Railway Herald
S&DJR 7F 2-8-0 No. 53808 has just arrived at Watchet with the 10:15 from Bishops Lydeard, West Somerset Railway, on 31st March 2019 during the first weekend of operation after an extended winter closure. Pending the completion of track work at Blue Anchor, trains are not able to run through to Minehead and were worked top-and-tail with Class 33 No. D6566 due to the lack of a run-round loop at Watchet. WSR trains will continue to run top-and-tail on all timetabled running days until 19th April when the full steam services will commence running through to Minehead. During the first weekend a free vintage bus connection to Minehead was provided for WSR passengers, seen here crossing the footbridge to board 1950-built Bedford OB/Duple C29F MFM 39 from the Crosville fleet, owned by WSR Chairman Jon Jones-Pratt.
Tim Edmonds
