Over Thursday 4th October - Sunday 7th October 2012, the West Somerset Railway held their annual autumn gala. This was to be a preservation first for a standard gauge heritage line, with all scheduled trains being advertised as being hauled as facing forward following the completion of the Norton Fritzwarren turning triangle at the southern end of the line. The north end of the line at Minehead has had turning facilities since the turntable was installed in 2008.

Visiting the line were:
92203 - 'Black Prince' from the North Norfolk Railway
4936 - 'Kinlet Hall'
'Flying Pig' 43106 from the Severn Valley Railway
45379 from the Mid Hants Railway.

In addition the home fleet of 7828 'Odney Manor', 88, 9351, 4160 and 6960 'Ravingham Hall' ran.

I visited on Sunday 7th October. In this video we see:
6960 departing Minehead (I apologise for cutting the first part of the clip short by accident).
4936 departing Dunster.
88 arriving into Dunster.
43106 and 45379 departing Watchet.
7828 and 4936 departing Watchet.
6960 arriving into Watchet.
45379 climbing Crowcombe Bank at Leigh Woods.
7828 descending Crowcombe Bank amongst the Quantock Hills.
43106 and 4160 crossing over at Crowcombe Heathfield.
88 arriving into Williton with the final train of the day to Bishop's Lydeard.

This was a rather unplanned visit as I only decided to visit in the days prior, and I am most grateful to JBTEvans, his father and his uncle for allowing me to come along with them at short notice.

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