The West Somerset Railway is holding a reunion lunch for original volunteers and staff who helped to reopen the line between Bishops Lydeard and Minehead during the years 1971 to 1979.

The reunion will take the form of a buffet lunch at the Beach Hotel on Saturday, October 3 during the WSR’s Autumn Steam Gala event between the 1st and 4th of October.

West Somerset Railway General Manager Paul Conibeare commented: “It is nearly forty years since the first train left Minehead for a round trip to Blue Anchor and back on Good Friday 1976 and we would like to welcome back those pioneers who worked from 1971 to 1979 to restore the line from Minehead stage by stage until trains began running to and from Bishops Lydeard in the latter year."

Any volunteers from the early era including members of support groups such as the Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust who would like to attend should notify John Simms of the Railway’s Commercial Department via john.com@wsrail.net or 01643 700382 by Monday September 28th.