Heritage Trust’s Next Projects

After languishing for a couple of years at the end of an inaccessible siding at Williton, Toplight 3639 has been brought out by Ryan and his team where it will be moved to a position where work can start on its restoration. The first batch of timber has already been bought. Toplight 3639 was an ambulance coach during the first world war.

Chris Austin has a little more information on our former ambulance coach, Toplight 3639, the research he has done on ambulance trains has been focused on those that went to France.

Those used in Britain did not work to fixed schedules but ran from Southampton to destinations as required. For example, one trip ran directly to Highclere on the Didcot, Newbury & Southampton lines, where Highclere House had been turned into a military hospital. Later it was to be the setting for Downton Abbey. Destinations in South Devon included Newton Abbott, Torre, Torquay, Paignton and Plymouth.

On the continent, the trains were a key part of the chain, which started with the field dressing trains on the front line. Movement by narrow-gauge train, lorry, bus or even mule was the link to the field hospitals set up further back. From the nearest point to the field hospitals, and sometimes under enemy shell fire, the ambulance trains then took wounded soldiers back to the larger hospitals in towns such as Amiens, Abbeville, Boulogne or Rouen, or direct to the ships at Boulogne or Le Havre. From there, hospital ships linked the French ports with Dover, Folkestone and Southampton and the British based ambulance trains took their patients to inland hospitals.

Tracing individual coaches is more difficult, as we have not been able to find any official record of the allocation of coaches to the individual ambulance trains once they were in army ownership. Toplight 3639 was originally built in 1908 and was converted to an ambulance coach in 1915. Based on the dates of conversion, we think it is quite likely that Toplight 3639 was allocated to Ambulance Train 19, and probably as a ward car, unfortunately, we cannot be sure.

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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

End

WSR Heritage Trust Gains Museum Accreditation

January 25, 2026

The Gauge Museum at Bishops Lydeard on the West Somerset Railway has been awarded Full Accreditation by the Arts Council. The Museum, which is run by the West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust, holds a wide range of artefacts which display and tell the story of the history and heritage of the West Somerset Railway and the Great Western Railway.

Administered by Arts Council England on behalf of the UK Accreditation Partnership, Accreditation is the benchmark for well-run Museums and Galleries.

It means that the Gauge Museum is properly managed and governed to the nationally agreed industry standard and shows the museum takes proper care of its collections, sharing them with visitors and keeping them safe for future generations.

Accreditation opens up exciting funding opportunities, allows museums to host touring exhibitions and gives access to professional advice and support. It also gives confidence to donors and sponsors who may wish to support the museum in preserving heritage and inspiring future generations

Steve Williams, Trust Vice Chairman and Trust Accreditation Lead said: “This is a fantastic outcome for the Trust and marks the combination of three years of hard work by a small and dedicated team of volunteers many of whom now make up our Museum Management Team. This means that the Trust is recognised as working to a high standard of Museum and collections management and care. We now have to ensure that we deliver to those standards and continue to make the Gauge Museum as welcoming and as interesting an experience for visitors and volunteers alike”.

Ian Camp, Trustee and Museum Curator said: “This achievement represents a significant milestone for our museum. The progress we have made is the result of the unwavering dedication and hard work of our team over the past several years. Their commitment has been instrumental in reaching this important point in our journey.

We would also like to extend our sincere gratitude to Rachel Bellamy, our Museum Development Officer, whose support and guidance have been invaluable throughout this process. Her expertise has helped steer us in the right direction and ensured that we met the necessary standards for accreditation.

Securing this recognition marks another important step towards fulfilling our vision of being a professional museum, managed and operated by a group of passionate and committed volunteers.”

Helen Anson, Trustee and Museum Professional Adviser said: “This is a defining moment for the Heritage Trust. By gaining accreditation we have demonstrated our deep commitment to our museums service, setting high standards in organisational health, collections care and management and visitor experience. The contribution from the whole team has been outstanding and their passion for embedding excellence across the organisation will ensure that we continue to build on this success over the coming years.”

Having gained Accreditation for the Gauge Museum, the Trust will in 2026 be pursuing a similar outcome for its other site at Blue Anchor station on the WSR which is now opened to visitors again following an extensive programme of refurbishment and reinterpretation.

West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust WSRHT