23/24 June 2012
A joint weekend with Seaton Tramway and Pecorama at Beer was held with South West Trains providing the link from Yeovil Junction to Axminster and a Heritage Bus link thereafter.






23 June 2012
As part of the weekend, South West Trains undertook to name one of their 159 class units. 159005 makes its way into Platform 3 at Yeovil Junction.




Car No. 52877 has the name taped over.






Paul Gould, Chairman, Yeovil Railway Centre welcomes the guests




Jake Kelly (right), Customer Service Director for the South West Trains and Network Rail Alliance unveils the name 'West of England Line'.






Phil Dominey (Stakeholder and Accessibility Manager, South West Trains), (Danny Berry, Depot Manager Salisbury, South West Trains), Jake Kelly and Paul Gould.




Paul Gould, Jake Kelly, Tony Reese (Yeovil Railway Centre Treasurer also of Friends of Crewkerne Station), and Phil Dominey




Phil and Jake are joined by the crew of 159005 who brought the empty stock from Salisbury. After the naming an additional service to Axminster was run and on the return this also ran down to Yeovil Pen Mill.






Glen Hatherley (Station Manager, South West Trains), Tony Reese and Phil Dominey. In the background can be seen the recently repainted 'Toad' brakevan.




Dave & Bill make some final preparations to the Company Fowler for the first public run the following day.
(photo courtesy Brian Haigh)




Matt, Pete and Terry.
(photo courtesy Brian Haigh)




Kit and Roger put the world to rights....
(photo courtesy Brian Haigh)




Ron's Fowler at the head of a goods train.




Dave has some beer on tap!.
(photo courtesy Brian Haigh)




24 June 2012.
A Driver Experience event was held before opening to the public and a new headboard is in use! Very smart JC!
(photo courtesy Brian Haigh)




Simon, John D, Rog, Hils and Dudley can be seen with Pectin from Platform 2
(photo courtesy Brian Haigh)




24 June 2012
Another notable event for the weend was the first outing in anger of the Centre's Fowler which was heading up a freight train demonstration. Ron Weston's Fowler was also in the consist 'just in case' but everything went smoothly and was not required.




The engine is still missing a couple of covers which could not be completed for the weekend. There are some other relatively minor issues to finish off in the coming weeks. A naming ceremony will follow in due course.






The engine (a 0-4-0 Diesel Mechanical) was built in 1941 (Works No. 22900 with a Fowler 4B engine). Early history not yet known (now see below) and moved to Gloddfa Ganol Narrow Gauge Centre in Blaneau Festiniog in 1987(?). In 1992 it became part of the 'Shropshire Collection' before being purchased by Somerset & Dorset Locomotive Company and being stored in the (now removed) upsidings at Yeovil Junction. It was subsequently purchased by South West Main Line Steam Company and moved to the downside at Yeovil Junction.






Seen at Gloddfa Ganol, Blaenau Ffestiniog, the engine was previously at the original South Tynedale Railway project at Slaggyford and before that it was used by Caterpillar Tractor Co Ltd at Birtley, Co Durham.
(Photo courtesy Peter Nicholson)




(Photo courtesy Peter Nicholson)




Jerry Darch leaves with his traction engine 'Princess Victoria' at the end of the event. Many thanks for coming!


Some images follow from Seaton Tramway.
(Photos courtesy Brian Haigh)








The two double deckers ferried visitors to/from Axminster Station and Seaton Tramway or Pecorama.








More images from Seaton Tramway.
(Photos courtesy Malcolm Dennes)








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