West Somerset Railway Spring Steam Spectacular 2025

West Somerset Railway kicks off their 2025's season with a steam gala, titled Spring Steam Spectacular hosted up to 10 locos in steam on an special timetable using mixture of passengers and freight trains, running on express, local and semi fast workings alongside double heading and top and tail movements including the branch down to Norton Fitzwarren using the triangle and the turntable at Minehead using most trains running chimney first.

The loco lineup was rather interesting formed from the great western to the midlands to a small tank from Southern forming of new visitors to the line to the long term visitors.

Loco lineup follows:-

LMS Jubilee class 4-6-0 no.45596 Bahamas
LBSCR Terrier A1 class 0-6-0T no.72 Fenchurch
Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Aspinall class 23 0-6-0st no.11456
GWR Saint class 4-6-0 no.2999 Lady of Legend running as for the event only after a public vote on social media was no.2986 Robin Hood
GWR 2800 class 2-8-0 no.2807
GWR 5600 class 0-6-2T no.6695
GWR 7800 Manor class no.7812 Erlestoke Manor
GWR/WSR Mogul 2-6-0 no.9351
Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T no.1857
Andrew Barclay Fireless 0-4-0 no.1984 Boots No.1 - only shunting demos at Minehead.

A return of Blue Anchor - Minehead shuttles was under taking with 72 Fenchurch, 11456 and the first time running an WSR train was Hudswell Clarke 1857.

Another celebration at the gala was a return to service was GWR Collett brake corrider no.6705 returns to traffic after a lengthy restoration with that fellow GWR Collett corrider third no.1086 visiting from Severn Valley Railway.

All filmed on the 4 days of the gala between 2nd - 5th May with wall to wall Sunshine on the first three days with a cloudier feel on the last day, the gala wasn't without its problems with major lineside fires causes the timetable to be changed with Taff tank 6695 failing on the 3rd day of the gala.

Enjoy!