not often appear at heritage railway gala events. We are very grateful to the Bahamas Locomotive Society and Keighley and Worth Valley Railway for the appearance.
Further visiting locomotives are in discussion and will be announced soon. These guest engines will be joined by our faithful home fleet plus some longer term hired locos for 2025.
Other locomotives will be added to the lineup once agreed.
All locomotives and attractions are subject to availability and may be changed at short notice.
West Somerset Railway
West Somerset Railway,
The Railway Station,
Minehead Somerset,
TA24 5BG