THE final visiting locomotive has been announced for the West Somerset Railway’s (WSR) extended summer diesel festival this year.

Class 25 No. 25185 will run on the WSR line between Minehead and Bishops Lydeard next month by courtesy of South Devon Diesel Traction.

It will join previously announced visitors Class 45 No. 45108, Class 50 No. 50015 ‘Valiant’, and Class 52 No. D1015 ‘Western Champion’.

The ‘annual celebration of all things diesel’ will run from Thursday, June 5, to Saturday, June 7, with an extra mixed traction day added on Sunday, June 8, when a mix of steam and diesel locomotives will be hauling passenger trains.

A WSR spokesperson said: “An intensive timetable will be operating on all four days allowing you to hop from train to train to travel behind all your favourite locomotives and enjoy a truly ‘thrashtastic’ day behind some of the best heritage diesel traction available.

“Some trains will continue past Bishops Lydeard and run to the very end of our line at Norton Fitzwarren, utilising a stretch of the line that is very rarely used for passenger trains.”

The spokesperson said the event was particularly special this year as it was a major part of the WSR’s contribution to the national Railway 200 celebrations, marking the 200th anniversary of the modern railway.

They said: “We will be representing the Western Region, with a selection of locomotive types that could have been seen on the Western Region, or for that matter in the Westcountry.

“The weekend will feature a wide selection of locomotives, including visiting and home fleet locomotives which are looked after by the Diesel and Electric Preservation Group, (DEPG) at Williton.

“All locomotives and attractions are subject to availability and may be changed at short notice.”

The WSR is promising an intensive ‘high mileage’ timetable on all four festival days, with all 23 miles of the route in operation.

The mix of visiting and home locomotives will include both diesel electric and diesel hydraulic engines, and there will be a pairing of diesel hydraulics.

And for the first time, the WSR will be utilising spare timetable paths for passengers to experience the front seat views from one of its heritage goods brake vans.

The Williton depot centre of the DEPG will be open during the event with admission by donation to help the group to maintain and restore its fleet of vintage machines.

On the Saturday and Sunday there will also be a cider festival taking place on Minehead Station.

Diesel festival tickets can be pre-booked at a discounted advance rate online.

The WSR is offering its popular ‘Kids for a Quid’ ticket deal on the Sunday for pre-booked passengers.

It will be a month since the end of this year’s hugely successful WSR spring steam gala, and this year also sees the return of an autumn steam weekend, starring LSWR 4-4-0 T3 no.563 and further guest locomotives still to be confirmed.

The autumn steam event will run from Friday, October 17, to Sunday, October 19.