Chris Austin Appointed Heritage Trust President

The West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust is delighted to announce that Chris Austin OBE has accepted the role of President of the Trust. This is an honorary appointment. Chris succeeds Lady Elizabeth Gass who has stepped down from the role on health grounds.

Chris Austin has been a volunteer on the West Somerset Railway for 35 years and a member of the Trust for 14. He is a retired railwayman, actively engaged as a volunteer with a number of railway groups. He is currently secretary of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Heritage Rail, past Chairman of the Heritage Trust and a former PLC Chairman. He is a member and past president of the Retired Railway Officers’ Society and a member of the Avocet Line Rail User Group in Devon.

He retired in February, 2009 as Head of Public Affairs for the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC), after a railway career of 42 years. Prior to this, he was an Executive Director with the Strategic Rail Authority, responsible for producing the Government’s policy on Community Rail Development. In retirement he was a Board Member of the Association of Community Rail Partnerships until March 2016. He worked for British Rail for thirty years, finishing as the Board’s Director of Policy and Parliamentary Affairs.

Together with Lord Faulkner of Worcester, he has written two books on the social and political history of rail closures (Holding the Line, 2012 and Disconnected! Broken Links in Britain’s Rail Policy in 2015.)

He holds a Master of Arts degree from Cambridge University, is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and was awarded the OBE in 2006 for services to the railway industry. In 2017 he was given a special contribution award by the West Somerset Railway on completing 30 years service as a volunteer, and in 2018, was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Association of Community Rail Partnerships.

“We are delighted that Chris has agreed to become our next President and thank Lady Gass as our outgoing President for her invaluable support of the Trust over many years. Chris’s nomination received overwhelming support from the Board and he comes with a huge pedigree in the railway heritage world. He is widely respected across the WSR and the wider railway community, even reaching into Parliamentary circles with his participation in the All-Party Group. His work and influence supporting the Trust over many years is probably unparalleled in our history and I know he will continue to bring huge credibility and respect to the charity as our next President“.

Heritage Trust Chairman, Mike Thompson

“It is an honour to take over the mantle from Lady Gass whose great great-grandfather was the founder and first chairman of the railway. I’m excited to be taking on the role at the time when the Trust has become more effective in its support for the West Somerset Railway, reaching out to schools and families, providing a museum worthy of the railway and making a start on the huge task of restoring its historic coaches. I shall continue as a museum steward and with carriage restoration, working with the great group of volunteers who, together with the Trustees, provide a better experience for the railways visitors”.

Chris Austin

For further information please contact Steve Williams, Company Secretary at steve@williamsemail.uk or 07748-637209

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Learning and Education Officer

July 29, 2026

WEST SOMERSET RAILWAY HERITAGE TRUST

LEARNING AND EDUCATION OFFICER

We are seeking a professional and experienced person to fill this key role within the WSR Heritage Trust. This is a flexible [12 hours per week] paid role, based at WSR Bishops Lydeard Station.

This exciting role embraces developing and administering: the Schools Programme engaging with younger learners; the Families Offer of family focussed activities and events related to our museums; and developing the Outdoor Offer for community learning at our locations.

You will lead, develop and manage a small volunteer learning team, to optimise our programme and activity delivery.

Reporting to the Vice Chairman/Company Secretary, you will have a professional and policy link to the Trustee – Museum Collections and Learning and close working with the Museum Curator. You will provide regular reports to the Trust Board and contribute to the Trust Newsletter and the Learning and Education Programme.

Applicants should be suitably qualified with a degree or equivalent, or work experience in Teaching and Learning; knowledge of KS1/2 History and Science, together with experience of delivering learning programmes, and extensive IT skills.

The postholder should have strong leadership and organisational skills and communicate effectively at all levels.

Please contact john.robinson@wsrht.co.uk for further details and an information pack. Completed application forms together with a CV should be forwarded to him by not later than 17 August 2026. For an informal discussion about the role then please contact Steve Williams Vice Chairman and Company Secretary either on 07748-637209 or email steve@williamsemail.uk.

West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust Registered Charity No. 265564 Registered Office: The Railway Station, Bishops Lydeard Taunton, Somerset. TA4 3BX

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Join us as a Museum Volunteer.

May 6, 2026

WEST SOMERSET RAILWAY HERITAGE TRUST

DO YOU:

Love a bit of history?

Enjoy chatting to people?

Happy to work with children and families?

Keen on the WSR and its heritage?

If you’ve nodded “yes” to any of the above, we’d love you to join us as a museum volunteer.

Gauge Museum at Blue Anchor

We’re looking for volunteer stewards for the Gauge Museum at Blue Anchor Station on running days during the school holidays and for special events.

You’ll have an induction period alongside a mentor, and we’re very happy to arrange part-day shifts.

The role is simple: welcome visitors, share a little about the museum, and work alongside the station staff.

Interested (or just curious)? Please email Ian Camp (Curator) via info@wsrht.co.uk and put “Blue Anchor stewarding” in the subject line.

Fancy getting involved over at Bishops Lydeard?

We’re on the lookout for more friendly faces to join our team, especially as the museum is getting bigger and busier these days!

If Bishops Lydeard sounds like your kind of place, just drop us a line using the same email, but pop “Bishops Lydeard stewarding” in the subject so we know what you’re after!

And don’t forget – you can always support the WSRHT by becoming a member. Just ping us at info@wsrht.co.uk and pop “membership” in the subject line.

Keep up with what we’re doing, follow the Trust on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/TheHeritageTrust

WSR Heritage Trust Appointment of Trust Fundraiser

May 6, 2026

The Trust has appointed Jessica Rundle as its new volunteer Fundraiser. Jess is an existing Trust volunteer working in both the Gauge Museum and within the Education and Learning team. She is an Occupational Therapist by profession and is currently a Service Manager with Somerset Council. Her experience in report writing and business case development together with the networking and engagement required provides the right skill set for this role. The Trust has an ambitious capital programme within its recently updated Business Plan and raising external funds will be crucial to enabling the charity to achieve its medium-term business objectives.

Steve Williams Trust Vice Chairman and Company Secretary said “I’m delighted that Jess has agreed to take up this role. She has an impressive CV and is already familiar with the Trust and its work. I have no doubt that she will be a valuable asset in enabling us to source a wide range of external funding to complement the investment that the Trust intends to make in future projects”.

Jess Rundle said “ Bishops Lydeard station was one of the first places I stumbled across after moving to Somerset a couple years ago and I was quickly welcomed into the committed team of volunteers in to the Gauge museum. For me there is nothing better than watching a steam train in action – it brings relaxation and stimulation in equal measure! I know so many aspects of West Somerset heritage railway brings equal joy to so many others and so I’m delighted to be supporting with the fundraising programme.”

The appointment commences from 1st May. This is a part-time role reporting to the Vice Chairman.

For further details please contact Steve Williams at steve@williamsemail.uk or on 07748-637209

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