The Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway by Wickham Trolley

Watch the return journey to Midsomer Norton via their amazing and quirky Wickham trolley.

This was a fun experience to have and for only £5 a ticket it’s great value for money.

I hope you enjoy this video

Filmed: Wednesday 30th July 2025

S&DJR website: https://sdjr.co.uk/

About B40W (from the railways website):

Works No. 7504

Order - 61682

Type 27A Mk III

Original Engine – Ford 10hp Industrial
Current engine – Reliant Robin

Original Engine No. C902628

Shipped from D Wickham & Co. Ltd – 9th October 1956

Delivered to – BR Western Region, Oxford

It has carried the following running numbers:

B 40 W

PWM 4301

TR18

DX68055

Described by the manufacturers Wickham of Ware in Hertfordshire ‘ The Type 27A provides comfortable and fast transport for officials and engineers, whilst the excellent forward view and four speed gearbox make it ideal for its primary task of track inspection’. When outshopped from the works it carried BR maroon but certainly by the time it was renumbered TR18 it had been repainted yellow possibly during the 1970’s when this colour came into vogue with on track plant.

B40W was subsequently allocated to Afon Wen, Borth, Machynlleth & Aberystwyth.

The Type 27A Wickham was no stranger to the S&D, indeed the last railway vehicle to be removed from Evercreech Junction was once of these trolleys.

After many years service with BR it was sold from Bangor to the Narrow Gauge Railway Centre of North Wales, Gloddfa Ganol, Blaenau Ffestiniog – August 1986.

It and another Wickham Trolley, works No. 7505 were stored at a Concrete Works in Nuneaton.

In late 2011 B40W was bought by a gentleman in Dorset and moved there, but was essentially used as a source of spares for another Type 27A that he was restoring.

In 2016 a group of working volunteers clubbed together to purchase the dismantled remains of B40W and it arrived at Midsomer Norton.

Restoration was fitted in around other restoration projects but 2019 saw B40W return to traffic and now looks resplendent in its 1950’s BR condition.