The West Somerset Railway Association (WSRA) has given an update on progress with overhauling locomotives and carriages in its care.

Next year will be 50 years since March 28th 1976, when steam trains started running between Minehead and Blue Anchor on the preservation line that became the West Somerset Railway, just five years after British Rail withdrew services between Taunton and Minehead.

After being formed, the West Somerset Railway Association, the railway’s largest support group, started work before trains started running on the line, and purchased three locomotives from Woodham’s scrapyard in Barry that could be restored for use on the line.

These were Great Western Railway Small Prairie tank engines, numbers 4561, 5521 and 5542, although 5521 and 5542 were later sold for new working lives elsewhere.

4561 eventually returned to service on the West Somerset Railway, and made an appearance in the feature film The Land Girls and an episode of Miss Marple, where it was turned, still in steam, on the Bishops Lydeard bypass.

The WSRA is funding the overhaul of 4561, with the boiler being overhauled in the workshops of Ian Riley and Son in Bury, and new water tanks being constructed in Minehead following the original engineering drawings from when the engine was built at Swindon. The frames, cylinders, wheels, and motion are being overhauled in the workshops at Williton. None of these working areas is open to the public.

The Association also owns ten British Railways Mk.1 carriages that are over 50 years old and require overhauling. As the workshops of the West Somerset Railway are full with other work, carriage number 5024 has been sent for overhaul by Cranmore Traincare Maintenance Services at the East Somerset Railway.

That work will include renovation of body panels, corridor gangway assemblies, flooring in the vestibule and toilet, and the frame around the passenger door. Four other carriages will be used in the “Quantock Belle” dining car set operating during the programme of Festive Trains in December.

After the overhaul of 4561 is complete, work will move on to the overhaul of two other WSRA locomotives, British Railways Standard 4MT 80064 and 7821 Ditcheat Manor.

Williton works is currently assisting Worcester Locomotive Society in the overhaul of Kitson 0-6–0 saddle tank Carnarvon. In August, the West Somerset Railway celebrated 50 years since two Hymeks were saved for preservation.