The West Somerset Railway has extended the agreement with The 5199 Project and sees GWR Prairie stay in Somerset for longer than expected.

The new agreement will now see 5199 stay at the West Somerset Railway for the entire 2022 season until the 31st December 2022.

A minimum of 50 steaming days is part of the agreement, with the locomotive being an ideal locomotive for the line, hauling most trains with ease.

Winter maintenance is currently being completed on the locomotive, ready for the new season to begin.

The 5199 Project Group Chairman Richard Pumphrey said “No 5199 will operate on a minimum number of 50 steaming days in this period. It is an ideal engine for the WSR being capable of hauling most trains with ease, and many members of the class ran regularly on the steeply-graded branch hauling eight coach trains in GWR and British Railways days. The locomotive is currently undergoing a programme of mechanical winter maintenance at Minehead in readiness for the new WSR running season. Our thanks go to the 5199 project for supporting the West Somerset Railway.”

For more behind the scenes news, please visit the WSR Mechanical Engineering Dept News Facebook Page