Join us for our annual celebration of all things diesels between Thursday 5th to Saturday 7th of June, plus a Mixed Traction Day on Sunday 8th June..
The weekend will feature a wide selection of locomotives including visiting and home fleet locomotives which are looked after by the Diesel and Electric Preservation Group at Williton.
An intensive timetable will be operating on all four days allowing you to hop from train to train to travel behind all your favourite locomotives and enjoy a truly thrashtastic day behind some of the best heritage diesel traction available! Some trains will continue past Bishops Lydeard and run to the very end of our line at Norton Fitzwarren, utilising a stretch of the line that is very rarely used for passenger trains!
On Sunday 8th of June, we will be holding a Mixed Traction Day. This will be an extended day to our Summer Diesel Festival, with a mix of steam and diesel locomotives hauling passenger trains.We will be offering Kids for a quid on this day, for pre booked passengers only. This discount will be applied to the child one day rover for the Sunday only.
The Williton Depot Centre of the DEPG will be open during the event. Admission is by donation, which helps the Group to maintain and restore the fleet of vintage machines.
Confirmed locomotives for the Summer Diesel Festival:
- Class 03 No. D2133
- Class 14 'Teddy Bear' No. D9526
- Class 33 'Crompton' Nos. D6566 & D6575
- Class 35 'Hymek' Nos. D7017 & D7018
- Class 52 ‘Western’ No. D1015 ‘Western Champion’
- Class 45 ‘Peak’ No. 45108
Further locomotives will be announced shortly.
All locomotives and attractions are subject to availability and may be changed at short notice.
Tickets are available to pre-book now at a discounted advance rate.
DATES & TIMES
Dates & Times |
|---|
Prices | |
|---|---|
| Summer Diesel Festival Adult 1 Day Rover | £40.00 |
| Summer Diesel Festival Child 1 Day Rover | £20.00 |
Class 52 ‘Western’ No. D1015 ‘Western Champion’
Class 52 ‘Western’ No. D1015 ‘Western Champion’, will be making a welcome return to the WSR, courtesy of our friends at the Diesel Traction Group.
D1015 is one of seven preserved Westerns from the original 74 built by BR at Swindon and Crewe. ‘Western Champion’ was built at Swindon Works and completed in January 1963.
Interesting fact: On 30th January 1965, ‘Western Champion’ was rostered for the return working of Sir Winston Churchill’s funeral train, returning mourners from Handborough station near Oxford to Paddington.
D1015 was withdrawn from traffic on December 13, 1976 due to derailment damage sustained at Castle Cary five days earlier, having amassed 1,296,000 miles in service. The loco was subsequently purchased for preservation by the Diesel Traction Group in derelict condition from Swindon Works in January 1980.
The overhaul to main line standard was completed in 2000. ‘Western Champion’ gained mainline certification in 2002 and is currently the only ‘Western’ certified for main-line operation. Since returning to the mainline Western Champion has travelled all over the UK rail network, hauling rail tours as far as Penzance in the South and Kyle of Lochalsh in the North.
Class 45 ‘Peak’ No. 45108
Class 45 ‘Peak’ No. 45108 courtesy of the Peak Locomotive Company Limited and East Lancashire Railway will be making a return to the railway during our Summer Diesel Festival which is taking place between Thursday 5th and Sunday 8th June.
45108 will join previously announced Class 52 No. D1015 “Western Champion" at the event, with more visiting locomotives to be announced.
The BR Class 45 diesel-electric locomotive was originally classified as the Type 4 and was the second of the Sulzer 'Peak' classes. A total of 127 were built by British Rail at Derby and Crewe Works between 1960 and 1962. They were the successors to the Class 44 locomotives and assigned to work services on the Midland Main Line from London St Pancras to Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield. All were withdrawn from service by 1989.
45108 was built at Crewe Works in 1961 and was released to traffic as D120 and based at Toton depot near Nottingham. The loco was withdrawn from service in 1987 and then purchased for preservation under the care of Waterman Railways and restored to run as D120 in BR Green. After a period out of use, 45108 passed into the ownership of the Peak Locomotive Company in 2008 and remains a member of their fleet, representing one of only 12 surviving members of the class.
45108 is no stranger to the WSR and was out-based with us in the mid-90s, performing regularly at our gala weekends. It will certainly make a striking return in its BR Blue livery, matching previously announced ‘Western Champion’.
Ticket Prices
| Ticket Type | In advance Price | On the day |
|---|---|---|
| Adult 1 Day Rover | £40.00 | £45.00 |
| Child 1 day Rover* | £20.00* | £22.50 |
| Under 5 | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Adult 2 Day Rover | £70.00 | £75.00 |
| Child 2 Day Rover | £35.00 | £37.50 |
| Adult 3 Day Rover | £95.00 | £100.00 |
| Child 3 Day Rover | £47.50 | £50.00 |
| Adult 4 Day Rover | £115.00 | £125.00 |
| No Child 4 day Rover* |
* please note child day rovers are £1 for travel on the Sunday's Mixed Traction Day when purchased in advance through our website. This discount will be added automatically at checkout when you select a child one day rover for this day as your travel days. This discount is only available online.
Important Ticket Information
Tickets can be purchased in advance of travel at a discounted rate or on the day at the full price.
Wristbands
Wristbands will be in use for each days travel, you will therefore be required to collect a wristband for your days travel. The wristbands will be available for collection either on the day from Minehead or Bishops Lydeard station only where we will have a specified collection point for pre booked passengers.
You will be required to show your purchased ticket for collection.
If you would like your wristbands in advance of your date of travel, they will be available for collection from Minehead Information Office only the week before the event.
Multiday tickets
For multiday tickets please select your first day of travel, and select book now on the event page. Your additional days can then be added in the next window.
Terms and Conditions
Ticket Terms and Conditions
- 1. This ticket is issued subject to the Rules and Regulations of the West Somerset Railway PLC. Full details are available on request.
- 2. Please check your tickets as mistakes cannot be rectified.
- 3. It is the responsibility of the ticket holder to ascertain whether a service has been cancelled and the date and time of any rearranged service. If a service is cancelled or rescheduled, we will use reasonable endeavours to notify ticket holders of the cancellation once we have received the relevant authorisation from the West Somerset Railway PLC. Please note that we cannot guarantee that ticket holders will be informed of such cancellation before the date of travel.
- 4. The management reserves the right to refuse admission should patrons breach any Rules and Regulations of the West Somerset Railway PLC. The management may on occasions have to conduct security searches to ensure the safety of the patrons.
- 5. A £5 administration fee per booking will be charged for any subsequent booking alteration. No refunds will be given once tickets are issued. The Management cannot be held responsible for any tickets which are lost or stolen. West Somerset Railway PLC reserves the right to cancel ticket bookings which it reasonably suspects to have been made fraudulently.
- 6. The West Somerset Railway PLC operates a No Smoking policy this includes e-cigarettes.
- 7. The unauthorized use of photographic and recording equipment for public use is prohibited.
- 8. The West Somerset Railway PLC accepts no responsibility for any personal property.
- 9. Ticket holders consent to filming and sound recording as visitors.
- 10. If a service is rescheduled, ticket holders will be offered tickets to the rescheduled service, equivalent to the face value of the ticket. If a service is cancelled, ticket holders will be offered travel on an alternative service (subject to availability) up to the value on the ticket.
- 11. Purchase of a ticket does not guarantee a seat unless otherwise stated.
- 12. All of these terms and conditions are governed by English Law.
- 13. The ticket holder must comply with all relevant statutes, safety announcements and West Somerset Railway PLC regulations whilst visiting the railway.
- 14. Breach of any of these conditions or any unacceptable behaviour likely to cause damage, nuisance or injury shall enable the railway to refuse to carry you as a passenger.
- 15. Tickets may be restricted to a maximum number per person. We reserve the right to cancel tickets purchased in excess of this number.
Conditions of Carriage for Bicycles, Perambulators and Animals - Conditions of Carriage - Part 2, Section 4
4. Additional Conditions applicable to Bicycles, Perambulators and Animals
- a) Passengers may take with them by train, bicycles, perambulators, push chairs, cats, dogs, or other small and inoffensive animals and birds and such articles as the Company may from time to time permit to be taken on payment of extra charges as applicable and providing the Company has suitable accommodation. These are carried at the company's discretion and their decision is final.
- b) Animals are not allowed upon passenger's seating accommodation. They must remain on the floor at all times.
- c) For reasons of hygiene, animals are not permitted in catering vehicles or in any carriage where pre-booked catering is being served. This condition will not apply to assistance dogs accompanying registered persons.
Kids for a Quid
Our kids for a quid ticket is back for the Sunday Mixed Traction Day only. To benefit from this discounted ticket this ticket needs to be added individually. The ticket is valid for children aged between 5 and 15.
If your child is travelling for the Sunday only your discount will be added at the check in.
If your child is travelling for two days, add two one day rovers separately for the days they wish to to travel. the discount for the Sunday child ticket will be added automatically at the checkout.
iI your child is travelling for three days, select a two day rover, select the two days (not Sunday) then add a separate child day rover for Sunday.
If your child is travelling for all four days then select a three day rover, add the days (not Sunday) and add a one day rover for the Sunday separately.
Ticket Options
Summer Diesel Festival Adult 1 Day Rover
£40.00
Summer Diesel Festival Child 1 Day Rover
£20.00
DATES & TIMES
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