Bishops Lydeard station on the West Somerset Railway, Somerset, England. The locomotive is an ex-Great Western 2-8-0T Tank (number 5224)

Another view of Bishops Lydeard station. The train is an ex-British Rail 4MT 2-6-4T Tank, built in 1958 (number 80136)

At 20 miles, the West Somerset Railway (WSR) is the longest privately owned passenger rail line in the UK. It operates using heritage steam and diesel locomotives, but provides transport to the local community as well as a leisure attraction for visitors.

During the summer the railway employs 28 people, in addition to many volunteers. It carries 180,000 passengers each year, and has so far (end of 2003) transported over 3 million people.

The railway runs along the edge of the Quantock Hills between Bishops Lydeard near Taunton and Minehead on the coast, via Crowcombe Heathfield , Stogumber , Williton , Watchet, Washford , Blue Anchor and Dunster. The Exmoor National Park is also close.

Crocombe Heathfield station featured in the films A Hard Day's Night and The Land Girls, and also on TV in The Flockton Flyer , and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

The line was closed by British Railways under the Beeching cuts in January 1971, and reopened as a private heritage line at Easter 1976. Although it originally connected with the national rail network at Taunton, it is now necessary to catch a bus between Taunton and Bishops Lydeard, though the line from Taunton is used on Gala Weekends and by charter trains.

Pre-British Rail, it was part of the Great Western Railway. The earliest portion of the line was opened in March 1862 by the "West Somerset Railway Company", formed on August 17 1857. The line was built to broad gauge and designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. It was converted to standard gauge in one day in October 1882.

Locomotives

• Steam Locomotives
  • to be added soon
• Diesel Locomotives
  • BR 0-6-0 Class 03 no. D2119
  • BR 0-6-0 Class 08 no. D3462
  • BR 0-6-0 Class 14 no. D9526
  • BR Bo-Bo Class 25 no. D7523
  • BR Bo-Bo Class 33 no. D6566
  • BR B-B Class 35 nos. D7017 and D7018
  • BR C-C Class 52 no. D1010 "Western Campaigner"
• Diesel Multiple Units
  • BR Class 103 unit 50413+56169
  • BR Class 115 unit 51852+59678+51887 and 51859+51880
  • BR Class 117 unit 117311 (51352+59505+51376)

External links

• http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/ official Web site
• http://www.wsr.org.uk/