West Somerset Railway Spring Gala

Make your own version once received, or photocopy it etc

 

That line-up looks stunning! I cannot wait to visit in a few weeks! First trip to your line since September 2018!

Although @SebWelsh, would you possibly know the time scale of which the two stunning guests will be arriving at your wonderful railway?

 

I can advise that 419 won't be arriving until after the May Day Bank Holiday as she's due to be running at Shackerstone until then if that helps

 

@ruddingtonrsh56 Cool beans! Thanks!

 

Is there a timetable yet? I need to plan my rail and bus journeys to get to BL

 

Hopefully out today.

 

It is two weeks away @gricerdon, give @SebWelsh a chance, there seems to be a lot of things to prep and prepair for.
I wonder if 7822 or 7828 will double head with 75069?

 

Do you think they might need a push?

 

We are absolutely delighted to be able to release our public timetable for the upcoming Spring Steam Gala (5th to 8th May). As you can see, we have planned for an intensive service with plenty of trains to travel behind on your visit. Train hopping has returned following Covid, and now you will be able to plan your days with us. Locomotive allocations will be provided within the Gala Program which will be available on the day. 7 locomotives will be in action all on high mileage diagrams, there will be plenty of opportunity to travel behind your favourite!

Highlights include-
- Local Trains from BL to WN. Quickly becoming a firm favourite of our events, these trains allow a more intensive service on this section of line and provide a different experience to our full line trains.

- Plenty of trains to Norton Fitzwarren. To enable as many passengers as possible to travel on our rarely operated section, we have provided plenty of choices of trains.

- Return of the Goods. Operating for the first time since 2019, our demonstration Goods will be in action every day. This will work two Crowcombe Shuttles on both Friday and Saturday which will be banked providing a chance to see this rare recreation of assisting heavy trains up gradients such as the local Wellington banker turn.

- Express Trains. On each day, express services will work in the Up direction from Minehead to Bishops Lydeard calling at principle stations only, recalling those famous fast services such as the Cambrian Coast Express. Change at Williton the local service for Stogumber and Crowcombe.

The timetable can be viewed at the link below:

https://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/userfiles/userfiles/file/Spring TT public.pdf

Advanced discounted tickets still available here
https://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/events/detail/spring-steam-gala

 

7822 doubleheads with 75069 yes.

 

It’s a shame the WSR hasn’t fallen in line with most other railways and published the loco roster on the website. It’s not been a problem for me in the past as I have tended to stay in Minehead and attended all four days. Unfortunately, I’m not able to do that this year and the lack of a loco roster may be the deciding factor on whether I go at all thus year.

 

Is a ride on the mega train included in the standard gala ticket or will there be an add on ticket?

 

Does "Locomotive allocations will be provided within the Gala Programme which will be available on the day" mean it won't be available at all anywhere until the gala starts? Whether the organisers are right or wrong to not make the loco roster freely available or available online is a separate debate, but I was hoping if it was printed programme only I'd at least be able to get it in advance so I could plan ahead.

Around work and childcare, I definitely won't be able to do a full day at this gala and absolutely don't begrudge paying full price even if I'm only there for 3-4 hours (that's how I do plenty of galas and I'm happy to support the lines, especially in the current worldwide circumstances), but I really do want to be able to pinpoint which day/time to go to try to get the maximum out of the hours I visit for. The planning is also a huge part of the fun!

I really want to support the new WSR gala team. I've never had a disappointing trip to a steam or diesel gala there, and the new events regime looks particularly promising: I still often think about how awesome the 2020 gala that never happened would've been with the 9F there, and I thought the smaller events organised in the tricky circumstances of 2021 were brilliant. Really inventive with the resources available. But not making loco diagrams easily available in advance this time does feel like it will put people off.

 

I wouldn't have thought so - its never put me off and I've been to about 40 galas on the West Somerset. I agree that it is a bit out of line with what other railways are doing but I don't see it as a show-stopper. In fact for me part of the fun is NOT knowing in advance. I get up early and drive 150 miles to be there for the first train and there is that feeling of anticipation wondering what is going to be sizzling away at the head of my train! Advance planning is not really my thing - I surprised a TTI on the West Somerset who asked me where I was getting off (thinking of short platforms) and I replied that I didn't know yet! I always make my gala days up as I go along and that to me is part of the fun. However I know of lot of others like to plan things to the finest detail and if that works for them, great!

Just to show you I don't do advance planning there was the occasion where I couldn't even make up my mind which gala to go to the next day! I decided at 6am on the day!

 

NAH! More to do with "double-headed manors are boring now, let's do something else".

FANTASMIC!!!

 

Many thanks for the comments. The program being available ahead of time is something I would like to happen if possible. I will raise with the GM and see when the printed copies are likely to arrive.

 

Absolutely. We will be travelling a long way by train and bus as I can’t drive long distance any more. Our cheapest rail fare is £53 with a railcard plus the £35 for the Gala ticket. Our first available services get us to BL at 0959 and we need to leave by 1550 to get home at a reasonable tine. So we need to plan our day carefully and not having advance information on loco allocations means we may decide not to attend. I don’t mind paying for advance information

 

The timetables have been up on Steve Edge’s website for a couple of days with a link to the WSR plc site.

 

I have the timetable but no loco allocations

 

If travelling by train, get a Minehead (by bus) return through ticket instead of buying a ticket to Taunton, it costs an extra £4.05 with a railcard and is cheaper than buying a Taunton-Bishops Lydeard return bus ticket, plus then you can get on the bus at Watchet, Washford or Minehead if the WSR experience issues / extreme late running etc at no extra cost. Plus bus is not valid to BL.