List of rolling stock preserved on the West Somerset Railway

The rolling stock preserved on the West Somerset Railway is used to operate trains on the West Somerset Railway (WSR), a heritage railway in Somerset, England. There is a variety of preserved steam and diesel locomotives and diesel multiple units, passenger coaches and goods wagons. Most of these are typical of Great Western Railway (GWR) branch lines in Somerset, or of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway (SDJR). Some are owned by the railway itself but most are owned by various individuals or voluntary groups such as the West Somerset Railway Association (WSRA), Diesel and Electric Preservation Group (DEPG), and Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust (SDRT). The line is also regularly visited by locomotives based elsewhere. Some come for a day on a railtour, others for a few days or weeks to take part in a special gala, but a few stay for many months and form part of the stock working scheduled trains. Over the years these have included well known locomotives such as City of Truro, Taw Valley, Duke of Gloucester, Evening Star,[1] Royal Scot, Tornado,[2] Bittern, Britannia, Sir Lamiel and King Edward I.[3]

West Somerset Railway
LocaleMinehead, Somerset, England
TerminusMinehead
Bishops Lydeard
Commercial operations
Built byWest Somerset Railway
Minehead Railway
Original gauge7 ft (2,134 mm) to 1882
4 ft 8 12 in (1,435 mm) since
Preserved operations
Operated byWest Somerset Railway
Stations11
Length22.75 miles (36.61 km)
Preserved gauge4 ft 8 12 in (1,435 mm)
1862Opened to Watchet
1874Line completed
1882Converted to standard gauge
1971Closed
Preservation history
1975Light Railway Order Granted
1976Line (between Minehead and Williton) re-opened
1978Stogumber re-opens
1979Bishop's Lydeard & Crowcombe Heathfield both re-open
1981Line marked 10th anniversary of closure
1987Doniford Beach Halt opens
2009Norton Fitzwarren re-opens
HeadquartersMinehead

Maintenance facilities

The old goods shed at Minehead has been converted to an engine shed for inspections and running repairs to the operational locomotives. A secure compound at Bishops Lydeard is the base for locomotives working from that end of the line. Most diesel locomotives work from the DEPG depot at Williton. The permanent way department is based at Dunster and maintain their wagons in the old goods shed there.[4]

Restoration and heavy repairs are undertaken at several locations, including workshops attached to the engine sheds at Minehead and Williton. There is also another shed at Williton used for steam locomotive restoration and vintage coaches, the operating coaches are maintained in a modern shed at Minehead, and the SDRT have workshops at their museum at Washford.[4]

Main line steam locomotives

The first main line locomotive to operate on the line when it reopened in 1976 was 6400 Class 6412 which was purchased from the Dart Valley Railway and sold back to the South Devon Railway Trust in 2008. During its time on the West Somerset Railway it carried Flockton Flyer nameplates for a while after appearing in the television series of that name.[5][6]

Other locomotives that have been on the railway but now gone elsewhere include GWR 2251 Class 3205 which is now on the South Devon Railway,[7] BR Standard Class 4 2-6-4T 80136,[8] and LB&SCR 'Terrier' 32678 Knowle. This had been displayed at the Butlins holiday camp at Minehead from 1964 until 1975; restoration was started at Minehead but was completed by the Kent and East Sussex Railway.[9]

The following locomotives are currently based on the West Somerset Railway but may sometimes be away from the line. They are all Great Western Railway designs unless otherwise stated.

Operational

Class Number (& Name) Builder Livery Image Current status Notes
GWR 7800 'Manor' 4-6-0
7828 Odney Manor
Swindon Works BR lined green, early emblem
Operational
Initially based at Shrewsbury shed, it moved to Croes Newydd in 1961, Aberystwyth in 1963 for a short while, then returned to Shrewsbury, from where it was withdrawn in 1965, moving to Barry scrapyard in 1966.
It was rescued privately in 1981 and moved to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway where restoration was completed by 1987. It worked on the Gwilli Railway, Llangollen Railway, and East Lancashire Railway, before coming to the WSR in 1995. Its owners sold it to the WSR in 2004.[10] On 17 June 2011 it was temporarily renamed Norton Manor (the name intended for cancelled locomotive 7830) after 40 Commando’s base alongside the railway at Norton Fitzwarren. It has been repainted in the BR lined green livery that it carried in 1957.[11]
The engine re-entered service in December 2018 following boiler repairs.
GWR 9351 'Mogul' 2-6-0
9351
Swindon Works (5193) BR lined green, early emblem
Operational
Great Western locomotives were assembled in different configurations from a range of standardised components. The basic parts of the 'large prairie' 2-6-2Ts were considered at different times as being the possible basis of a small 2-6-0 'mogul', but this was never followed through. 5193 was purchased for preservation in 1979 and moved from Barry Island to Steamport Southport where restoration to running order was planned, but prevented by lack of funding. 5193 was purchased by the WSR in 1998 and moved to Minehead where restoration to running order was to be undertaken. Because of the degree of work needed to restore it as a tank locomotive, and because a small tender locomotive was thought to be more useful on the lengthy railway, it was decided in 2000 to convert it to the mooted 2-6-0 design. Work was completed in 2004 when it appeared in plain GWR green livery.[12]
Following a ten-yearly overhaul the locomotive returned to service in Summer 2019, outshopped in unlined BR green. The loco was later lined out during the winter maintenance period in early 2020.
S&DJR 7F 2-8-0
53808
Robert Stephenson and Co BR unlined black, late crest
Operational
The S&DJR had a number of these large locomotives based at Bath Green Park for working heavy freight trains over the Mendip Hills, but they also took their turn on summer Saturday passenger trains.
88 was built by Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns in 1925. After it had been taken into the London Midland and Scottish Railway fleet it became number 9678, but this was later changed to 13808 so its British Railways number was 53808. It then received a second hand boiler from Midland Railway 4P 4-4-0 41092. It was sold and moved to Woodham Brothers’ Barry scrap yard in 1964, but was rescued by the SDRT in 1970. Their museum at Radstock was closed in 1976 and so their locomotives were moved to the WSR. It finally returned to steam in 1987[13] and has carried several numbers and liveries since then; it is currently (from March 2016) in British Railways black with number 53808. Returned to service in 2016 following a ten-yearly overhaul.

Out of service

Class Number (& Name) Builder Livery Image Current status Notes
GWR 4500 'Small Prairie' 2-6-2 T
4561
Swindon Works
Under Overhaul
The 'small prairie' locomotives were designed for lighter duties on often lengthy branch lines. The 4500 Class were introduced in 1906. 4561 was built in 1924, working initially in the Birmingham area for three years before moving southwards, settling in Truro from 1938. Twenty years later it moved to Newton Abbot from where it regularly worked the Kingsbridge branch line. In 1962 it was sold for scrap to the Woodham Brothers.
It was purchased by the WSRA in 1975 and was placed in service in 1989. It was taken out of service in 1998 when its boiler certificate expired[14] and is now undergoing a full overhaul.[15]
GWR 6000 'King' 4-6-0
6024 King Edward I
Swindon Works BR Lined Green, Late Crest (on completion)
Under Overhaul
The 'Kings' were introduced in 1927 and were the Great Western Railway's largest express passenger locomotives. King Edward I, which was built in 1930, is one of the heritage steam locomotives that is equipped to Network Rail’s standards for working trains on the main line and is regular seen at the head of excursions and trains such as the Torbay Express. 6024 has spent several periods based on the railway between working main line services. It returned to the railway on 17 March 2012 and worked a number of trains in the following weeks and was then moved into Minehead workshops for its ten-yearly overhaul.[16]

6024 is currently undergoing its 10 yearly overhaul and it is hoped for 6024 to be back in operation in 2020. With gauging issues being a problem for the King class, 6024 is having new cylinders fitted which will be cast in a higher strength material allowing the width of 6024 to be slightly reduced. This will help overcome the majority of gauging issues that became apparent during its last operating period on the mainline.[17] 6024 undertook its hydraulic and steam tests in November 2019, the aim is to have the engine back in traffic for early 2020.

Off-site

Class Number (& Name) Builder Livery Image Current status Notes
GWR 2-6-2 T 5101 'Large Prairie'
4160
Swindon Works N/A
Being overhauled
The first 'large prairie' locomotives were built by the GWR in 1909, but 4160 was not built until 1948. By this time British Railways had taken over, and so it is preserved in BR green livery with the later 'lion in wheel' totem. It was delivered to the engine shed at Barry and worked from various sheds around south Wales until it was withdrawn from Severn Tunnel Junction in 1965.
4160 then returned to Barry, but this time to Woodham Brothers’ scrap yard. It was purchased by the Birmingham Railway Museum in 1974 but restoration was not completed before it was sold again to the Plym Valley Railway. The engine remains wholly owned by 4160 Ltd since its purchase by Plym Valley Railway who originally formed the 4160 limited company. It was finally returned to service in 1993. The boiler ticket expired in January 2016 and it is currently at the Llangollen Railway for its 10-year overhaul.[18]
GWR 4-6-0 4900 'Hall'
4936 Kinlet Hall
Swindon Works N/A
Being overhauled
Undergoing overhaul at Tyseley Locomotive Works.
GWR 2-6-2 T 4575 'Small Prairie'
5542
Swindon Works GWR Unlined Green, Shirtbutton logo
Operational
The 4575 class, similar to the 4500 Class represented by here 4561, but with a larger water tank and other improvements, first appeared in 1927. Number 5542 was turned out from Swindon in 1928 and was immediately sent to Gloucester but it then moved southwards and even spent a time based at Taunton.
Withdrawn in 1961, the following year it too was sold to the Woodham Brothers and spent 13 years at Barry before being brought by the WSRA. Restoration took until 2002 and it is now in service in GWR unlined green livery. As it is a little underpowered for the heavy trains that now run on the railway it often spends long periods working on other railways.[19] Similar 5521 was purchased from Woodhams’ at the same time as 4561 and 5542 but was sold on to the Dean Forest Railway before it was restored.[20]
GWR 4-6-0 7800 'Manor'
7821 Ditcheat Manor
Swindon Works BR Lined Black, Early Emblem
Static display
The 'Manor' Class was designed by Charles Collett as a large lightweight locomotive for long but lightly constructed routes, mainly in west Wales and south west England. Construction of the first 20 started at Swindon in 1938, followed by another 10 in 1950 for British Railways. 7821 Ditcheat Manor is now the property of the WSRA.[21] It was moved in 2010 to Swindon's Steam Museum where it was displayed for eight years. In August 2018 it moved to the nearby Swindon Designer Outlet for display.[22][23] It is painted in BR black livery.
GWR 9400 Class 0-6-0 PT
9466
Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns BR unlined black, Early Emblem
Operational
9466 was built by Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns in February 1952. It was originally allocated to Worcester (85A), where it remained until 1960, and ended its days working in south Wales. It was withdrawn from Radyr shed (88B) in July 1964 and sent to Woodham Brothers scrapyard in Barry. It remained in the yard until 1977 when it was purchased by Dennis Howells and moved to the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre for restoration. 9466 returned to steam in 1985 and has since been active on both preserved lines and the national network, including repeated participation in the "Steam on the Met" seasons and regular visits to the Mid-Norfolk Railway. It is now fitted with TPWS and OTMR equipment for mainline operation and often works out of Tyseley when working on the mainline. Following Dennis Howells' death in 2018, 9466 was purchased by Jonathan Jones Pratt the following year.[24] It is intended for the loco to be based at the WSR in the future, however, it cannot currently operate on the line due to a weight restriction forbidding locomotives with Red axle loadings from operating over the route. It is currently based at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway. Its boiler ticket expires in 2026.

Visiting

Class Number (and name) Builder Livery Image Current status Notes
GWR 5700 'Pannier Tank' 0-6-0 PT
7752
NBL GWR unlined green,
'Great Western' lettering
Operational
7752 was built in 1930 by the North British Locomotive Company. Withdrawn in 1959, the locomotive was sold to London Transport and renumbered L94. It worked for LT until June 1971 when it hauled the last steam hauled service on the network. It was then sold to 7029 Clun Castle Ltd and has been based at Tyseley Locomotive Works ever since. 7752 returned to service as L94 following overhaul in 2011 and has since operated on the national network. The locomotive is on loan to the WSR for the 2019 season,[25]

Main line diesels

The following mainline diesel locomotives are currently based on the railway (incomplete list):

Class Number (& Name) Livery Image Current status Notes
BR Class 52 'Western' C-C
D1010 Western Campaigner
BR Maroon
Under repair
The 'Western' class were the last and most powerful of the Western Region's diesel-hydraulics. 1010 was built at Swindon in 1962 and was initially based at Old Oak Common TMD in London. After just 14 months it moved to Laira which was to be its most familiar depot, but it did spend a short time working out of Landore TMD in Wales during 1968. 1010 was bought by Foster Yeoman after being withdrawn by British Rail in 1977 and was moved to their depot at Merehead. The locomotive moved to Didcot Railway Centre in 1985 where it was restored to working order. A further move saw it brought to the WSR in 1991 and it was then sold to the DEPG who had been responsible for its restoration and operation. During its time with Foster Yeoman it assumed the identity of 1035 Western Yeoman but it returned to its original number and name in 1992. It is currently painted in British Railways maroon livery.[26] It is currently Planned to run at the DEPG Diesel Gala in June 2019[27]
British Rail Class 47 Co-Co
1661 North Star
BR Green
Under repair
The Class 47, or 'Brush Type 4', was the British Railways standard large diesel-electric locomotive of the mid-1960s and was designed to operate similar trains to the 'Westerns'. Only a few were initially allocated to the Western Region and most of these were given names that had originally been carried by Great Western Railway locomotives, in 1661's case this dated back to the broad gauge Star Class but the North Star name had also been carried by four other GWR locomotives, the most recent being Castle Class 4000. 1661 received its name in a ceremony performed by Ray Gunter, the Minister of Labour, at London Paddington station on 20 March 1965.[28] It was allocated to Landore TMD until 1973 when it was transferred to Old Oak Common, after which it moved around various sheds. Its number was changed to 47077 under the TOPS scheme in 1974 and then became 47613 when fitted with electric train heating equipment ten years later.[29] In 1989 it was rebuilt with additional fuel tanks which caused it to be renumbered again as 47840. It was part of the Virgin CrossCountry fleet until 2002 and then was hired to various operators by its owner, Porterbrook. It was finally withdrawn in 2008,[30] repainted into two-tone British Railways Green livery, renumbered back to 1661, and sent to the WSR. It is now part of the DEPG fleet based at Williton.[31]
British Rail Class 33 Bo-Bo
D6566
BR Green
Operational
The Class 33 was built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company and were the Southern Region’s principal diesel-electric locomotive. They were also familiar working inter-regional freight and passenger trains on the Western Region.
British Rail Class 33 Bo-Bo
D6575
BR Green
Operational
6575 became 33057 in 1973 and spent most of its working life at Hither Green TMD from where it was withdrawn in 1995 but was retained for staff training until sold to a private buyer for preservation in 1997 when it moved to the WSR. It carries British Rail green livery with full yellow ends. 6575 was also based at Hither Green until 1985 after when it spent time at both Stewarts Lane TMD and Eastleigh TMD; from 1991 it carried the name Seagull. It was withdrawn in 1997 and eventually sold to freight operator Direct Rail Services, however it was never put into traffic and instead was sold to a private buyer and moved to the WSR in 2005. It was intended to be a source of spares for 6566,[32] however its restoration was started in February 2010.[33] It also carries green livery but with the original half-height yellow ends.[34]
British Rail Class 35 'Hymek' B-B
D7017
BR Green
Operational
The 'Hymek' class of mid-power diesel-hydraulics were built by Beyer Peacock for working both passenger and freight services on the Western Region and were familiar on the Minehead branch before it became a heritage railway. Both of the WSR's Class 35s were delivered to Bristol Bath Road TMD in January 1962. Both moved to Old Oak Common in 1971 and were withdrawn in 1975.
7017 was purchased by the DEPG and moved to Taunton in 1975 and is operational on the WSR in traffic wearing BR green.
British Rail Class 35 'Hymek' B-B
D7018
BR Green
Operational
7018 like 7017 was delivered to Bristol Bath Road TMD in January 1962 before being moved to Old Oak Common in 1971 and was withdrawn in 1975. 7018 was sold for private preservation and moved to Didcot where the DEPG were planning to restore it to working order. Its major overhaul was completed for the June Diesel Gala in 2019, finished in BR green like 7017.
British Rail Class 14 0-6-0
D9518
N/A
Under Restoration
The Class 14 were small diesel-hydraulic locomotives built at Swindon for working Western Region branch lines but they were soon surplus to requirements as these were closed following the Reshaping of British Railways report. 9518 entered service in October 1964 at Cardiff Canton and worked from there until placed in store April 1969. It was sold to the National Coal Board for use at Ashington Colliery in Northumberland.[35] After it was no longer needed by the NCB, it went to the Nene Valley Railway to provide spare parts for other Class 14s that were based there. Late in 2011 it was moved to Williton and there are long-term plans to restore it to service.[36]
British Rail Class 14 0-6-0
D9526
BR Green
Operational
9526 was delivered to Bristol Bath Road in January 1965, joined 9518 at Cardiff Canton in May 1967 but was withdrawn before the end of 1968. It was then purchased by Blue Circle Industries to shunt the sidings at their cement factory at Westbury alongside the Taunton to London line. It was sold to the DEPG in 1979 and arrived on the WSR on 3 April 1980. Restoration was completed in 1984; it carries British Railways green livery and is used on freight or light passenger trains.[35][37] Another Class 14, D9551, also worked on the West Somerset Railway for many years but has now moved elsewhere.[38]


Shunting locomotives

Industrial steam

Many of the trains operated in the early years of the West Somerset Railway were hauled by one of two identical Bagnall 0-6-0ST locomotives that had been designed for the Steel Company of Wales’ Margam Steelworks in 1951. They were Vulcan (works number 2994) and Victor (2996). Both have since left the railway. Other industrial locomotives that have also moved elsewhere were Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0 T Jennifer (1731, built 1942), Hawthorn Leslie 0-6-0 ST Isabel (3437 of 1919), fireless Bagnall 0-4-0 F No. 1 (2473 of 1932),[39] Peckett 0-4-0 Whitehead (1163 of 1908?),[40] and former Port of Bristol Portbury (Avonside 1764 of 1917) and Henbury (Peckett 1940 of 1937) which are now on the Bristol Harbour Railway.[41]

Class Number (& Name) Builder Livery Image Current status Notes
Peckett R3 Class 0-4-0 ST Kilmersdon Peckett and Sons S&DJR Blue On loan to the Helston Railway Peckett works number 1788 was an R3 Class built in 1929 for the Writhlington Collieries Company which spent its working life shunting around collieries in the Radstock area of Somerset. It was delivered to Writhlington's Kilmersdon colliery, being transferred with the colliery to the National Coal Board in 1947. It continued to work at Kilmersdon but spent some time at the nearby Norton Hill colliery in 1950-53 and again in 1958-59. Kilmersdon closed in 1973 and the following year the locomotive was moved to the nearby Somerset and Dorset Railway Museum.[42] The museum closed in 1975 and the SDRT moved their Peckett to the WSR in May 1975. It has now acquired a Kilmersdon name (which was never carried while at the colliery) and is steamed from time to time for shunting around the SDRT museum at Washford. It carried a green livery for many years[43] but in 2013 was repainted in the Prussian blue livery of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway but is now visiting the Helston Railway for the 2018 season.[44]
0-4-0 ST Caledonia Works Andrew Barclay Green Operational Works number 1219 was built in 1910 for use with Stewart & Lloyd Ltd. at their Clydesdale works. The locomotive arrived at the WSR in 2012 where it was restored at Wiliton by its owner, an apprentice on the railway. It returned to steam in 2016 and has since been operational both on the WSR and on hire to other railways.

Diesels

Shunting locomotives that have been based on the railway but now moved elsewhere are British Rail Class 04 2205,[45] Class 07 2994,[46] Class 08 3462 which went to the Watercress Line in 2013,[47] Ruston and Hornsby 0-4-0 183062 which used to shunt the milk depot at Chard Junction, and former Stanton and Staveley Iron Works 57, a Rolls Royce Sentinel 0-6-0.[48] Sentinel 10175 (DH16 of the Manchester Ship Canal) moved to the East Somerset Railway in 2015.[49]

Class Number (& Name) Builder Livery Image Current status Notes
British Rail Class 03 0-6-0 D2133 Swindon Works BR green, late crest Operational Built at Swindon railway works in 1960, 2133 spent many years based at Taunton and working in various goods yards in the area. After just nine years working with BR it was sold to British Cellophane for shunting their factory sidings at Bridgwater.[50] It was no longer needed in 1994 and so was donated to the WSR by Courtaulds, the then owner of the site. It carries BR green livery and can usually be found working as the station pilot at Minehead. A second locomotive, number 03119, was based on the railway from 1996 until 2011.[51]
British Rail Class 09 0-6-0 D4107 Horwich Works BR green, late crest Operational A larger diesel shunter, this one was built by British Railways at Horwich Works in 1961. At first numbered D4107 and sent to Carlisle, in October 1968 it was transferred to the Southern Region, initially at Hither Green TMD where it would have worked alongside its predecessor here (Class 08 D3462). It was renumbered to 09019 in 1973.[52] When British Rail was split up in readiness for privatisation it was allocated to the Mainline Freight business and repainted in their blue colours,[53] which it still carried when it arrived at Bishops Lydeard in 2013 but it now wears British Rail green livery.
Andrew Barclay 0-4-0 DH 578 Andrew Barclay Green Operational This pair of shunters with hydraulic transmissions were built in 1972 for the Royal Ordnance Factory at Puriton in Somerset. Surplus to requirements since 1991, they are on long term loan to the WSR and are based at Dunster for shunting the permanent way depot. They are both painted green but neither currently carries visible numbers.[54] They can be distinguished as number 578's Barclay works plates have blue backgrounds, while number 579's are red.
Andrew Barclay 0-4-0 DH 579 Andrew Barclay Green Operational
Ruston and Hornsby 0-4-0 DM 24 Ruston and Hornsby Green with red frames Operational This 88DS four-wheel shunter was built in 1941 for the Air Ministry but later worked at many varied industrial sidings. It arrived at the Bath Gas Works of the South West Gas Board in 1964 but gas production finished in 1971,[42] just three years after the shunter had been fitted with a new 80 hp engine. It then found its way to the Somerset and Dorset Railway Museum at Radstock and moved, with the rest of their stock, to Washford where it is the regular shunter.[54][55]
Ruston and Hornsby 0-4-0 DM 200793 "Gower Princess" Ruston and Hornsby Brunswick green with white lining Operational A 48DS four-wheel shunter built in 1940 for William Evan's Old Mill Colliery at Radstock, Somerset.[56]

Diesel Multiple Units

Four-car set with 51880

The railway operates a DMU which is formed as a three or four-car set depending on traffic levels. It is a 'suburban' type with doors to each seating bay but formed from cars of two different classes. The Class 115 units were built by British Railways at Derby Carriage and Wagon Works and originally used on services out of London Marylebone station and in the Liverpool area. The Class 117 units look similar but were built by the Pressed Steel Company and used out of London Paddington station and on the Western Region, including on local trains around Taunton. The cars are either Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) or Trailer Composite (TC). All are fitted with gangway connections within the unit and some modifications have been made to allow for mobility-impaired passengers.

Class Type Number Comments
115 DMBS 51859 In service in British Railways green livery.[57]
115 DMBS 51880 In service in British Railways green livery.[57]
115 DMBS 51887 Undergoing extensive restoration at Minehead.[58]
117 TC 59493 In service in British Railways green livery.[57]
117 TC 59506 [59]
115 TC 59678 [59] In service in British Railways green livery, it has been modified with a small buffet counter and is the usual centre coach for the DMU when it is operating as a three-car set.

In the early years a number of two-car sets were operated. Each was formed of a motor brake second (DMBS) and driving trailer composite (DTC), although sometimes they were formed into four-car trains. The first two sets were British Rail Class 103 built by Park Royal Vehicles (DMBSs 50413 and 50414, DTCs 56168 and 56169). These were later joined by two Gloucester-built Class 100s (50341 and 51118, 56097 and 56099) and a Cravens Class 105 (51482, 56121).[60] Two further Class 115 DMBSs have also been on the railway. The body of 51663 has been stripped off this but the chassis is in store at Dunster for future use.[57] 51852 was purchased by the WSRA as a spare driving car in 1994 but sold to the Dean Forest Railway for spares in 2011.[61]

Former WSR locomotives and DMUs

Note that the locations given may not be current as locomotives move between railways from time to time.

Steam

Number & name Type Builder On WSR Photograph Notes
3205
GWR 2251 Class 0-6-0 Swindon Works 1974-1998 Awaiting Overhaul at the South Devon Railway.
3850
GWR 2884 Class 2-8-0 Swindon Works 1984-2015 Saved from Woodham Brothers' scrap yard in 1984, its restoration was completed in 2005. Awaiting Overhaul at the South Devon Railway.
4110
GWR 5101 Class 2-6-2T Swindon Works 2015-2019 The same class of locomotive as 4160, 4110 was built in 1936 and spent most of its life working suburban trains in the West Midlands. It was also based at Taunton shed twice in the 1960s and was withdrawn from service in 1965. It was purchased by the Great Western Railway Preservation Group at the Southall Railway Centre in 1979. The West Somerset Railway purchased 4110 in 2015 but it left on 12 February 2019 in unrestored condition after being sold to the Dartmouth Steam Railway.[62]
4277
GWR 4200 Class 2-8-0T Swindon Works 1996-1999 Operational at the Dartmouth Steam Railway.
4920 Dumbleton Hall
GWR 4900 Class 4-6-0 Swindon Works 1991-1998 Stored at the South Devon Railway
6412
GWR 6400 Class 0-6-0PT Swindon Works 1976-2008 Operational at the South Devon Railway.
6695
GWR 5600 0-6-2 T Armstrong Whitworth 2015-2019 6695 arrived at the line in 2015 originally as a visitor for a steam gala but following an incident where the low-loader that was transporting it from the Swanage Railway collapsed under its weight which resulted in damage to 6695 and its place being taken by 5643 for the gala it has since then been undergoing overhaul.

Upon its return to service the plan was that 6695 would become a resident of the WSR as part of a 25-year loan agreement with its owners.[63] 6695 departed from the WSR for the Swindon and Cricklade Railway in Dec 2019.

6960 Raveningham Hall
GWR 6959 'Modified Hall' 4-6-0 Swindon Works 2011-2019 6960 is a later version of the original 4900s but with a number of changes: the class had Plate frames, cylinders cast separately from the smokebox saddle, larger super heaters & flatsided Hawksworth tenders. 6960 was withdrawn from service in June 1964 and sold to Woodham Brothers scrapyard in Barry, South Wales for cutting up.

It was saved in 1972 and moved to Steamtown Carnforth as the 26th departure from Barry. Restored in 1975, it was then based at the Severn Valley Railway where it ran with 4930 Hagley Hall's Hawksworth tender while its own was put behind 4930. It left the Severn Valley in 1996 and was eventually sold to Jeremy Hosking. After completion of an overhaul in 2009 it moved to the West Somerset Railway.

Owing to the weight restriction imposed on the WSR it was decided for the 2019 season to loan 6960 to the Severn Valley Railway in exchange for the lighter 7802 Bradley Manor. 6960 is to now be once again based at the SVR.[64]

7027 Thornbury Castle
GWR 4-6-0 4073 'Castle' Swindon Works 2018-2020 Following purchase by Jon Jones Pratt it was intended to restore the engine from Barry Scrapyard condition at the WSR for use on both the heritage railway aswell as on the mainline hauling excursion trains. Following storage at Williton and owing to commitments elsewhere for Jon Jones Pratt with both the WSR and his second engine 4936 Kinlet Hall. In January 2020 no 7027 was sold to a private individual who intends to restore the engine for use on the Great Central Railway. The engine therefore was moved to Loughborough for its restoration to take place.[65]
7820 Dinmore Manor
GWR 7800 Class 4-6-0 Swindon Works 1985-2008 This was the first locomotive from the second batch of 'Manors', Withdrawn in 1965, it was purchased from the Woodhams' Brothers in 1985 by the Gwili Railway but restoration was completed by a private group on the WSR in 1995. It is now based at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.
34046 Braunton
SR West Country class 4-6-2 Brighton Works 1997-2011/12 Intended for a heritage centre at Brighton that never materialized, Braunton was taken out of the scrap yard at Barry in 1988. Its restoration was eventually completed at Williton in 2008. Operational in 2019 on main line services and based at Crewe Diesel TMD.
34053 Sir Keith Park
SR Battle of Britain class 4-6-2 Brighton Works 1997-2000 Bought originally as spares for sister engine 34046. Operational at the Swanage Railway. It visited the West Somerset Railway in 2016 for the S&D steam gala, the first time it had operated on the railway.
44422
LMS Fowler 4F 0-6-0 Derby Works 2016-2019 The first of these Class 4Fs were built for the Midland Railway to a design by Henry Fowler in 1911. They continued to be built after the 'grouping' of 1923 by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway until 1941 by which time 772 had been built. Number 4422 was built at Derby Works in 1927. It was initially allocated to Leicester, then to Wigston in 1929, Bristol in 1940, and Bath Green Park in 1948, when it was renumbered 44422. It spent the rest of its working life in the South West of England, often running over the former Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway. It was withdrawn from Gloucester shed in 1965 and sold to the Woodham Brothers for scrap. It was purchased by the 44422 Locomotive Company in 1977 and taken to the Churnet Valley Railway, where it was eventually restored to working order in 1990.[66]

Since then it has worked on many preserved lines, including the East Lancashire and Nene Valley railways. The locomotive arrived at the West Somerset Railway on a 25-year loan agreement following overhaul at Crewe Heritage Centre in February 2016.[67][68] 44422 was later withdrawn from service requiring a bottom end overhaul at Minehead. In January 2019 it was announced that the WSR had terminated the loan agreement. The locomotive left the railway in December that year, returning to the Churnet Valley Ralway.[69]

53809
S&DJR 7F 2-8-0 Robert Stephenson and Co 2016-2018 From the same class as the WSR's 53808, it arrived from the Midland Railway - Butterley in February 2016 for a gala to celebrate 50 years since the S&D closed. It was then based at the WSR for two years before moving to the North Norfolk Railway.
80136
BR Standard Class 4 2-6-4T Brighton Works 2001-2008 Operational at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.
78/32678 Knowle
LB&SCR A1 Class 0-6-0T Brighton Works 1975 Operational at the Kent and East Sussex Railway.
2994 Vulcan
Bagnal 0-6-0ST W. G. Bagnall 1977-1986 Operational at the North Tyneside Railway.
2996 Victor
Bagnal 0-6-0ST W. G. Bagnall 1975-1989 Operational at the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway.

Diesel

Class or type Number & name On WSR Photograph Notes
British Rail Class 04 D2205 Currently at Peak Rail
British Rail Class 04 D2271 1982-2019 Moved to the South Devon Railway
British Rail Class 08 D3462 Currently based at the Mid Hants Railway
British Rail Class 25 D7532 John F Kennedy     -2011 Currently based at the Epping Ongar Railway
British Rail Class 42 D832 Onslaught 2008-2016 Returned to the East Lancashire Railway
Manchester Ship Canal DH16     -2015 Moved to the East Somerset Railway[70]

DMU

Coaches

Most trains are formed from British Rail Mark 1 coaches. Most used to be painted in a chocolate and cream livery based on the most familiar one used by the GWR but with WSR crests before 2016.[72][73] However from 2016, carmine and cream (or 'blood and custard') colours has been introduced for air braked stock, and newly painted chocolate and cream coaches appeared with British Railways emblems. Some coaches have been repainted in British Railways maroon since 2019.

Code Type Numbers Comments
TSO Tourist Second Open 042604260, 4419, 4435, 4449, 4599, 4660, 4884, 4909, 4911, 4956, 5002, 5024, 5025, 5030 All operational, 4419 being the most recent to enter service, doing so during 2015.
04884 4875, 4876, 4884 Converted by the WSR with some seating bays removed to carry wheelchairs.
RMB
(ex-TSO)
Miniature buffet
ex-Tourist Second Open
4346 4346, 4814, 4987 TSO coaches converted by the WSR with some bays removed for buffet space.
SK Second Corridor 24985, 25308, 25323
BSK Brake Second Corridor 35257
BCK Brake Composite Corridor 21174 Formerly part of the 'Quantock Belle' dining set and known as Phoenix, but now painted in BR Chocolate & Cream denamed and in usual traffic.
BSO Brake Second Open 092279227, 9278, 9380
BG Brake Gangway 80736 Converted by the WSR to carry up to 12 wheelchairs. It is also fitted with six seats and a toilet.

The 'Quantock Belle' dining train was re-painted in early 2020 from a Pullman-based livery to BR Maroon. Each coach was formerly named in Pullman car style prior to 2020:,[72] however upon the repaint all names were dropped.

Code Type Number Pre-2020 Name Comments
RMB Miniature Buffet 1804 Aries
RUB Restaurant Unclassified 1909 Orion
FO First Open 3108 Meteor
BSK Brake Second Corridor 35408 Jupiter

Work is underway to restore a set of Great Western Railway coaches for use on the railway. Among those that are restored, or likely to be in the next few years are:[74][75][76]

Style Code Type Number(s) Comments
Toplight CK Corridor Composite 7740
Toplight TK Third Corridor 2573, 3631, 3639, 3665, 3668 3668 is currently used as a camp coach for railway volunteers at Bishops Lydeard as is 2573 at Blue Anchor along with 3885 and 3980 which are not scheduled for restoration.[72]
Collett TK Third Corridor 4546, 4553, 4786, 5848, 5856, 5929
Toplight BCK Brake Composite Corridor 7538
Collett BCK Brake Composite Corridor 6705 Undergoing restoration at Williton[77]
Collett BTK Brake Third Corridor 5102, 5131
Clerestory Sleeper 9038 Restored, normally on display in the museum at Bishops Lydeard.[72]
Collett Auto coach 169 Undergoing restoration at Williton.[72]
Hawksworth GWR-design BR(W) Inspection Saloon W80976W Operational. Sometimes attached to Quantock Belle dining train or gala services, also used for private hire.

Goods wagons

SR (ex-LSWR) brake van and LNER wagon at Washford

Freight wagons are classified as either 'operational' for use in engineering trains, 'heritage' which are suitable for use in a demonstration heritage freight train that is used on special occasions, or 'museum' if only allowed to run short distances.[78]

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