WEST Somerset will go into an 80-year time-warp next weekend, turning back the clock to recreate the Dad’s Army decade of the 1940s as part of a feast of nostalgia expected to attract thousands of visitors to towns and villages along the West Somerset Railway line.

The West Somerset 194Os Weekend will be back - bigger and better than ever on September 10 and 11. “Despite all the national and international problems, enthusiasm for the event is as high as ever and we have numerous new events and entertainment,” said organiser Robin Wichard, who dreamed up the nostalgia weekend in 2018.

“This year we are concentrating on a smaller section of the line between Minehead and Stogumber with more events at Dunster and regular shuttles between venues to allow people to move around easily and see more attractions.”

A highlight of the weekend will be the number of VIPs riding the trains, including lookalikes King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and their daughter Princess Elizabeth in her services uniform - and not forgetting previous favourite visitors Laurel and Hardy.

On both days there will be a special timetable of trains to make it easier for visitors to access all parts of the event. The replica military camps and the historic 1940s vehicles will be located outside Dunster station and there will be a special diesel shuttle train service between Minehead and Dunster stations.

At Minehead station there will be a variety of live entertainment and other attractions. Saturday evening will see a return of the popular platform dance, which this year features the Liberty Sisters and Johnny Victory.

Watchet station will remain the centre of displays of the home front with live music on Watchet station and in the town, and a vintage fair on Watchet Esplanade.

There will also be other displays at various stations along the line between Minehead and Bishops Lydeard. The no 28 bus will connect Bishops Lydeard station with Taunton railway station and town.

Visitors are warned that “Viv the Spiv” will be offering a wide range of “knocked off goods” which he says are not actually stolen, but just not yet paid for!

West Somerset Railway general manager, Kerry Noble, said: “The 1940s event is one of the most popular of our annual events, and we are delighted that it is back again, this year in a new and expanded form.

“The event is not just for the military historian and specialist - for whom there is much to see - but also for general interest. Above all, it is a fun event for all the family, giving a glimpse of what life was like in the 1940s.

“With a full service of steam trains, this promises to be an exciting weekend on the West Somerset Railway.”

More details can be found at www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/events/detail/forties-weekend