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West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust WSRHT

Heritage carriages news

Toplight compartment composite coach 7740 (built at Swindon in 1911) looking very sorry for itself at Dunster West last Friday. Gale force winds have shredded and stripped away its cover and it urgently needs a thicker and stronger replacement tarpaulin at a cost of £2,000 to protect it until it can be restored. We hope to take a gang out there before trains restart on Good Friday to replace the cover, but this will depend on possession arrangements, weather and getting someone to cut back the undergrowth so that we can get at the up side of the coach. Please use the new ‘Donate’ tab on the Trust web site if you would like to help with funds towards the £2,000 for a new cover and help to protect this unique heritage vehicle.
Greg McNelly working on a component from BCK 6705. If you are able to identify which part he is working on, and where it fits within the coach please email info@wssrt.co.uk Please note, there is no prize, other than the satisfaction of getting it right, for the correct answer?
Mike Jones varnishing the scumbled interior of the Guards Van of 6705 in GWR style – a first class finish, even for the Guard!
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Recent News Posts

WSRHT Board Meeting January 2025 Minutes Published

January 2025
Board Meeting Minutes Published

The West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust is pleased to publish the minutes of its May Board Meeting on Thursday, 30th January 2025.

Please click the Board Meeting link to access the document as a pop-up tab. Alternatively, to view all Trust Board Meetings since 2016 – view the collection

Board Meeting 30th January 2025

Join Heritage Trust as Communications & IT Trustee

Trustee Communications and Information Technology Opportunity

West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust is a key organisation on the West Somerset Railway and is responsible for:

  • Museums Management
  • Collections Management and Care
  • Heritage Carriages Restoration and Management
  • Education Learning and Community Outreach

The Board is composed of Trustees who are also Directors of the charity, each of whom has a specific set of portfolio responsibilities.

The Trust is looking to appoint a Trustee to lead on our Communications and Information Technology portfolio. The charity is pursuing a full and exciting business agenda over the next few years and we are looking for someone who has an interest in communications to help to promote the work of the Trust both within and across the West Somerset Railway but also externally. The individual concerned will also be responsible for the Information Technology brief and associated governance requirements and so will need to be able to demonstrate expertise in this area.

If you think you are interested and would like to know more, then please contact:

Closing date for applications with a CV and covering letter will be Monday, 7th April 2025.

© Gauge Museum Blue Anchor
WSRHT 2025

WSRHT Tribute to David Baker

WSRHT Tribute to David Baker

The West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust (WSRHT) is saddened to learn of the passing of David Baker who held lots of roles across the West Somerset Railway. 

A statement from the Trust’s President, Chris Austin.

David Baker's interest in railways was kindled by his grandfather and uncle, both of whom worked for the Southern Railway. He was an enthusiastic and devoted supporter of the West Somerset Railway for over 25 years. David was Catering Manager for the railway's buffet cars and later was Commercial Director and in 2013, became Vice Chairman of the PLC and in 2015 was acting Chairman. In 2016 he became a trustee and Company Secretary for the Steam Trust (now the WSR Heritage Trust), while continuing to support the PLC as Share Registrar. After the retirement of Pete Treharne, David took on the role as curator of the Blue Anchor Railway Museum. Working with him in these roles was his wife Jill, who survives him and also worked for the Chief Mechanical Engineer, Andy Forster, fulfilling the key role of maintaining locomotive records and also minuted meetings of the Trust's board. David retired as a trustee in 2020.