WEST Somerset Railway (WSR) turned back the clock 50 years on Saturday (March 28) to recreate the first-ever journey on the heritage line using the original locomotive from 1976.

WSR leased the line from Somerset County Council in 1976 after it had been closed by British Rail in 1971 following the Beeching Report recommendations.

The first heritage service was a round trip from Minehead to Blue Anchor on March 28, 1976, behind the shunting engine ‘Victor’, which returned on Saturday at 75 years old as the star of a golden jubilee weekend.

‘Victor’ left Minehead at 10 am after being welcomed back by Chris Austin, formerly WSR plc chairman and now president of the West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust.

The locomotive was driven by Ray Lee, whose late father Harry was on the inaugural first train.

‘Victor’ carried lamps and discs which had been used when it previously worked the line from 1976 to the mid-1980s.

Deputy general manager Seb Welsh’s late mother had originally created the festive bunting carried by the train in 1976 and which was copied for the jubilee weekend.

Further privately owned items which were returned for the occasion were the wooden nameplates carried by Great Western Railway 0-6-0 pannier tank 6412 when the engine, then owned by the West Somerset Railway Association (WSRA), starred as ‘The Flockton Flyer’ in a 1970s children’s television series.

Two other steam locomotives were at work during the jubilee weekend - GWR 7812 ‘Erlestoke Manor’ and ‘Mogul’ 9351, the latter besporting British Railway’s lined black livery.

The repaint, carried out by young volunteers at Minehead during the winter, will feature on 9351 until withdrawal for its forthcoming 10-year overhaul.

Also on display at Minehead, and later in action, was ‘Hymek’ diesel hydraulic D7017.

This was the first locomotive to be purchased by the Diesel and Electric Preservation Group, whose Williton Depot was open to the public on both days.

‘Victor’ hauled a train to Bishops Lydeard at the end of Saturday and began Sunday by working a short freight train to Minehead.

As a nod to its original place of work at the Steel Company of Wales, in Port Talbot, the engine was heading two wagons loaded with steel rails.

The stations along the line were busy throughout the weekend.

Saturday’s sunshine saw visitors enjoying refreshments in the station garden at Stogumber and the WSRA had a membership stand at Minehead Station where visitors could donate toward the overhaul of British Railways 80064.

The ‘Heritage Carriages’ project was also showcased, as was the restored Victorian sleeping car in the museum at Bishops Lydeard.

Quantock Brewery, which is a close neighbour of the WSR at Bishops Lydeard, produced a special bitter beer to mark the anniversary which was for sale in the buffet cars of trains.

The WSR will be running trains on selected dates from Good Friday to the start of November.

More details are available on the WSR’s website or an information leaflet can be obtained by calling 01643 704996.