Great Western Coffee Shop

Are there any "West" services run by loco hauled trains (HST excluded) this Summer? What about a through service to Minehead? I am thinking of touring the Severn and Solent area, and was wondering whether there is a way to escape Pacers and Sprinters.

There will be a loco hauled charter train to Minehead in the Autumn, for the beer festival to be held at Minehead station.
I am not aware of any near term plans for regular services though.

Through services from the West somerset Railway onto the national network are planned next year, but to/from Bristol, not London.
Probably DMUs though :(

Thanks for the info - so there'll be nothing loco hauled to and from Weymouth or Bristol for eg?

Wake up Btline, you can do better than that! ;)

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=5258.0 (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=5258.0). Saturdays only, 0909 BRI-WEY, 1655 WEY-BRI, same as it has been for several summers now.

The Minehead service had a short and troubled history: from what I remember it was operated by Fragonset/Merlin/FM Rail (whichever of those names it was at the time). I can't remember if the service stopped at the point when FM Rail went under or if it was pulled before that point because it was haemorrhaging money, but it hasn't run for a good couple of years and is unlikely to do so at an point in the future.

The same old FGW loco-hauled diagrams continue on Cardiff to Taunton and some Paignton services (I don't recall the details but I daresay you should be able to find them pretty quickly with a quick search around the forum) although these are weekdays only.

Many thanks. Shame it's only a Saturday...

I thought we had two sets of DB-S operated 67's & LHCS roaring around between Cardiff and Taunton (with a little jolly to Paignton) on a daily basis?
 ::)

There are  ;) (as i'm sure you are aware tsm)

For the benefit of btline..

Set 1
0728 Taunton - Bristol Parkway
0912 Bristol Parkway - Weston-super-mare
1102 Taunton - Cardiff Central
1400 Cardiff Central - Taunton
1616 Taunton - Cardiff Central
1900 Cardiff Central - Taunton

Set 2
0619 Bristol Temple Meads - Cardiff Central
0800 Cardiff Central - Paignton
1247 Paignton - Cardiff Central
1700 Cardiff Central - Taunton
1917 Taunton - Bristol Temple Meads

Many thanks D/M - I can always count on this forum for any rail info! Next we'll be exchanging recipes for the perfect lasagne!

Hopefully I'll be able to get these at some point. ;D

@Btliine:

http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/chefs/gordon-ramsay/gordon-s-lasagne-recipe_p_1.html

 ;D

Nah - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E_x0Xj11QE is much better! :P