I’ve just a few days down in west Somerset to enjoy a few days walking on Exmoor and also catch some of the action at the West Somerset Railway Spring Gala. I’ve probably told you before that my railway interest is really with narrow gauge but I do have a soft spot for the West Somerset Railway; it’s not all that far from home and it goes from somewhere to somewhere else through pretty scenery. This is 80104, built in Brighton in 1955 (so younger than me!) built for heavy, fast suburban work from a design of St Henry Fowler in 1927 and refined by Stanier and Fairburn. It went initially to the London, Tilbury and Southend line moving to Wales following electrification in 1961 and stayed there until being sent to Woodham Bros.’ Barry scrapyard in in 1965. Restoration took place in Swindon, Bitton and finally Swanage where it s now normally based (so my “home engine!0. She’s seen here in heavy rain coming into Blue Anchor, the first of three crossing points between behind and Bishop’s Lydeard. I keep looking at this and now wondering if I should have shot in landscape but then It would have included more “anoraks” leaning out of the windows and the lineside photographers in their high vis vests. I can recommend Blue Achor station as it has proper level crossing gates, it’s right on the sea front, it has a lovely very traditional GWR station and there’s a cracking cafe around 100 yds away; ideal to wait for the trains to pass!

The theme of the gala was “BR Standard Classes of Steam Locomotives” wherever that is!