Following yesterday’s announcement that Class 52 Western No. D1015 Western Champion would make a guest appearance at the West Somerset Railway‘s Summer Diesel Festival from Thursday, 5th to Saturday, 7th June, is the news that Class 45 No. 45108 will be making a welcome return to the railway.

45108 will be a familiar sight hauling trains between Minehead and Bishop’s Lydeard, as in the mid-1990s it was based on the West Somerset Railway.

With its BR Blue livery, 45108 will be a perfect complement to Western Champion.

Built at Crewe Works in 1961, 45108 was originally numbered D120 and based at Toton depot near Nottingham until withdrawn from service in 1987 and purchased for preservation under the care of Waterman Railways.

After restoration, it was repainted into BR Green and renumbered to its original BR number of D120.

In 2008, the Peak Locomotive Company took ownership of 45108 and is still a member of its fleet, being based at the Midland Railway – Butterley.

Class 45s are outwardly similar to the Class 44 and Class 46 diesel locomotives and informally known as ‘Peaks.

Ten Class 44s, 127 Class 45s, and 56 Class 46s were built, of which two Class 44s, 12 Class 45s, and three Class 46s have been preserved.

Until 1989, Class 45s were a familiar sight past the end of the West Somerset Railway at Fitwarren on the West of England main line as they were the mainstay of cross-country services from the southwest to Birmingham, Leeds and Newcastle until being replaced by Class 47s.

Plans for the festival are gathering pace, and there promises to be a wide selection of locomotives hauling trains. The railway is hoping that this year’s festival will repeat the resounding success of last year, with sales increasing by 10 per cent compared to the 2023 festival.

With an intensive train service and visitors being able to hop on and off as often as they like, the festival promises to be very busy.

There is also the added incentive that some trains will travel beyond Bishops Lydeard to Norton Fitzwarren, which is the very end of the West Somerset Railway where it meets the West of England main line.