Bishops Lydeard railway station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bishops Lydeard
Station on heritage railway
Location	Bishops Lydeard, Taunton Deane England
Coordinates	51°03′15″N 3°11′39″W / 51.0541°N 3.1942°W / 51.0541; -3.1942
Operated by	West Somerset Railway
Platforms	2
History
Original company	West Somerset Railway
Post-grouping	Great Western Railway
Key dates
1862	Opened
1971	Closed
1979	Reopened

Bishops Lydeard railway station is a special kind of train station called a heritage railway station. It's located in the village of Bishops Lydeard in Somerset, England. This station is the starting point for regular trains on the West Somerset Railway line, which runs south from here.

History of Bishops Lydeard Station

This section tells you about the past of Bishops Lydeard station.

Early Days: B&ER and GWR

The station first opened its doors on 31 March 1862. This was when the West Somerset Railway line began operating. It ran from Norton Junction all the way to Watchet. The trains were run by a company called the Bristol and Exeter Railway (B&ER).

When it first opened, the station had only one platform. This platform was on the west side of the railway line. There were also places for goods trains to load and unload. This included a special shed for goods and extra tracks for trains to pass each other. The station also had a house for the station master.

In 1876, the B&ER company became part of a bigger company, the Great Western Railway (GWR). However, the West Somerset Railway stayed independent until 1922. That's when the Great Western Railway finally took it over.

A second platform was added in 1906 on the eastern side. A bridge was built to connect the two platforms. A signal box was also added to control the train movements. This signal box had 25 levers. On 10 June 1936, the railway line from here to Norton Fitzwarren was made into two tracks. This meant the signal box needed to be bigger, so it was upgraded to 32 levers.

British Railways Era

In 1948, all railways in Britain became owned by the government. This was called Nationalization. Bishops Lydeard station then became part of the Western Region of British Railways.

On 1 March 1970, the signal box at the station was closed. The tracks from Norton Fitzwarren, through Bishops Lydeard, and all the way to Williton became a single track. The station was completely closed by British Railways on 4 January 1971. The entire railway line was closed too.

West Somerset Railway Revival

After the line closed, the tracks and land were bought by Somerset County Council. The West Somerset Railway company then agreed to rent the line. They wanted to bring it back to life as a heritage railway. There was also a plan to run regular trains into Taunton in the future.

Even today, tracks still connect to Norton Fitzwarren. This allows special trains and occasional goods trains to travel from the main Network Rail lines onto the West Somerset Railway.

The West Somerset Railway started bringing the line back from its western end, at Minehead. They first ran trains to Stogumber. Then, on 9 June 1979, they extended services to Bishops Lydeard. At first, only one train could be on the section west of Williton at a time. Later, Bishops Lydeard became the main starting and ending point for trains.

In 1981, the railway society got a new 33-lever signal frame. After a lot of fundraising, the station's loop track was made longer. It became 275 yards long. This allowed trains to arrive and depart from both platforms. The new system was approved in 1997. It started working fully in August 1998, including controlling the section towards Norton Fitzwarren.

In 2019, the West Somerset Railway teamed up with the modern Great Western Railway (GWR). They started running special Saturday trains from Taunton to Bishops Lydeard. These services began on 27 July 2019. This was the first time since 1971 that the station was connected to the main national rail network.

What the Station Looks Like Today

Today, Bishops Lydeard station has two platforms that trains use. It is also the main office for the West Somerset Railway Association. This group provides volunteers to help run the railway. Their special dining train, the Quantock Belle, is also based here.

The original platform, called No.1, is on the south-western side. The West Somerset Railway made it even longer towards Taunton. This allows trains to use both platforms for starting their journeys. The old goods shed has been fixed up. It is now a visitor centre and museum. Inside, you can see an old GWR sleeping car. There is also a model railway layout built by the Taunton Model Railway Club. The original station offices now have modern toilets. They are used by the West Somerset Railway Association.

Platform No.2 was built in 1906 and is on the northern side. This is now the main platform for station operations. You can get to it from a large car park behind it. This platform has the ticket office, toilets, and a shop. The signal box is also here, now enclosed. This platform was also extended towards Taunton. This extension allowed for a third platform, No.3. However, Platform No.3 is only used for storing trains, not for regular services. It usually holds the "Quantock Belle" dining cars.

There is also a special yard for storing locomotives (train engines) here. It's on the northeast side of Platform No.2 and is not open to the public. This is where visiting locomotives arrive by road and are put onto the railway tracks.

Train Services

Trains usually run between Minehead and Bishops Lydeard. They run on weekends and some other days from March to October. During late spring and summer, they run daily. In winter, they run on certain days.

For special events, a shuttle train runs between Bishops Lydeard and Norton Fitzwarren. Sometimes, special trains also travel onto the main Network Rail tracks at Taunton. Since 27 July 2019, Great Western Railway has also run services from Taunton on some summer Saturdays.

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Taunton or Norton Fitzwarren		Great Western Railway Special events only		Terminus
	Heritage railways
Crowcombe Heathfield		West Somerset Railway regular timetable		Terminus
Terminus		West Somerset Railway special events		Norton Fitzwarren

How to Get Here

Bishops Lydeard is the main way for visitors to access the West Somerset Railway.

• Train: The closest national train station is Taunton. You can get trains there from Great Western Railway and CrossCountry.
• Bus: Bus Service No.28 from Taunton stops directly at Bishops Lydeard station.
• Car: The station is signposted from junctions 25 or 26 of the M5 motorway. It's just off the A358 road, on the opposite side from the village. There is a large free car park next to Platform No.2.

Images for kids

• 

  View towards Norton Fitzwarren in 1963

• 

  View from the bridge at the north end

• 

  Braunton arrives with a train from Minehead