West Somerset Railway, Autumn Steam Gala 'GWR 175 - The Prelude', Saturday 03.10.09

The 2009 'Autumn Steam Gala' down at the West Somerset Railway was to be the first event to celebrate 175 years of the Great Western Railway in 2010.

This 'Prelude' event was to set the standard for 2010 and had 12 GWR designed engines in action, from the Mighty Express 'King' and 'Castle' classes down to the 'Small Prairies' and 'Heavy Freight' designs. Guests to the event were Dr. J.F. Kennedy's 4953 'Pitchford Hall and Jeremy Hoskins' 5029 'Nunney Castle' (both based at Tyseley), Pete Waterman's 5224 (currently working at the Watercress Line), 5542 (owned by 5542 Ltd. and currently working at the Gloucs. Warks. Railway), 6024 'King Edward I' (returning to the line after 'Torbay Express' duties) , 6695 (normally based on the Swanage Railway), 7802 'Bradley Manor' (owned by the 7812 'Erlestoke Manor' Fund and based at the Severn Valley Railway) and finally Dennis Howell's 9466.

The full line up was -

| GWR 2-8-0 2884 'Heavy Freight' Class number 3850
| BR(W) 4-6-0T 5101 'Large Prairie Tank' Class number 4160
| GWR 4-6-0 49xx 'Hall' Class number 4953 'Pitchford Hall'
| GWR 4-6-0 4073 'Castle' Class number 5029 'Nunney Castle'
| GWR 2-8-0T 5205 'Heavy Freight Tank' Class number 5224
| GWR 2-6-2T 4575 'Small Prairie Tank' Class number 5542
| GWR 2-6-2T 4575 'Small Prairie Tank' Class number 5553
| GWR 4-6-0 60xx 'King' Class number 6024 'King Edward I'
| GWR 0-6-2T 56xx 'Taffy Tank' Class number 6695
| GWR 4-6-0 78xx 'Manor' Class number 7802 'Bradley Manor'
| WSR 2-6-0 9351 'Mogul' Class number 9351
| BR(W) 0-6-0PT 94xx 'Large Pannier' Class number 9466
| Industrial 0-4-0ST 'Saddle Tank' number 1788 'Kilmersdon'

Please note that 9466 or 'Kilmersdon' do not feature in this video, but can be found in others of mine.


I attended this great gala with fellow GWR enthusiasts GJDobbzy, theonlyadsrulz & jakeyboygen, but I also did bump into bathboysteve towards the end of the day.

The plan jakeyboygen & I did -

0825 Bishops Lydeard-Minehead with 7802
1005 Minehead-Washford with 4160
1220 Washford-Stogumber with 4953
1313 Stogumber-Watchet with 5029 & 7802
1436 Watchet-Minehead with 3850
1730 Minehead-Bishops Lydeard with 5553 & 5542

It was a great gala and I really enjoyed myself, but this was only the Prelude....