THE full line-up of locomotives has been revealed for next months’s spring steam gala on the West Somerset Railway (WSR).

The 10-strong roster for the May 2 to 5 steam spectacular was completed by Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Aspinall Class 23 0-6-0 Saddle Tank no.11456, which is making its first appearance on the line.

The engine was built by Beyer Peacock in 1881 and originally out shopped as an 0-6-0 tender before being rebuilt in 1896 in her current form to an Aspinall design.

It was bought for preservation from the National Coal Board (NCB) in 1967 and entered traffic in early 2020 at the East Lancs Railway after a long overhaul.

No 11456 will also be the first Lancashire and Yorkshire engine to visit the WSR in preservation, presenting a unique sight with the gala’s other Victorian locomotive, Terrier 0-6-0 no.72 ‘Fenchurch’.

Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T no.1857 will be one of 10 steam locomotives taking part in this year's spring gala on the West Somerset Railway. PHOTO: Mike Lanning.
Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T no.1857 will be one of 10 steam locomotives taking part in this year's spring gala on the West Somerset Railway. PHOTO: Mike Lanning. ( )

She is expected to share ‘local’ train duties with the Terrier, including some double-headed and top and tail trips.

Another visiting locomotive will be Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T no.1857, courtesy of owner Martin Atkins and custodian Ryan Pope, which will be in steam on all four days of the gala.

Built in 1952, the engine spent its entire life working at an NCB colliery near Barnsley before entering preservation in the late 1980s.

The engine was restored at the WSR restorations site, in Williton, and for the past few years has worked the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway.

The locomotive will work as a Minehead Station pilot on all four gala days and will work some passenger trains on the Saturday.

GWR ‘Saint’ Class 4-6-0 no.2999 ‘Lady of Legend’ will be returning to the WSR to join the home fleet in operating normal services from mid-April to August and will also star in the gala.

GWR 2900 4-6-0 no.2999 ‘Lady of Legend’ will be running some regular West Somerset Railway services as well as visiting for the spring steam gala. PHOTO: Mike Lanning.
GWR 2900 4-6-0 no.2999 ‘Lady of Legend’ will be running some regular West Somerset Railway services as well as visiting for the spring steam gala. PHOTO: Mike Lanning. ( )

The project to construct a GWR Saint fully began in 1995 when donor locomotive 4942 ‘Maindy Hall’ was dismantled and comprehensively rebuilt into her current form.

Courtesy of the Great Western Society and Didcot Railway Centre, she was last seen on the WSR line in the gala of 2023.

The gala’s full steam locomotive line-up is:

  • LMS Jubilee 4-6-0 no.45596 ‘Bahamas’
  • GWR 2800 2-8-0 no.2807
  • GWR 2900 4-6-0 no.2999 ‘Lady of Legend’
  • LBSCR A1 ‘Terrier’ 0-6-0 no.72 ‘Fenchurch’
  • LYR Aspinall Class 23 0-6-0 Saddle Tank no.11456
  • GWR 6600 0-6-2T no.6695
  • Hudswell Clark 0-6-0T no.1857
  • WSR Mogul 2-6-0 no.9351
  • GWR 7800 Manor no.7812 ‘Erlestoke Manor’
  • BR(W) 7800 Manor no.7828 ‘Odney Manor’, subject to return from repairs in time
  • Andrew Barclay Fireless 0-4-0 no.1984 ‘Boots No.1’, subject to completion and testing

A WSR spokesperson said: “We now have LMS, SR, GWR and industrial locomotives big and small in our line-up, so there will be something for all tastes this year at the spring steam spectacular.

“We really do have a packed and varied locomotive line up for our headline Railway 200 event.”

Tickets for the spring spectacular can be booked via the WSR website.