Turning was a challenge at the West Somerset gala
Not everything ran to script at the West Somerset Railway’s Autumn Steam Gala, with both guest locomotives changed at the eleventh hour. After the ‘S&D 50’ bash in March, the October 6-9 event was always set to be a lower-key affair - but a celebration of West Country branch lines had been in the offing, with ‘M7’ 0-4-4T No. 30053, former Taunton pannier tank No. 4612, and ‘Small Prairie’ No. 5542. With just a week to go, the Swanage Railway was unable to release the Drummond tank, while the Bodmin & Wenford Railway opted to send ‘64XX’ No. 6435 in place of No. 4612, because the latter’s greater power was still required during a busy autumn. However, with No. 6435 making its WSR debut, the line has now played host to all three surviving ‘64XXs’. Replacing the ‘M7’ was ‘14XX’ No. 1450 from the Severn Valley Railway, with 5542 Ltd’s newly restored autocoach No. 233. Its duties included passenger workings on part of the Barnstaple branch - although these, and incoming DMU shuttles from Taunton, meant that not all locomotives could turn on the Norton Fitzwarren triangle. In a mishap at the other turning facility on the Friday, ‘4F’ No. 44422 collided with the bufferstop at the Minehead turntable, while setting back in order to
rebalance the ’table and engage its locking pin. The driver and fireman of the locomotive were both stood down from duty, while the ‘4F’ required a minor repair, but it was back in service the following morning. However, said General Manager Paul Conibeare: “Overall, we were quite happy with the gala - it was on a par with last October’s event when we had Tornado, and the fare revenue exceeded the budget by 2%.”