View source for East Somerset Railway

{{Short description|Former railway company and heritage railway}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox heritage railway
| name        = East Somerset Railway
| other_name  =
| image       = 2011 at Cranmore station - gents toilet.JPG
| image_width = 250px
| caption     = [[Cranmore railway station]] is the line's headquarters 
| locale      = [[Somerset]]
| map         =
| mapsize     =
| terminus    =  
| linename    =
| builtby     = 
| originalgauge = {{RailGauge|7ft0.25in|allk=on}}
| preservedgauge =  {{Track gauge|4ft8.5in|allk=on}}
| era         = 
| owned       =  
| operator    =  
| stations    =  
| length      =  {{cvt|1|mi|63|ch|km}} 
| originalopen = 9 November 1858 
| com-years   = 1 March 1862 
| com-events  = Extension opened
| com-years1  = 1874 
| com-events1 = [[Track gauge conversion|Converted]] to<br/>{{Track gauge|4ft8.5in|allk=on}} 
| closedpassengers = 1963
| closed      = 1985 
| stageyears  = 
| stage       = 
| years       = 1972
| events      = Restoration (of the ESR) begins
| years1      = 1974 
| events1     = ESR Granted Light Railway Order
| years2      = 1975
| events2     = ESR re-opened
| years3      = 1981
| events3     = ESR extended to Merryfield halt
| years4      = 1985
| events4     = ESR extended into Mendip Vale
| headquarters = [[Cranmore railway station|Cranmore]]
}}
{{East Somerset Railway RDT}}
{{Location map
 |Somerset
 |lat=51.1896
 |long=-2.4787
 |width=180
 |float=right
 |caption=''East Somerset Railway shown within [[Somerset]]''<br />({{gbmapping|ST665435}})
}}

The '''East Somerset Railway''' is a {{cvt|1|mi|63|ch|km}} [[heritage railway]] in [[Somerset]], running between [[Cranmore railway station|Cranmore]] and [[Mendip Vale railway station|Mendip Vale]]. The railway was once part of the former [[Cheddar Valley line]] that ran from [[Witham (Somerset) railway station|Witham]] to [[Yatton railway station|Yatton]], meeting the [[Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway]] at [[Wells (Priory Road) railway station|Wells]] but was considered for closure even before the publication of 'The Reshaping of British Railways' by Dr Richard Beeching in March 1963.

== History ==
{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = East Somerset Railway Act 1856
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act for making a Railway from the Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth Railway, near Frome, to Shepton Mallett in the County of Somerset.
| year                  = 1856
| citation              = [[19 & 20 Vict.]] c. xvi
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 5 June 1856
| commencement          = 
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = 
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = 
| repealing_legislation = 
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = 
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Vict/19-20/16/pdfs/ukla_18560016_en.pdf
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = 
| collapsed             = yes
}}
{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = {{visible anchor|East Somerset Railway (Extension to Wells) Act 1857}}
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act to authorize the East Somerset Railway Company to extend their Railway from Shepton Mallett to Wells.
| year                  = 1857
| citation              = [[20 & 21 Vict.]] c. cv
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 27 July 1857
| commencement          = 
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = 
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = 
| repealing_legislation = 
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = 
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Vict/20-21/105/pdfs/ukla_18570105_en.pdf
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = 
| collapsed             = yes
}}
{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = {{visible anchor|East Somerset Railway Act 1860}}
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = 
| year                  = 1860
| citation              = 23 & 24 Vict. c. lxxiii
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 14 June 1860
| commencement          = 
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = 
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = 
| repealing_legislation = 
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = 
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Vict/23-24/73/pdfs/ukla_18600073_en.pdf
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = 
| collapsed             = yes
}}
The East Somerset Railway Company was incorporated under the '''{{visible anchor|East Somerset Railway Act 1856}}''' ([[19 & 20 Vict.]] c. xvi) on 5 June 1856<ref>"Railway Magazine", July 1958</ref><ref name="natarch">{{cite web|title=East Somerset Railway Company|url=http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C12369|publisher=[[The National Archives (United Kingdom)|The National Archives]]|access-date=26 August 2016}}</ref> and was built as a {{RailGauge|7ft0.25in|lk=on}} [[broad gauge]] line. The line was originally between [[Witham Friary|Witham]] [[Witham (Somerset) railway station|railway station]] and [[Shepton Mallet]] and this line opened on 9 November 1858. It was planned by Mr. Brunel and built by engineer Mr. Ward and contractor Mr. Brotherwood. The station buildings at Shepton and Witham Friary, as well as the bridges along the route, were constructed of [[Inferior Oolite]] from nearby [[Doulting Stone Quarry]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Opening of the East Somerset Railway |work=[[Wells Journal]]  |date=13 November 1858 |access-date=26 August 2016 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000308/18581113/052/0008| via = [[British Newspaper Archive]]|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Shepton was now {{convert|129|mi}} from London by rail, a journey of just over four hours.<ref>{{cite book|title=Kelly's Directory of Somersetshire: With the City of Bristol|date=1883|publisher=[[Kelly's Directory]]|page=302|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SCPNAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA302|access-date=26 August 2016}}</ref>

Four years later the line was extended to [[Wells, Somerset|Wells]]. This part of the line was opened on 1 March 1862 and made it {{cvt|13|mi|65|ch|km}} long. The East Somerset Railway was bought by the [[Great Western Railway]] on 2 December 1874, shortly after it was [[Track gauge conversion|converted]] to {{Track gauge|4ft8.5in|allk=on}}.

In 1878, the Great Western Railway (GWR) joined the East Somerset line with the [[Cheddar Valley line]] to Wells, which had been built by the [[Bristol and Exeter Railway]], by obtaining running rights over a section of the [[Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway]] (S&DJR) and running its trains through the {{abbr|S&DJR| Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway}} Wells station at [[Wells (Priory Road) railway station|Priory Road]], though GWR trains did not stop at Priory Road until 1934. At this stage, the main traffic became the through trains from [[Yatton railway station|Yatton]] to Witham and the East Somerset Railway station in Wells closed, with [[Wells (Tucker Street) railway station|Wells (Tucker Street)]] becoming the station for the city on the line. The Yatton to Witham service remained in use with the GWR and later [[British Rail]] until passenger service finally ceased on 7 September 1963, however trains carrying [[bitumen]] continued until 1985.

== Preservation ==
In 1971/72, the artist [[David Shepherd (artist)|David Shepherd]] came across, viewed and later purchased Cranmore station and a section of the track to house and run his two locomotives; the [[British Rail]] (BR) 2-10-0 [[BR standard class 9F|Class 9F]] No. [[BR standard class 9F 92203 Black Prince|92203 "Black Prince"]] and BR [[BR standard class 4 4-6-0|Standard 4 4-6-0]] No. 75029 'The Green Knight'.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eastsomersetrailway.com/page.php?pid=34|title=History|work=East Somerset Railway|publisher=East Somerset Railway|access-date=8 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612104534/http://www.eastsomersetrailway.com/page.php?pid=34|archive-date=12 June 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1973, the line opened offering Brake Van rides before extending first to Merryfield Lane in 1980 (operating from Cranmore West), then to Mendip Vale and finally into Cranmore station itself in 1985.

The East Somerset Railway (ESR) only operates the line between [[Cranmore railway station|Cranmore]], [[Cranmore West railway station|Cranmore West]], [[Merryfield Lane railway station|Merryfield Lane Halt]] and [[Mendip Vale railway station|Mendip Vale]]. Between the last two sections, the railway runs through the [[Doulting Railway Cutting]] [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1004006.pdf|format=PDF|title=Doulting Railway Cutting|work=SSSI citation sheet|publisher=English Nature|access-date=8 July 2008}}</ref> The section between Cranmore and the [[Heart of Wessex Line|mainline]] is used for heavy [[Mendip Rail|quarry traffic]] to the nearby [[Merehead Quarry]].

In 1991, a new station building was constructed at Cranmore which now includes a cafe, booking office, gift shop and toilets. The platform then extends to the old station which is now a museum. On the platform is an old K4 [[red telephone box]] which incorporates a stamp machine and post box. It was made around 1927 and is one of only 50 made to that design.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eastsomersetrailway.com/page.php?pid=16|title=Cranmore Station|publisher=East Somerset Railway|access-date=8 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100721103310/http://www.eastsomersetrailway.com/page.php?pid=16|archive-date=21 July 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> Opposite the platform is a [[signal box]] dating from 1904 and is the standard GWR pattern of the period. Close to Cranmore station are the engine sheds and workshop (known together as Cranmore Shed) which were built in 1973, (during the preserved line's restoration at the time).

Cranmore Traincare and Maintenance and Services (CTMS) was set up in 1995 at the Cranmore base of the ESR. They carry out professional repairs to carriages and bodywork overhauls on diesel locomotives. CTMS is based opposite the ESR loco workshop in a separate preservation era shed.

An order by the Secretary of State for Transport in 2005 allowed a further 660 yards (600 metres) of track to be used.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/twa/dl/theeastsomersetrailwayorder |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100303231953/http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/twa/dl/theeastsomersetrailwayorder |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 March 2010 |title=The East Somerset Railway Order |publisher=Department of Transport |access-date=30 September 2010 }}</ref>

On 25 March 2007, the East Somerset Railway announced that it had received a £7,500 grant from Shepton 21 Group, a local organisation, set up to regenerate the area around Shepton Mallet. The money was to be spent on conducting a feasibility study into extending the line towards Shepton Mallet, with a possible new terminus at [[Cannards Grave]], on the outskirts of Shepton Mallet.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eastsomersetrailway.com/newsitem.php?item=198 |title=Press Release |publisher=East Somerset Railway |access-date=8 July 2008 |archive-date=9 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101209122701/http://www.eastsomersetrailway.com/newsitem.php?item=198 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Locomotives ==
=== Operational steam locomotives ===

{|class="wikitable sortable"
! Number & name
! Type
! Wheels
! Built
! {{nowrap|To ESR}}
!class=unsortable| Notes
!class=unsortable| Image
|-
|46447
|[[LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0|LMS Ivatt Class 2]]
|{{Whyte|2-6-0}}
|1950
|2012
|One of 128 similar locomotives, 46447 was built by British Railways at [[Crewe railway works|Crewe]] in 1950 to a [[London Midland and Scottish Railway]] (LMS) design. Its first allocation was to Crewe North shed. After withdrawal in 1966, it was sold for scrap to the [[Woodham Brothers]] but was sold by them for preservation in 1972. Some restoration was done at the [[Buckinghamshire Railway Centre]] and the [[Isle of Wight Steam Railway]] but this was completed at Cranmore and it worked its first train on 26 October 2014.<ref name="esr-steam">{{cite web |title=Steam |url=https://eastsomersetrailway.com/locomotives-stock/category/steam |access-date=2023-01-15 |website=East Somerset Railway}}</ref>
|[[File:46447 cranmore.jpg|alt=46447 in front of Cranmore MPD|150px]]
|-
|4110
|{{nowrap|[[GWR 5101 Class|GWR 5101]]}}
|{{whyte|2-6-2|T}}
|1936
|2020
|4110 was built in 1936 at [[Swindon Works]]. It was rescued from [[Woodham Brothers]] scrapyard in [[Barry, Glamorgan|Barry]] in 1979 by the Great Western Preservation Group and moved to [[Southall Railway Centre]]. It later moved to [[Tyseley Locomotive Works]] then the [[West Somerset Railway]] for restoration but this was not completed.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}} The locomotive was purchased by the Dartmouth Steam Railway in 2019 and arrived at Cranmore on 10 January 2020. Once restoration is completed it will run at the East Somerset Railway for three years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Duggan |first=Jamie |date=2020-01-10 |title=Steam locomotive 4110 arrives at the East Somerset Railway for restoration |url=https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2020/01/steam-locomotive-4110-arrives-at-the-east-somerset-railway-for-restoration.html |access-date=2020-01-11 |website=RailAdvent |language=en-GB}}</ref>
|[[File:4110 at The East Somerset Railway, Cranmore 090623 (52962195472).jpg|150px]]
|-
|''Lady Nan''
|[[Andrew Barclay Sons & Co.]]
|{{whyte|0-4-0|ST}}
|1920
|1975
|This locomotive was built by Andrew Barclay in 1920 and given their works number 1719. It worked for several owners and was known at different times as 'Hurlford Fireclay Works No. 2' and 'Glenfield No. 2'. It was sold for scrap in 1972 but was instead preserved, reaching the East Somerset Railway on 5 November 1975. It was named ''Lady Nan'' after one of its owners in 1985. It was loaned to the [[National Railway Museum]] for a while but returned to Cranmore in 2000. It is painted in a blue livery.<ref name="esr-steam"/>
|[[File:Ln96.jpg|150px]]
|}
Former resident locomotives include 56xx 5637, 9F 92203 "Black Prince", Standard 4MT {{whyte|4-6-0}} 75029 ''The Green Knight'', Standard 4MT {{whyte|2-6-0}} 76017, GWR Castle 5029 ''Nunney Castle'', SR Westcountry 34027 'Taw Valley', SR West Country 34105 ''Swanage'', SR S15 828, GWR Manor 7822 ''Foxcote Manor'', GWR 14xx 1450, LBSCR E1 110, LMS 3F 47493, NER J72 69023 'Joem' and GNR J52 68846.{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}

=== Steam locomotives under overhaul ===

{|class="wikitable sortable"
! Number & name
! Class
! Wheel arrangement
! Built
! {{nowrap|To ESR}}
!class=unsortable| Notes
!class=unsortable| Image
|-
|31 ''Meteor''
|[[Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns|RSH]]
|{{whyte|0-6-0|T}}
|1950
|?
|
|
|-
|4247
|[[GWR 5205 Class|GWR 5205]]
|{{Whyte|2-8-0|T}}
|1916
|2021
|
|[[File:Uncoupling.jpg|frameless]]
|}

===Diesel traction===

The ESR is host to a Class 108 DMU as well as a fleet of Sentinel shunting locomotives, these are listed below:

{|class="wikitable sortable"
! Number & name
! Type
! Built
! {{nowrap|To ESR}}
!class=unsortable| Notes
!class=unsortable| Image
|-
|L231 (51909 & 56271)
|{{nowrap|{{Brc|108}}}}
|1960
|2013
|A two-car [[diesel multiple unit]], it was withdrawn in 1993 and put into storage before moving to {{Stnlnk|Midsomer Norton}} in 2011 and then moving to Cranmore two years later and has been restored in British Rail blue livery. Car 51909 is a Driving Motor Brake Second; 56271 is a Driving Trailer Composite Lavatory. It is owned by The Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Heritage Diesel Multiple Unit|url=https://eastsomersetrailway.com/locomotives-stock/category/dmu|access-date=2021-08-24|website=eastsomersetrailway.com|language=en}}</ref>
|[[File:Class 108 set L231 (51909 & 56271) at The East Somerset Railway, Cranmore 16 09 21 (51483560361).jpg|150px]]
|-
|data-sort-value=16|DH16
|{{Whyte|0-4-0|DH}}<br>{{nowrap|{{Abbr|CD|Chain drive}} [[Sentinel Waggon Works|Sentinel]]}}
|1964
|2015
|Built for the [[Manchester Ship Canal]] in 1964 (works number 10175), later working at the Bowaters Paper Mill in [[Ellesmere Port]]. It was donated to the [[East Lancashire Railway]] in 1981. It was sold in 1999 and moved to Merehead for restoration in Manchester Ship Canal livery before finding a home on the [[West Somerset Railway]] where it was based from 2001 until 2015. Owned by the Sentinel Diesel Preservation Group (SDPG).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Industrial Diesel Locomotives|url=https://eastsomersetrailway.com/locomotives-stock/category/diesels|access-date=2021-08-24|website=eastsomersetrailway.com|language=en}}</ref>
|[[File:Norton Fitzwarren - MSC DH16.JPG|150px]]
|-
|39
|{{Whyte|0-6-0|DH}}<br>{{Abbr|SR|Side rod}} Sentinel
|1965
|1999
|Built in 1965, works number 10218 operated for the Port of Bristol Authority (PBA) as their number 39. It was preserved on the [[Dean Forest Railway]] in 1984 and arrived at Cranmore in 1999. It is privately owned and painted in PBA Oxford blue livery.<ref name=":0" />
|[[File:UK Railtours, The Angel of Bedlam 14.jpg|150px]]
|-
|42 ''Eric''
|{{Whyte|0-6-0|DH}}<br>{{Abbr|SR|Side rod}} Sentinel
|1965
|2007
|Built in 1965, works number 10221 operated for the Port of Bristol Authority as their number 42. It was redundant in 1983 and later worked at the Rover car factory at Longbridge in Birmingham, and for Blue Circle Cement in [[Westbury, Wiltshire]] where it was given the name ''Eric'' and later donated to the SDPG to be restored for preservation.<ref name=":0" />
|[[File:UK Railtours, The Angel of Bedlam 19.jpg|150px]]
|-
|199
|{{Whyte|0-4-0|DH}}<br>{{Abbr|CD|Chain drive}} Sentinel
|1964
|2007
|Built for [[Esso Petroleum]] in 1964 (works number 10199), this shunter worked in [[Glasgow]] until it was moved to Cattedown Wharf in [[Plymouth]] in 1995. It was gifted to the SDPG in 2007 and named ''Cattewater'' once it was restored<ref name=":0" /> but the name has since been removed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=10199 at Cranmore on 12-05-2022 |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/jjc-47555/52162324682/ |website=www.flickr.com | access-date=2023-02-22}}</ref>
|[[File:Restored Diesel Locomotive - geograph.org.uk - 1059726.jpg|150px]]
|-
|''Joan''
|{{Whyte|0-4-0|DH}}<br>{{Abbr|SR|Side rod}} Sentinel
|1963
|2005
|Built by Rolls-Royce (works number 10165) as a demonstration locomotive in 1963, it was sold to the Oxfordshire Ironstone Company in 1964 and given the name ''Jane'' from the steam locomotive it replaced. It later worked for Stewarts & LLoyds and the British Steel Corporation. It was withdrawn in 1989 and initially preserved on the [[Dean Forest Railway]]. It arrived at Cranmore in 2005 for restoration which was completed in 2017 and once again carries the Oxfordshire Ironstone Company's maroon livery. Owned by the SDPG.<ref name=":0" />
|[[File:The Somerset Strimmer 12.jpg|150px]]
|}

== Features ==
The distance from Cranmore to Mendip Vale is  {{convert|1|mi|63|ch|km}}.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Jacobs |first1=Gerald |title=Railway Track Diagrams: Western |date=2005 |publisher=Trackmaps |isbn=0-9549866-1-X |page=12}}</ref>
[[File:Cranmore station 2024.jpg|thumb|Cranmore station in 2024]]
[[File:Merryfield Lane station in 2024.jpg|thumb|Merryfield Lane station in 2024]]
{{kml}}
{{PoI start}}
{{PoI|Cranmore railway station|51.185|-2.478|GB|Eastern start of railway line}}
{{PoI|Cranmore West railway station|51.184|-2.483|GB|}}
{{PoI|Merryfield Lane railway station|51.181|-2.498|GB|}}
{{PoI|Mendip Vale railway station|51.180|-2.520|GB|Western terminus}}
{{PoI end}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book|last=Phillips|first=Derek|title=Steaming through the Cheddar Valley|publisher=Oxford Publishing Co.|year=2001|isbn=0-86093-551-5}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website|http://www.eastsomersetrailway.com/}}

{{Heritage railways in England}}
{{Brunel}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Heritage railways in Somerset]]
[[Category:7 ft gauge railways]]
[[Category:Railway companies established in 1856]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1858]]
[[Category:Railway companies disestablished in 1874]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Somerset]]
[[Category:British companies established in 1856]]
[[Category:British companies disestablished in 1874]]