Robin Hood rides again at West Somerset gala

NEWS

‘SAINT’ NO. 2999 Lady of Legend was transformed into scrapped classmate No. 2986 Robin Hood at the West Somerset Railway’s Spring Steam Spectacular on May 2-5.

The name change was the result of a public vote to run the ‘29XX’ as one of its lost classmates during the gala, with the other candidates being Nos. 2906 Lady of Lynn, 2983 Redgauntlet, and 2989 Talisman. The visiting recreated Churchward two-cylinder 460, attending courtesy of Didcot Railway Centre, was one of 11 locomotives running at the four-day event, which featured locomotives both large and small, main line and industrial.

The ‘Saint’ was also one of six visiting locomotives at the gala, alongside LBSCR ‘Terrier’ No. 72 Fenchurch from the Bluebell Railway, Churchward ‘28XX’ 280 No. 2807 from the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway, Collett ‘56XX’ 062T No. 6695 from the Swindon & Cricklade Railway, Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway ‘23’ 060ST No. 11456 from the East Lancashire Railway, and ‘Jubilee’ No. 45596 Bahamas courtesy of the Bahamas Locomotive Society. There was also a visiting coach, in the form of 1938-built GWR Collett Full Third No. 1086, attending courtesy of the Severn Valley Railway; the coach formed a two-carriage set alongside the WSR’s newly restored 1938-built Collett Brake Corridor Composite No. 6705, with the pair hauled by Fenchurch for much of the event.

Also running from the home fleet were ‘Manor’ No. 7812 Erlestoke Manor – on long-term loan from the Erlestoke Manor Fund until 2027 – and ‘Mogul’ No. 9351. Meanwhile, Hudswell, Clarke 060T Works No. 1857 and Andrew Barclay 040 fireless Works No. 1984 Boots No. 1 – the latter recently restored by the WSR’s Head of Mechanical Engineering Ryan Pope – operated within the confines of Minehead station.

Despite an intensive timetable of both passenger and goods trains, multiple lineside fires across the event resulted in severe delays. The ‘Quantock Belle’ dining service carriage set was also withdrawn from the line-up, and No. 6695 failed on the Sunday, resulting in timetable amendments and the cancellation of some brake van rides from both Minehead and Bishops Lydeard. The West Somerset Railway was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press.