A steam train on the West Somerset Railway.

The West Somerset Railway is a great way to see some of the Exmoor villages and can provide an excellent day out for all the family (and the dog) without the need to drive.

Tickets can be booked on the day at the booking office, or once on board from the ticket collector. Children under 5 travel free.

There is a One Day Rover ticket which allows you unlimited access to the WSR for one day, and this can also be purchased on the day, or can be booked online at least seven days in advance. Other Rover tickets are available for two days or one week. Dogs can ride on the trains for a flat rate, low priced ticket, but you are asked not to allow them to travel on the seats or take them into the buffet car. Assistance dogs travel free and most things on the WSR are accessible for disabled passengers, who are charged half the full fare. Details can be found at http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/

Bishops Lydeard Station the southern terminus of the line and the headquarters of the West Somerset Railway Association. It was once just a small village station, opened in 1862, on the line from Norton Fitzwarren to Watchet, but was later closed down, to reopen in 1979 as the southern terminus of the WSR. Later, as passenger numbers increased greatly during the summer months, the platform was lengthened to cope with the longer trains On platform 1 is the Guage Museum, which has on show many rail items of local interest and tells how the railway has affected the lives of the local people.  At weekends and special occasions the model railway layout housed in the museum is also open.

Platform 2 has the station shop, selling a good range of new and second-hand model railway equipment, plus books and souvenirs. Platform 2 also has the Wheel Tapper’s Buffet, which is next to the signal box and sells hot and cold snack items, soft drinks and sweets.

Five minutes walk from the station brings you to the village of Bishops Lydeard, which is in the Vale of Taunton Deane between the Quantock Hills in the east and Exmoor in the west, with the Bristol Channel to the north. The houses in the old village are a charming mixture of red sandstone and brick. From the station, follow Station Road into Mount Street and carry on through the vilage to Mill Lane, on the right, then walk along to see the old watermill. There were once two mills in the village, but the higher one has been demolished, while the lower mill has been restored to be a working mill and has a good example of an overshot waterwheel. As well as the water wheel you are able to see what it was once like in an authentic wheelwright’s shop and a blacksmith’s shop. The Mill and Rural Life Museum also has models showing many different types of mills and the other exhibits include carriages and wagons.

The aptly named Dusty Miller’s Tea Room sells home made cakes, soft drinks, ice creams and other goodies. Back along Mill Lane, turn right on to Mount Street and walk further into the village to the Bird in The Hand Pub, which has a children’s play area. You can get food and drink here and just next door is a little craft shop.

Inside the village church of St Mary the Virgin you can see beautiful wood carvings; the church’s earliest parts date from the 14th century and the village charter from 1291 is on display. Next to the church is another pub, the Bell Inn. This is a free house, offering food as well as good beer, and there’s also a play area for the children.

After exploring the village and perhaps taking some refreshment, it’s time to head back to the station to board the train to….

Crowcombe Heathfield station, which is at the highest point on the line, at just under 400ft above sea-level, On the 7th April 1859 Lady Isabel Acland-Hood, the daughter of a local landowner, ceremonially lifted the first sod for the original West Somerset Railway here, and the station was built in 1862 when the line opened. The main station building and the nearby cottages and station masters house date from the same time. The present day layout has two platforms, which have been made longer over the years, and the station has a booking office and a small shop, as well as toilet facilities, including a disabled persons accessable toilet. Hot and cold drinks, cakes and biscuits can be purchased on days that trains are running, and on Gala days hot savoury snacks are also available. During winter there’s even the welcome of a coal fire! The station is perfect for peaceful relaxation, or as the start or end point of a walk in the Quantock Hills.

In the beginning the line was operated by the Bristol and Exeter Railway, then absorbed into the Great Western Railway and eventually became part of British Rail. In the 1960s fewer passengers travelling on the line led to its “rationalisation” , which led to it falling into neglect until it finally closed in 1971. In 1964, although still closed, the station was used for some scenes in the Beatles’ film “Hard Day’s Night”, and during the 70s it was used for many of the scenes in the popular children’s TV series, “The Flockton Flyer”. Later, in the opening shots of the TV version of C. S. Lewis’s “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe” the children were filmed leaving the station after arriving by train, and more recently the station was used in a lot of shots in the film “The Land Girls” with trains shown arriving and departing.

Starting in June 1979 the line was gradually reopened, beginning with the section from Stogumber to Bishops Lydeard, including Crowcombe. Crowcombe Heathfield has won the West Somerset Railway’s annual Best Kept Station Award many times, and also won an award for Best Restored Station in 1997, as well as Best Floral Display in the inter-stations competition, for its flower beds, pots and hanging baskets.

Next stop along the line is Stogumber Station, where tickets are sold in the refreshments room, which also sells cream teas, or in colder weather, tea and crumpets. Unusually, the platform at this station is on the other side from the main building. Once upon a time the station had a large goods shed and cattle pens, but where these stood there is now a beautiful garden with lawns and shrubs, where passengers can relax or have a picnic.

The surrounding countryside is very pretty, good for walking. There is plenty of wildlife about and you’ll be quite unlucky if you don’t come across some. The railway once had the nickname of “The Primrose Line”, due to the abundant primroses that grow in the area.
The station is staffed and maintained by a small group of volunteers, Friends of Stogumber Station (FoSS), who manage the buildings, gardens and platform and they have plans to build a viewing gallery in the old cattle dock. It will have disabled access and visitors will be able to watch the trains go by while they have a cup of tea.

The village of Stogumber lies about one mile to the west. It is a picturesque and thriving village, surrounded by rolling farmland and situated between the Quantocks and the Brendon Hills. The High Street, with its mix of colour-washed and thatched properties, is a favourite part of the village for photographs, and it leads to the Square, where you’ll find the shop and the large Norman church of St. Mary The Virgin, which has been the focal point of Stogumber for more than six centuries, and which has several unique ancient features. Outside the church there are carvings of heads and gargoyles and a churchyard cross, the base of which is very ancient, and near the south porch there is a smooth triangle of grass which is said to be the common grave of victims of a long-ago plague.

Back to the station and all aboard for the journey to Williton Station, where the main building still has its original Italianate chimney, and entering gives you the feeling of walking into a bygone time. The main station building is next to the original B&ER signal box, which is believed to be the only surviving operational one of its kind, and the wooden building that houses the small gift shop on the other platform used to be the old waiting room. The gift shop raises money for the upkeep of the station. The full range of West Somerset Railway Tickets may be purchased at the booking office, and there are toilets but no disabled toilet facilities. The Goods Shed is presently occupied by the Diesel and Electric Group. This collection of diesel locomotives is now also a part of railway history. Of special interest are the Western Region Diesel Hydraulic locomotives which once pulled famous trains like the “Torbay Express”, “Golden Hind” and “Cornish Riviera”.

To visit Williton itself entails a walk of around half an hour. Leave the station by the Signalbox and walk up Station Road past the industrial estate to the junction with Long Street. Turn right into Long Street and you will shortly come to “The Foresters Arms” pub. From there onwards Long Street has a mix of modern houses, businesses like wine shops and hotels, older cottages, and then at the village centre, the “Royal Huntsman” pub and the Williton Social Club face each other on opposite sides of the road. On the same side of the road as the “Royal Huntsman” there is a cafe and bakery. Turn right past these and you come to the “Mason’s Arms”. The town centre itself includes a newsagent, post office, two banks, pet supplies and County Stores.

St. Peter’s Church in Williton was once part of the ancient Parish of Decuman and still has its medieval nave and chancel, with only the east and west walls surviving from that time. The existing church today is Victorian, with a font carved from alabaster from the hills of Watchett. The cottages next to St Peter’s are the Church Cottages which originated in the 16th century for the brewing of church ales.
Walking along the Taunton Road brings you to the ‘Wyndham Arms’ and if you then turn into the Minehead Road you will pass Gliddons Stores to reach the edge of town and the Police Station. From here you can follow the signposts to the Bakelite Museum.  This popular tourist attraction in Williton is housed within the historic town watermill, the Orchard Millhouse, and it has one of the largest collections of vintage Bakelite plastics in the world. There are two floors of exhibits and thousands of objects, many of which are very rare. Those visitors old enough to remember the pre-plastic days can take a trip down memory lane, while younger visitors may see them as a curiosity or as collectible items. Either way the Bakelite Museum can provide an afternoon of interesting fun and it has a cafe on the premises where you may like to enjoy a cream tea before or after your visit.

The next stop on our journey may (or may not) be at Doniford Halt. Trains stop here by request, and passengers must attract the atention of the driver of the train by holding one arm up whilst on the platform. Whilst passengers wishing to alight must notify the Guard of their intention. The approach from the road to the platform is difficult, but as long as you are aware of this wheel chairs can be accommodated at Doniford Halt.There are no toilet facilities at this Station and nowhere to buy tickets, but these can be obtained on the
train from the Travelling Ticket Inspector.

The station was built in the 1980s to serve the nearby Haven Holiday Centre, but it tried to recreate the atmosphere of a typical Great Western Railway wayside Halt. Its cast iron ‘Pagoda’ Shelter is from Cove on the former Exe Valley line and the platform is from Montacute on the now closed Taunton to Yeovil line.

So on we go to Watchett Station.This station was the original terminus of the West Somerset Railway in 1862. There is a booking office here, a small shop, and toilet facilities. There are no disabled toilets on the station, but there are some in the public toilets in the car park opposite the station.

Watchet is an ancient harbour town and has a network of small streets and shops to be explored, including several pubs and cafes. The station stands right in the middle of the town adjacent to the very attractive harbour which now has a new life as a Marina and is home to many and varied craft. Dogs are allowed on the small West Street beach, on the West pier and round the Marina on the East Quay. The network of railway sidings that served the docks has now gone and the former goods shed of the station is now a Boat Museum. The town’s history can be traced in its Museum, just off the esplanade.

After exploring Watchett, we can rejoin the train to travel on to Washford Station, which is situated at the second highest point on the line, which means that between Watchet and Blue Anchor, the climb from either direction to Washford is a fairly stiff one for steam locomotives, and coming up from Blue Anchor there is a one mile section at 1 in 65, which is the steepest on the line.

Washford Station is the home of the Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust who have set up what is described as “one of the very best railway museums in the land”, containing many artifacts of the S&DJR, nearly all restored in pristine condition Although Washford Station is accessible to disabled passengers it has no disabled toilet in it’s toilet facilities. There is also no ticket office, so you cannot buy your ticket at this station, but may get it from the travelling ticket inspector once on board.

Washford itself also has plenty of things to see and do. It is just a short walk from the station to Cleeve Abbey, an English Heritage property which was formerly a Cistercian Abbey. It is open to the public from the 1st April until the end of November, and if you can show a WSR ticket there is a 20% reduction in the admission price. Although the main abbey church is no longer there, what remains gives a fascinating insight into how life was for the monks, and there is still an atmosphere of calm about the place. You can see some of the finest cloister buildings in England at Cleeve Abbey, and the 15th century timber roof in the refectory is adorned with exquisite carved angels. There are some unique medieval wall paintings in the Painted Chamber and the floor of an earlier refectory can be seen, which has 13th century heraldic tiles from one end to the other. You can buy tea, coffee and soft drinks available at the Abbey site.

Among several pubs in Washford which serve food are the Washford Inn, at the end of the Station ramp, and The White Horse, near the abbey, and a bit further on from the abbey, at Torre cider farm, you can find out how they make Somerset cider and maybe do some sampling of the product!

Blue Anchor Station is next on the line. It has two long platforms and a signal box from which the level crossing gates are opened in the traditional manner of turning a capstan wheel, something rarely seen nowadays. The small Blue Anchor Railway Museum museum is in the former waiting room on the down platform. The museum is open on Sundays, bank holidays and gala days between Easter and September. The station has a booking office and there are toilets, but not with disabled facilities.

Blue Anchor is a quiet seaside village with a long beach of sand and shingle which is great for finding fossils, though you must be wary of the very fast tides. The area is famous for its alabaster rocks and cliffs, and it is said that when the tide is very low the remains of a submerged forest can be seen.

Held annually, the Blue Anchor Beach to Minehead raft race is one of the biggest events of its type in the country. Competitors start the day at Blue Anchor, building their rafts from many and varied items and when the tide is right they race towards Minehead. The day is rounded off with a spectacular firework display from Minehead harbour.

From Blue Anchor you have wonderful coastal views to Minehead and Exmoor and across the Bristol Channel to South Wales, and you can enjoy a meal or just a snack at the Driftwood Cafe or the Smugglers Pub, both of which serve good, home-cooked meals. Blue Anchor beach allows dogs all year round, and at high tide the promenade is a popular destination for fishermen. Frozen fishing bait is sold at the Driftwood Cafe.

Just 100 yards from the beach, Home Farm is a small working farm with a herd of Oxford Sandy and Black pigs, plus many other animals, including sheep, goats, ducks and poultry, and also donkeys and ponies. There is a farm shop selling local meats, jams etc., and a tea room serving delicious home-made cakes and cream teas. In addition to these, there is a hands-on farm trail, which is a delight to both children and adults.

From Blue Anchor you can choose whether to reboard the train, or enjoy a leisurely stroll along the beach to Dunster. The railway follows the same route, so you can see the steam trains chuffing by and maybe get some good photos of them. Its an easy walk, ideal for families and dogs .

Whichever way you choose, you will next come to Dunster Station, which stands in the area known as Dunster Marsh and is a five minute walk from the beach at Dunster. Along the walk you may be able to see the area of sunken land that was once the Medieval Port of Dunster. Dunster Station has a booking office. In fact the tickets for the railway are printed here on a press once used by British Railways. The station has toilets, but no disabled facilities.

When the station first opened in 1874 it was the local station for the family living in nearby Dunster Castle, which is the reason the main building was built in such a grand style. The main building has been superbly restored, and also houses the Railway’s ticket printing department. Not only tickets for the West Somerset Railway are printed on the old Edmondson Press, but also those for many other heritage lines. It is a Grade II Listed building, as is the goods shed next to it, which is now home to the Railway’s Permanent Way department. In it are kept supplies of track and equipment for maintaining the bridges, stations and buildings on the railway , and also the machines needed to attend to the 40 miles of vegetation along the track. It is said that the goods shed itself is haunted.

Free bus services run between the Station and the Village on Bank Holiday Sundays and Mondays andspecial days, but there is no regular bus service otherwise. The walk of about one mile takes around 20 minutes, with the last part being slightly uphill, but Dunster Village, with its Castle, Yarn Market, many shops and pubs and buildings of historical interest, is very well worth the effort. Holders of West Somerset Railway tickets can obtain a 20% discount on Admission to the Castle.

Having probably spent some hours in Dunster Village you may again climb aboard the train to reach Minehead Station at the end of the line. Here there is a booking office, and the Station also has toilet facilities for both able and disabled passengers, and also baby changing facilities.

There is plenty of interest here on the station itself, with a shop selling many things, from books and postcards to warm clothing and toys, a cafe serving fresh hot and cold food and drink, a platform stall selling second-hand books, and great opportunities for photographs of the trains. Just outside the station is the esplanade and across the road is the beach. Dogs can go on the beach near the golf course (eastern end of the beach, near Butlins) all year round, but are only allowed on the main town beaches from October to February. Minehead is full of interesting places to explore. It has more than enough shops to supply your every need and plenty of good places to eat.

Maybe a one-day rover ticket is not enough to see everything on this great railway.