West Somerset Railway 9351 class no. 9351 at Bishops Lydeard
Date: 22nd June, 2025
Photograph Reference: P40005
Camera: Sony A7III
ISO: 320
Exposure Time: 1/200sec
Exposure Time: 1/200sec
Aperture: F8
Focal Length: 16mm
Modifications: RAW modified
This is not a Great Western Railway locomotive as such; it is a conversion of a 51XX class tank engine in to something resembling a 43XX tender locomotive. This was something that the GWR did consider doing as a possibility of producing lighter locomotives, but in the end felt was not worth the effort; however the West Somerset Railway felt converting 5193 to a tender locomotive would produce a locomotive more suited to their railway's needs. As a result, photographs of this locomotive qualify for this collection in much the same way that "Tornado" qualifies for the LNER collection.
This was my first "home" encounter with the locomotive (which had brought me here from Williton) and my first "proper" visit to the line (I did travel on it in March 2001 behind 5029 "Nunney Castle" on a railtour, but only really got to see Minehead on what was a rather a wet and wintery day, with a locomotive that was struggling somewhat). I'd always intended to come back, but it took 24 years; if I have one regret I wish I'd done this 10 years earlier when my father was still alive.