West Somerset Railway – 30 Years of Galas

West Somerset Railway
30 Years of galas 1996-2026
1996 Spring Steam Gala The railways first gala was held over 8-10 March 1996 to
commemorate 30 years since the closure of the Somerset and Dorset Railway in March
1966. Visiting the railway were 34039 Boscastle, 34105 Swanage, 44422, 73096 and 7802
Bradley Manor.joining the home fleet of 53808 and 7828 Odney Manor.
2003 Spring Steam Gala The 2003 Spring Steam Gala over 28-30 March saw a number
of guest locomotives including LSWR ‘M7’ 30053, LMS ‘Ivatt 2MT’ 41312 and GWR locos
composition of: 4141, 5224, 5764 and 5786.
2004 Spring Steam Gala The 2004 Spring Steam Gala over March 26-28 featured Ian
Riley’s LMS ‘Black 5’ 45407 and BR ‘Standard 4’ 76079, Bodmin’s Small Prairie 5552, GER
‘J15’ 65462 and SR ‘West Country’ 34027 Taw Valley.
2006 Spring Steam Gala The 2006 Spring Steam Gala celebrated two anniversaries
including the 40th anniversary of the end of steam on the S&D in March 1966. The event
featured guests engines including: ‘4F’ 44422, ‘7F’ 53809, ‘Battle of Britain’ 34067 Tangmere,
‘Black 5’ 45407 as 45440, ‘5MT’ 73129, ‘4MT’ 76079 as 76009 and ‘9F’ 92203 Black
Prince. Plus newly overhauled ‘7F’ 88 in S&D prussian blue and ‘4MT’ 80136.
2016 Spring Steam Gala The 2016 Spring Steam Gala Attending were 34053 Sir Keith
Park masquerading as 34098 Templecombe, visiting from the Swanage Railway was ‘Spamcan’
34070 Manston, joining these were Llangollen ‘4MT’ 80072 which spent the weekend
masquerading as 80043, the Great Central sent BR Green liveried ‘9F’ 92214 rekindling
memories of 92220 Evening Star and Stanier ‘8F’ 48624. Also present were 44422, 53809
and 53808.
2018 Autumn Steam Gala The 2018 Autumn Steam Gala. The event featured BR ‘Standard
5MT’ 73082 Camelot making its first visit away from the Bluebell Railway in preservation,
Mid-Hants based LMS ‘Ivatt 2MT’ 41312 and BR ‘Standard 4MTT’ 80072 joined
summertime visitors SR rebuilt ‘West Country’ 34046 Braunton and BR(W) ‘Manors’ 7820
and 7822, 6960 and 53808.
2019 Autumn Steam Gala The 2019 Autumn Steam Gala went for a Great Western
Branch Line gala with the appearance of four pannier tanks including former resident
6412, 4612 from the Bodmin & Wenford Railway, 7714 from the Severn Valley Railway
and hired in visitor 7752 from Tyseley.
2021 Autumn Steam Gala The railway held a low key Autumn Steam Gala during the
Covid restrictions period. Featured were 5199, 7822 Foxcote Manor, 7828 Odney Manor.
2022 Spring Steam Gala May 2022 saw the first Spring Steam Gala held on the line
since 2018 and featured three visiting locomotives including Caledonian Railway ‘439’
419 from the Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway, BR ‘Standard 4MT’ 75069 and 2857 from the
Severn Valley Railway.
2023 Spring Steam Spectacular In 2023, the steam gala theme changed to the ‘Spring
Steam Spectacular’ and featured three visiting locomotives including the new-build GWR
‘Saint’ 2999 Lady of Legend from the Didcot Railway Centre,
2024 Spring Steam Spectacular The 2024 Spring Steam Spectacular featured a wide
array of motive power and included Locomotive Services LNER Thompson ‘B1’ 61306
“Mayflower”, GWR ‘Modified Hall’ 6990 Witherslack Hall.
Plus – 2024 ‘150’ event at Minehead and galas in 2025 and 2026.
FULL DETAILS ON INFO SHEET INSIDE! Two hours duration
DVD £14.95 or USB stick £14.95