HEADLINING an autumn steam gala on the West Somerset Railway (WSR) will be GWR Castle Class No.5029 Nunney Castle.

It will be Nunney Castle’s first visit to a preserved railway since returning to traffic earlier this year following a decade-long overhaul.

The gala, which is returning after a six-year gap, will run over the weekend of Friday to Sunday, October 17 to 19.

Nunney Castle, built in 1934 at Swindon Works, is an example of the hugely successful Castle Class, built to haul the Great Western Railway’s premier express trains from London to the Westcountry, Midlands, and Wales.

The locomotive was a staple of mainline operations until early 2015 when the engine was withdrawn for a comprehensive overhaul.

It is visiting West Somerset courtesy of Locomotive Services Ltd and will be in the colours of the GWR.

A WSR spokesperson said: “We cannot think of a better way to cap off Rail 200, with ‘Nunney’ joining the already announced, award-winning LSWR T3 No.563 at the return of our autumn steam gala.”

No.563 is making its debut visit to the WSR line courtesy of the Swanage Railway Trust after returning to steam in 2023 for the first time since 1948 following overhaul.

The gala is part of the national Railway 200 celebrations marking the bicentenary of the birth of the modern railway.

It will utilise the whole 22 miles of the heritage line with some trains continuing past Bishops Lydeard to Norton Fitzwarren, a stretch of the line which the WSR rarely uses for passenger trains.

The WSR’s spring steam festival was held in May and attracted thousands of visitors to the district.

The spokesperson said strong demand for tickets meant enthusiasts were strongly advised to book early for the October gala.

Tickets are available from the WSR website.