The West Somerset Railway is celebrating the success of three weekend events during the month of September.

After the school holidays had finished, and following August’s ‘Diesels at 65’ event, the Railway ran three September weekend events along its line from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead.

On Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September, it hosted its annual 1940s Weekend. Passengers travelled to stations along the route to sample the 1940s-inspired features at each.

Station volunteers delivered and supported displays and entertainment, which included a Saturday evening dance in the large area beneath the canopy at Minehead station.

The following weekend, on Saturday 19 September, the Railway welcomed three special trains which had come from the mainline network. The first was a visit by the luxury train, the Belmond Britannic Explorer, which has previously visited Somerset and Wales.

Leaving London Victoria on Friday afternoons, the Explorer travels to the West Somerset Railway and stables there overnight before travelling on to Penzance on Saturday morning.

The second mainline visitor was a Railway Touring Company excursion from Paddington. Originally planned to be hauled by a steam loco, the excursion was instead top and tailed by two Class 47 diesels, 47237 and 47828, operated by West Coast Railways.

The third special working travelled to West Somerset from Bristol. Headed by the legendary locomotive the Flying Scotsman, the excursion was organised by Fox and Edwards.

Tickets sold out, and the Gresley A3 Pacific brought a full train into Minehead and attracted lots of people to the station and lineside to watch it pass. Flying Scotsman’s engine and tender are too big to turn on the turntable at Minehead, so the train departed with the loco travelling tender first at the rear.

It was headed by Class 37 diesel 37240 as far as the turning triangle at Norton Fitzwarren, where it was able to change its arrangement to allow steam to haul it back to Bristol Temple Meads.

Last weekend (Friday 25 through to Sunday 25 September), the Railway hosted its Autumn Steam Weekend.

Ten steam locomotives worked trains at the event, including guests: Ivatt 2MT 41313, Great Western “Large Prairie” 4110 and London and North Western Railway “Coal Tank” 1054.

The railway will be running until November, before it begins its festive trains. Further information on their festive plans can be found on their website or on our events tab.