WEST Somerset Railway’s special trains – which have brought up to 1,000 visitors to the iconic Dunster by Candlelight celebrations for the past two decades – will not be stopping at the village station this year.

In a surprise move which has puzzled and dismayed local railway staff, the five steam trains scheduled to bring visitors to the magical event on Friday and Saturday, December 4 and 5, will now run non-stop from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead.

There, passengers will be transferred to shuttle buses for the rest of their journey and returned to Minehead for the trip home.

It will be the first time in nearly 20 years that Candlelight specials have not stopped at Dunster.

According to Colin Howard, WSR’s acting head of commercial services, the railway has taken this step at the request of the event’s organising committee, following police advice that there were concerns about the safety of walkers on the three-quarter-mile route from the station to the village.

The police view was that it was not adequately lit and there could be problems with surfaces of road and pathways.

“Technically our responsibility ends at the gates of Dunster station,” Mr Howard said.

“But obviously we will do all we can to co-operate when matters of health and safety are involved

“In the past we have always advised passengers to take torches on the walk to the village – which has become an integral part of the event – and I have never heard of any safety problems in all the years we have been running trains to the event.

“The staff of Dunster station are obviously very disappointed – the Candlelight weekends are very special to them – and we are hoping that the situation can be resolved in time for next year.”

The route from station to village involves a short stretch of road which leads into the Jubilee Walk footpath and into Dunster via the A39 underpass. Residents say it takes 15 to 20 minutes and normally there is little traffic around at night.

A longtime railway volunteer who asked not to be named, said: “A lot of people say the walk up to the village is part of the enjoyment of the evening and we have never heard of anyone having safety problems.

“For Dunster station staff it is one of the biggest events of the year and they are really sad about losing it without a full reason being given.

“The more buses are used, the worse the congestion gets. Parking is also a major problem so it seems crazy not to let the trains take the strain.

“People can be queuing for buses for over half an hour and have told us that they are worried that if buses are delayed they could miss their train home. No-one seems to understand why it has been necessary to change something that has worked so well for so long.

“There are dark bits on the way up to the village but we always tell people that if they’re worried they should bring a torch.”

It is understood that a meeting involving the police, the organisers and the railway will take place in two weeks’ time in the hope of resolving the situation.

Mr Howard confirmed: “Discussions are still taking place and the situation is under review, but maybe it is now too late to change anything for this year.”

Andy Faye, chairman of the Dunster organising committee, and Anne Perryman, Candlelight co-ordinator, were both unavailable for comment.