WELCOME
Welcome to the website of the West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust. The West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust Ltd is a charitable company established in 1972 and is one of the charities supporting the West Somerset Railway.
The Gauge Museum is based at Bishops Lydeard station, which is the Heritage Trust’s headquarters. The museum is based in the former GWR goods shed and has recently completed a significant refurbishment and aims to show the history of railways in the West Country and the WSR, in particular.



Support the heritage trust
How to help
Your contribution helps the Heritage Trust achieve its Aims and Objectives. Without your support the renovations, preserving of heritage artefacts, and the educational teachings of the railway could not happen.
Through your help by visiting our museums, artefacts and rolling stock, subscribing to our twice-a-year newsletter, or being a member.
Newsletter
Newsletters are issued at intervals of roughly six months. Each publication features an update on progress in different Heritage Trust Projects and updates from the Board of Trustees and the Trust’s Chairman.
Click below to add your name to the subscription list and to see archive newsletter publications.
Membership
Being a Heritage Trust member provides plenty of benefits.
If you are interested in being a member, please click below to read more information about the benefits and how you can donate.
Volunteer
with us!
Yes, of course, it is. We can take anybody from the age of fourteen right the way into late adulthood. Many of our volunteers are retired, but the younger generation has supported the volunteering effort to advance their life skills over the years.
We are fortunate to have many exciting volunteering roles on offer, catering for a diverse range of abilities, skills and strengths.
Roles include museum stewardship, education support, model railway operating, restoration volunteer and fundraising assistance.
Do come and visit us face-to-face if you are interested in supporting us. We will then direct you to fill in an ‘Expressions of Interest Form’ to be processed centrally at Minehead Station.
Alternatively, email volunteers@wsrail.net.
We are committed to ensuring ‘Trackers’, the young volunteer’ scheme, are safe and surrounded in a well-established environment whilst undertaking any form of volunteering. The Trust and the wider WSR is heavily compliant with GDPR, safeguarding and DBS requirements. Please contact us if you require more information on this.
We are passionately supportive of understanding each person and work commitments. The majority of our volunteers are retired and help on any day they can, whereas others are students or work full-time jobs and are only available during school holidays and weekends. Discuss with us more if unsure.