The recent successful bid by the West Somerset Steam Railway Trust resulted in an award of £28,700 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s (NLHF) ‘Heritage Emergency Fund’. This will allow the Trust to be Covid-19 secure when it is able to reopen the museums to the public again, and also to resume work on carriage restoration and protect historic vehicles.

Some Trust volunteers were at Williton on 9 September 2020 to resume work on carriage restoration again after an enforced absence of six months. One of their first tasks, using money secured from the NLHF’s ‘Heritage Emergency Fund’ is to provide or replace covers on the coaches awaiting long-term restoration, and which will protect them for the future.

The top picture shows volunteer Ray Clack clearing cut weeds that were growing up to the solebar of the coaches.  The wind-torn cover on the Collett Bow-ended coach (TK 4546) shows the urgent need for the new covers for which funding has now been secured by the Steam Trust.   And the picture below shows old comrades reunited.  After six months, Steam Trust volunteers catch up with the news on their first day back at Williton.  From right to left, Ray Clack, Roger Legg and John Waters  in the background and Ronnie Wainhouse. Pictures taken by Chris Austin.