The West Somerset Railway are absolutely delighted with the success of their first passenger-carrying service in more than two years to run from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead. Big crowds waiting on the station platform cheered as the steam locomotive pulled into Minrehead with its train of crowded carriages at the week-end (19 March 2022).
Three trains will also run in each direction next week-end (26/27 March 2022), and the popular ‘Quantock Belle’ first-class dining carriages will provide a Mothers’ Day lunch on Sunday, for which tickets are still available.
The next big event then is the official ‘Return to Minehead’ ceremony on 02/03 April 2022, with VIPs invited to help celebrate the re-opening of the resort’s Seaward Way level crossing, back in use after many months of modernisation work to install new barriers and lights, which then needed emergency repairs after being badly damaged by Storm Eunice.
The Watchet Town Band will play during the opening ceremony, and groups from the WSR as well as a number of local charities and organisations will be staging displays and stalls on the station platforms.
Other attractions throughout the week-end will include children’s entertainment, live music, vintage bus rides around Minehead and guided tours of the engine shed.’
There was a fantastic buzz of excitement and enthusiasm not just at Minehead but at all our stations along the line. It really was an extremely successful week-end, and it was so nice to see the trains being very busy with many hundreds of passengers. It was a really good start to our season.
