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Published on 26th October 2026

For the third year in a row, West Coast Railway Class 57/0 No.57010 returned to Devon on Monday 26th October 2026.

The locomotive No.57010 operated 5Z57 06:32 Carnforth Steamtown - Buckfastleigh, delivering a set of Mk1 coaches to the South Devon Railway in preparation for forthcoming festive events. This year, the train was formed of five Mk1 coaches: 4973, 4951, 4960, 5032, 4940. Upon arrival at Totnes, the locomotive propelled the coaching stock onto the South Devon Railway before uncoupling and returning to Swindon light engine. While diagrammed to Buckfastleigh, the coaching stock was moved between Totnes and Buckfastleigh by a South Devon Railway locomotive.

Published on 26th October 2026

With track renewal work closed the line between Bath Spa and Bristol Temple Meads from Monday, 26th -28th October, Heavy Haul Rail needed to move three locomotives from Bristol to Westbury via Taunton on Monday, 26th October 2026.

The company was booked to move engineering trains to another track renewal project at Grangetown in Wales. Network Rail and Transport for Wales are carrying out essential engineering work and track upgrades affecting the railway between Grangetown, Eastbrook, Cogan, and the Vale of Glamorgan line from Sunday 25 October until Sunday 1 November 2026.

Heavy Haul Rail provided a triple Class 66 movement from Stoke Gifford Yard formed of No.66556, No. 66415 'You Are Never Alone' and No. 66537. These three locomotives plotted the history of how Heavy Haul Rail originated. No.66556 carried the original Freightliner livery from 1999 when the first Freightliner locomotive was delivered. No. 66415 'You Are Never Alone' (Formerly owned by DRS) carried the Genesee & Wyoming Freightliner colours from 2018, after the company acquired Freightliner in 2015, and the final locomotive, No. 66537, carried the brand-new Heavy Haul Rail colours and branding. This was the first visit of this locomotive to Taunton since the official launch in January 2026, bringing a new livery to the pages of Taunton Trains. The locos changed direction at Taunton to head to Westbury, where they joined their respective engineering trains.

Over the course of the week, further engineering trains will be visiting Taunton, heading to and from their respective engineering sites.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Published on 25th October 2026

The Britannic Explorer was back in the South West on the 23rd, 24th, and 25th of October.

After making its booked overnight stop on the West Somerset Railway. The Britannic Explorer luxury land cruise arrived at Taunton Station on Saturday 24th October 2026 to change direction and head West. No. 66748 'St Michaels Mount' led 1C02 09:00 Bishops Lydeard - Penzance into Platform 2 before running around the luxury train to join partner No. 66760 'David Gordon Harris' for a double-headed run to Penzance.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Published on 22nd October 2026

The wide-ranging and colourful interest continues to appear at Taunton on a weekly basis into October.

Large Logo Class 37/4 No. 37424 'Avro Vulcan XH558' has been operating a Network Rail test train from Penzance to Exeter Riverside overnight. The locomotive operated a light engine test run to Bristol and back on the 22nd October 2026. No. 37424 'Avro Vulcan XH558' operated 0Z37 12:30 Exeter Riverside - Exeter Riverside via Bristol East Depot. The loco was captured in both directions, passing through the Taunton area.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Published on 20th October 2026

The rare and welcome sight of a GBRf Class 47/7 No.47749 occurred in the Taunton area on Tuesday 20th October 2026.

No.47749 arrived light engine from Wembley Yard to collect failed Class 57/3 No. 57306 'Branchline Society' from Fairwater Yard. The GBRf Class 47 locomotives very rarely pass through the Taunton area and are often found on stock transfer movements around other parts of the UK.

No.47749 was built as D1660 in February 1964 (and also carries its original number today as a tribute by GB Railfreight when it was last repainted). During the BR TOPS era, it was renumbered to No.47076 in November 1984 and later in its British Rail life, after overhaul and fitting with ETH (Electric Train Heating) it became No.47625. The locomotive underwent its final major overhaul in November 1995 when it was fitted with long-range fuel tanks to become No. 47749, entering use with the parcels sector and later EWS. After its life with British Rail and EWS, the loco was one of two Class 47 locomotives acquired by Colas Rail Freight, and repainted into the company's striking orange, black and green livery, gaining the name ‘Damelza’. It was in December 2017 that GBRf purchased the locomotive and repainted it into British Rail Blue, refitting its original name ‘City of Truro’.