West Somerset Railway Autumn Gala 17-19 October

It's been announced on the WSR facebook page that LSWR 563 is the first visitor.

 

Nunney Castle to Headline the WSR Autumn Steam Weekend 2025!

We are delighted to announce the second visitor for the Autumn Steam Weekend over the 17th - 19th October. GWR Castle Class No.5029 ‘Nunney Castle’ courtesy of Locomotive Services Limited. This will be the engine’s first visit to a preserved railway since returning to traffic earlier in 2025.

Built in 1934 at Swindon Works, Nunney Castle is an example of the hugely successful Castle Class, built to haul the Great Western Railway’s premier express trains from London to the South West, Midlands and Wales.

The locomotive was a staple of mainline operations until early 2015 when the engine was withdrawn for a comprehensive overhaul. Now resplendent in the colours of the GWR, we cannot think of a better way to cap off Rail 200, with ‘Nunney’ joining the already announced, award winning LSWR T3 No.563 at the return of our Autumn Steam Gala.

For further details and to book tickets, please visit our website at https://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/events/view/autumn-steam-weekend-17th-19th-october-1

Advanced Booking is strongly advised.

 

NCB 11 AKA GWR 813 is the latest announcement.

There will be one more 'bite sized' loco announcement.

Info from https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BNLX46j44/

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Happened something to 7812? It isn't mentioned anymore at the WSR website.

 

Needs minor repairs that will not be completed in time, class 33 standing in.

 

Timetables, with loco allocations, now up on WSR website

Looks good

 

If it had to be a paraffin can would have preferred a Hymek.

 

While I would have loved to have seen D7017 out, I guess there are reasons why it isn't (D7018 is away at the GCR).

 

Friday 17th October

Saturday 18th October

Sunday 19th October

 

Unfortunately insufficient Hymek drivers were available for the weekend so Class 33 it is. Appreciate a Diesel at a Steam event is a little incongruous. We tried for maybe about 15-20ish additional visiting engines but no suitable options were available at this late stage that worked within the budget. Who would be a Gala organiser!!

We still have a fantastic lineup with a rare LSWR 4-4-0, newly overhauled 813 (first visit to us since 2001), little 1219 seeing out its last days in ticket and one many of us have been waiting for - a newly overhauled GW Castle (first since the raising of the recent axle load limit).

Incidentally following this event, this year we will have hosted locos of the GWR, SR, LMS, LNER, LBSCR, L&Y, LSWR, PTR, Hudswell Clark & Andrew Barclay - we were going for variety of engines for the Railway 200 year and I think we have achieved that!

 

Are we still calling diesels "paraffin cans", really?

 

Of course would be 7812 a great engine for this Gala, but it's still a great lineup of engines and I"m excited to get my first ride behind a Castle.

Thank you very much for your hard work.

 

Why not? Diesel enthusiasts still call steam locos "kettles".

 

The title of one of my slideshows given to many railway clubs over the years was: Kettles, Paraffin Cans and Transformers.
Never got any adverse comments and was often a source of amusement.
Anyone who knows me well enough or has seen one of my presentations will know I have a like for anything that moves on rails, big, small, home or abroad, or otherwise, and don't consider it a derogatory comment in anyway.
If I have offended you or anyone else in anyway I apologise.

 

Read in the new copy of Steam Railway that 4144 will not be performing at Swindon and Cricklade because they cannot operate steam for now, could you nab this? I guess you've probably already gone down that route.

 

Two days to go, still no announcement of the other 'bite' size loco, unless it's the industrial Barclay?

 

Yep the Barclay

 

Got to be honest, I am still wondering why I am trailing all the way down Somerset instead of staying home for our gala at the East Lanc's. I am partial to all things Great Western so I know the answer, but with 7812 out and a Class 33 as a substitute I have a few trepidations. If one of the major players falls over, not uncommon especially when picked up and flexed on road transport, with the standbye already diagrammed, in I hope they have another loco (diesel) available to rescue the timetable.
The timetable from Minehead (we stay in Dunster) on Sunday effectively doesn't start until almost lunch time, unless you count a quick shuttle to Blue Anchor and back behind the 'bite size' one.
5029/7828/9351/563 still make for an interesting riding lineup, fingers crossed for a successful event.

 

Ticket bought and looking forward to this one.

Did ask which sets had buffets on, but this has now been answered on a facebook post advertising the event, A,B,D.

 

Anyone know the arrangements for breakfast aboard the Quantock Belle?

Daily timetable sheets say see website for details but there is nowt on the website event page.

Might be walk-ons only I guess.