WSR Spring Steam Gala 1-4 May 2026

The Spring Steam Spectacular is the last chance to see / travel behind Victor on the WSR for the foreseeable future.

 

Have already enjoyed plotting my moves for this gala so much even before it's started - full day planned on Friday then will see how work develops on Saturday and Monday mornings with a view to nipping back for a bit more if I can. And then back again on Wednesday for the cl.33 turn!

Last year there was a very handy timetable of gala preps moves for the Thursday posted on the gala planning team Facebook page that morning. Avidly looking out for that - or any hints from the organisers here - as I'd love to catch any interesting pre-gala workings tomorrow as well.

 

Thanks for the gen on Super Bagnall Victor, looking forward to Fridays Gala and travelling behind Victor and the Hunslet Saddle Tank.

Liked the website for advance ticket purchase, was very straightforward, and being able to interpose where to collect the ticket.

 

Thank you for the reminder - I ought to do a Facebook post with details on for tomorrow's moves.

As per image below. Be aware that as non passenger moves, they may run early, or more likely late!

Expect to see shunting at MD and BL as well although happily I'm ahead of my plan for that side of things !

 

Thanks Seb! That's a fun morning plan sorted for me before work tomorrow.

 

Website showing as sold out Fri/Sat & Monday

 

You can buy tickets for all days again.

 

Thanks so much Seb Walsh for the prep day timetable - that allowed a very enjoyable morning chasing that quirky trio of industrials around on the way to pick up my Friday ticket from Minehead, and my first ever experience of seeing a Fireless actually operating. Very much looking forward to Friday and hopefully a bit of Saturday and Monday too.

 

Hopefully you'll get to see the Fireless doing a little bit more over the weekend, 1857 and 2996 were doing most of the work today!

 

Enjoyable morning so far today, at Minehead, managing several trips behind the industrial locos.

Weather has closed in now at Minehead with rain. 1222 MD to Dunster left 20 late after late arrival of the 1035 BL to MD, with Hunslet 1589 and 3850, they were evidently delayed due to 60007 being stuck at Blue Anchor, while working the 1145 MD to ML, for which it departed MD near enough right time and tender first.

Lovely having Victor for haulage from Minehead for the 1st time in 40 years.

Few snaps attached.

 

60007 left Blue Anchor 58 late. Tender brake problem.

 

From the webcam views with trains at every station it looks like the day is degenerating into the usual WSR gala chaos. With such a long line it doesn't take much to put a spanner in the works. All part of the fun I suppose.

 

It's getting a bit messy. Not sure a part of the fun!

The 1213 BL to MD has just been announced at Minehead that it's left Watchet now, meaning that's an hour late. I'm sat on the 1323 MD to Blue Anchor still sat at Minehead, waiting to go.

EDIT 1213 BL to MD, arrived MD 62 late. Hopped off 1323 MD to Blue Anchor which is year to leave and onto 1400 MD to BL, not sure when it will leave! Interesting watching the fireless loco being charged with steam

 

Summer Saturdays in the West....if you use an LNER loco on a GWR route that's what you must expect.

 

Had my wristband collected, camera batteries charged and moves planned, but then a night of family illness at home last night means I'm just following the gala from Railcam and seeing how my itinerary would have panned out. First half great, second half would've been trickier after the A4's problem!

It looks like sensible decisions are being made with alternative crossing points and (unless I've missed it on the cameras) cutting a goods run to give the timetable a chance to recoup a bit. It does look like there's a bit of leeway and contingency even in a timetable this intense to pull things back a little as the rest of the day goes on, so I wish them luck with that and will keep an eye on how it turns out. 60007 being stuck at Blue Anchor at that point looked particularly unfortunate in terms of jamming the timetable up.

And hopefully I'll still make it there myself for at least a few short hops after work on Saturday and Monday afternoons, family health permitting!

If I had made it there, from the look of the cameras I'd have had a fantastic time with 1857, the Manors and the Newstead + 3850 double-header before things went awry.

 

I'm travelling on Sunday for Monday. I'm particularly interested in the fireless loco and I'd be grateful to know where it is doing its shunting on Monday, please.

 

It is at Minehead all days.

 

Thanks Seb and other WSR members who made my visit enjoyable today. A shame that the A4 issues compromised the timetable, I hope that the next 3 days are a success.

Highlights today were seeing Victor and doing multiple trips behind the loco for the 1st time in 40 years, plus seeing 3 Manors in steam in one day, and then Hudswell, Hunslet and Bagnall products hauling trains I travelled - brilliant. I travelled a manor BL to Minehead Wednesday, so had already had a manor fix this week!

Feedback from me, and hope it's taken in the vein intended, fundamentally a good timetable, good arrangements for wrist band pickup, plus a smashing guidebook for the gala. Cakes and coffee good too at Minehead. Only gripe however (I accept that loco failures/faults can happen), was the lack of info to passengers on the 1323 Minehead to Blue Anchor and back, and the 1400 Minehead to Bishops Lydeard, the latter finally left 65 mins late. It would have been good for the Guard or TTI to have come through and explain to passengers when departure may occur, as I was relying on main line connections from Taunton, as were some other WSR passengers on the Minehead-BL train who I bumped into again at Taunton station. In my 30 years as a Guard, once I'd dealt with any direct operational issues, I'd seek to walk through and advise passengers of any delays, or get the TTI to do so/help me, so people knew what was happening.

So thanks again, despite the extreme delays I enjoyed the day

 

Thanks for the feedback Devon Belle - and my apologies, I was the Guard on 1323 and got a bit distracted trying to help unpick things to try and bring back some right time running - but feedback appreciated and we'll add to the list to discuss at the next Gala planning meeting.

More generally, pleasingly, we held the Gresley delay for most of the day (60 minutes), but then with the incoming Belmond charter had to work things round with the idea of not delaying that too much.

Tomorrow's timetable is very similar to today (with no Belmond charter...!) so hopefully we'll maintain right time running for most of it..!

Thanks as always to everyone who's supported us, really helps show the effort in planning is worth it!

Cheers, Ben

 

Much appreciated for the prompt response Ben, I'm gutted I can't be around for the next 3 days - but family commitments mean I'm elsewhere.

Diesel gala in my sights next and good luck ove the next 3 days.