Latest Images:

Taunton Area Page Updates

Banklands has been updated 10th April 2016
Cogload Junction has been updated 10th April 2016
​Norton Fitzwarren has been updated 10th April 2016

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West Somerset Railway - Spring Steam Gala - March 2016

​The first weekend of the West Somerset Railway 2016 Spring Steam Gala took place on the 5th and 6th March coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the closure of the Somerset and Dorset route. The S&D theme for the gala rejuvenated the memories of the line by using locomotive types which once operated over the route. No less than six visiting locomotives were bought in to boost the variety of traction on offer. The lineup will featured the return of the Somerset and Dorset 7F No.53808 fresh from overhaul which will joined with sister locomotive No.53809. Also visiting the line will be BR Standard 4MT Tank No. 80072 (which operated as 80043), SR West Country No. 34070 'Manston', SR Rebuilt West Country No. 34053 'Sir Keith Park' & British Railways 9F No. 92214 and LMS 4F No.44422 (which is now part of the WSR home fleet). 

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Taunton Area Page Updates

Creech St Michael has been updated 31st January 2016
Cogload Junction has been updated 21st January 2016
​Norton Fitzwarren has been updated 21st January 2016

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Taunton Area Page Updates

Banklands Page has been updated on the 11th January 2016
Obridge & Bathpool page has been added on 11th January 2016

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General Update to all Image Galleries
A General update of all Image Galleries has been completed on the 10th January 2016.
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Creech St Michael, & Whiteball 
Images for Creech St Michael, and Whiteball have been updated on the 4th July 2015

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West Somerset Railway - Mixed Traffic Event June 2015

As the last crankshaft makes its final rotation and the final exhaust note falls silent, the curtain falls on the challenging 2015 Mixed Traffic Weekend. The three day gala event saw the DEPG home fleet locos joined by visitors Class 45 No.45060 'Sherwood Forester', Class 56 No.56006, and GBRf repatriated Class 59 No.59003 'Yeoman Highlander'. Each day had its own particular challenges, after the failure of 56006 on Saturday with fuel starvation, caused by clogged filters on Saturday, and then the failure of 45060 on the Sunday, it was left to the WSR home fleet locos and GBRf Class 59 to fill in the gaps. The event seemed well supported helped by three days of good weather, the best day for warmth and good light being the Sunday, which no doubt bought people out to the line

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Taunton Concrete Works

The Taunton Concrete Works was a large user of the railways. Until privatisation the concrete works produced a wide range of products for use on the railways. Fence Posts, Platelayers Huts, Bridge sections, Platform components were all items produced at the plant. The origins of the plant go back to the 1900's when two railway employees were asked to make paving slabs for the railway. The concept grew over many years to eventually house over 80 workers producing concrete products for the Western Region.
Until now there are few photos on Taunton Trains covering the operations of the plant, probably because of its location in being positioned away from the mainlines. Gated entrances would of prevented many people from capturing images of the rail operations.

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Whiteball Tunnel Engineering

On the 4th February 2014 the railway media were invited to attend Whiteball Tunnel with Network Rail where since the 18th January 2014, Network Rail has been embarking on a complicated project to carry out works to repair Whiteball Tunnel with Amco Rail. The 1000m long tunnel  built in 1842 straddles the Somerset/ Devon boarder and is located between Taunton and Tiverton. To prevent potential brick fall the tunnel lining had previously been relined with a RamArch wire mesh system two years ago;  during this closure a new concrete lining has been applied to the worst areas and main crownbrick arch to prevent future deterioration of the tunnel, and improve safety. Work has also been carried out to improve water drainage and embankment stability on both the Taunton and Exeter sides of the tunnel.