This film is part of Free

East Somerset Railway Open Day

The East Somerset Railway opens its cabs

News 1976 1 mins

From the collection of:

Logo for South West Film and Television Archive

Overview

The East Somerset Railway opens its cabs to the public at Cranmore Station. The Green Knight BR standard class 4MT 75029 and the Black Prince BR standard class 9F 92203 are in all their steaming glory. Artist David Shepherd bought the two steam engines in 1967, BR standard class 9F 92203 and standard class 4MT 75029 and in 1971 with a group of friends bought Cranmore Station to house them. The Cranmore Rail Company is born and in 1973 the ESR is open for business.

The ESR is inaugurated in 1855 from Witham, to Shepton Mallet in 1858 and to Wells in 1862. Passenger services for the East Somerset Cheddar Valley line are withdrawn in 1963 as a direct result of the Beeching proposals that led to the mass closure of lines. Freight trains continue until 1985 and stone trains are still in operation as far as Torr Works, formerly Merehead Limestone Quarry.