Yeovil Railway Centre facts for kids
The turntable at Yeovil Junction station in June 2006
|
|
| Established | 1993 |
|---|---|
| Type | Railway museum |
The Yeovil Railway Centre is a cool railway museum located at Yeovil Junction in the U.K. It's on a historic railway line that connects places like Salisbury and Exeter.
This special place was started in 1993. It began because British Rail decided to remove the large spinning platform, called a turntable, from Yeovil Junction. The centre uses about a quarter of a mile of track for fun demonstration train rides.
Contents
What You Can See Here
The centre has some really old and interesting buildings. One is a G.W.R. goods shed built way back in the 1860s. This shed was used to move goods from very wide trains (called broad gauge) to regular-sized trains (standard gauge). It's the only shed of its kind still standing in its original spot. Today, it's a visitor centre where you can learn more.
You'll also find a S.R. turntable here. This is a big spinning platform that turns locomotives around. There's also a large water tower that can hold 15,000 gallons of water. Both the turntable and water tower have been fixed up. They are now working again to help service steam trains. A special building for engines, called an engine shed, was also built and opened in 1999.
Fun Events and Activities
The Yeovil Railway Centre often hosts exciting events. During "Train Days," you can ride a steam train in a special brake van along the Clifton Maybank track. You can also watch demonstrations of the turntable in action.
Often, there are extra attractions like a miniature railway, tours of the engine shed, and displays of model railways. They also have special events like "Train & Tractor Day" and "Santa Specials" around Christmas. Sometimes, big steam trains traveling to places like Exeter or Weymouth stop here. They use the centre's facilities to turn their engines around and get them ready for the next part of their journey.
Meet the Locomotives
The centre has a collection of different locomotives. These are the engines that pull the trains.
Steam Locomotives
- Peckett 0-4-0ST Pectin: This steam engine was built in April 1921. It was put back into service in December 2021 for a special Santa event. It officially returned to regular service in March 2022 and is currently working.
- Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST Lord Fisher: This engine was built in 1915. Its boiler stopped working in the summer of 2022, so it is not currently operational.
Diesel Locomotives
- British Rail Class 50 50050 Fearless: This diesel engine was privately owned and left the centre in 2015.
- Ruston & Hornsby 0-4-0 Shunting engine: A diesel engine used for moving trains around the yard.
- Fowler 0-4-0DM "Cockney Rebel": Another diesel engine.
- Fowler 0-4-0DM "Sam": Also a diesel engine.
