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Although well-known and loved today as one of the UK's premier heritage railways, the story of the Minehead Branch begins in the mid 19th century and this is the first time the line's colourful history has been told in detail.
The first section, from Norton Fitzwarren to Watchet, was opened by the West Somerset Railway in 1862, with the extension to Minehead, built under the auspices of the Minehead Railway Company, opening twelve years later, in 1874. Both lines were broad gauge and operated from opening by the Bristol & Exeter Railway. Conversion to standard gauge took place under the
Great Western Railway in 1882, although the Minehead Railway was not officially absorbed by that company until 1897 and the West Somerset Railway until 1922.
Traversing some of the finest countryside in the west of England, from rolling hills to coastal plains, the branch carried generations of
holidaymakers to the beaches at Blue Anchor, Dunster and Minehead, as well as providing a vital goods link to the docks at Watchet. However, it also served several remote villages, such as Stogumber and Crowcombe, which were quite removed from their stations and, as the age of the motor car arrived, the branch was always likely to be a candidate for closure. Goods traffic too, from the docks and the paper mills at Watchet, was also lost to road
transport. In the end, it was only thanks to the seaside traffic to Minehead that the line survived as long as it did, BR finally closing it in 1971.
Thestory of the preserved West Somerset Railway has been well documented elsewhere, so no attempt has been made to take this history on beyond closure in 1971. The author, who has been closely associated with the preserved line for many years, has produced a detailed account of the branch¹s history, looking at
all aspects of its traffic and operation, from the earliest days right up to closure.
The book is illustrated with a wealth of photographs, many of which have not previously been published, along with the 2-chain survey, as redrawn by the author and here reproduced in full. In addition, he has produced scale plans of nearly all of the major structures at each of the stations, which modellers will find particularly useful.
There is also a chapter on the Camp Coaches, a nostalgic feature which may well bring back fond memories of the line for older readers. Historians, regular travellers and members of the WSR, as well as local people, will find much to enjoy in this history, whilst anyone who ever had a relative who worked on the branch may well find a familiar name in the List of Employees at the end of the book.
Contents list
392 pages. 275mm x 215mm.
Glossy art paper, case bound with dust jacket.
ISBN 10: 1899889205
ISBN 13: 9781899889204
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Whilst this picture has been published countless times before and will therefore be very familiar to many readers, no excuses are made for including it again due to the new information that has come to light. This
copy is taken from a sepia original, on the back of which a conscientious Victorian has written the following details: OF.E. Bennett when fireman at Watchet, Bristol & Exeter Railway, 1872. J. Coleman (driver) other side of engine, J. Corbutt (pilotman), W. Windsor (porter)'. The pair, therefore, in the white fustian outfits are the fireman and pilotman, while the man standing on the edge of the turntable pit is the porter.
The engine, B&ER No. 74, was built in 1867 by Vulcan Foundry; it was one of the later series of 4-4-0 passenger saddle tanks in the same class as No. 51 but with extended wheelbase and larger boiler. It became GWR No. 2047 following absorption of the B&ER in 1876 and survived until the end of the broad gauge in May 1892. The turntable was operated by the winding mechanism next to the porter.
Note the broad gauge wagons in the background. The short siding they are standing on was accessed from the pier siding by means of a wagon turntable, which itself ran off further turntables at the ends of the sidings behind the locomotive. This was common practice at cramped locations such as here. The wooden construction of the harbour breakwaters is also well shown in this view. Courtesy Edna Knox
Dean Goods 0-6-0 No. 2467 of 1896 collects some admiring glances from a father and son whilst standing at the terminus in the first years of the 20th century. Meanwhile, the driver sits on the platform enjoying a few moments in the sun prior to departure. The bogie coaching stock behind the engine was not normally seen on branch services, whilst destination boards on these coaches and the ones in the bay on the left suggest an excursion or special holiday workings destined for adding to main line trains at Taunton.
This picture illustrates the station building in its old form, with the open topped gents. This finally acquired a roof in 1923. - Author's collection
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