Williton station area itself has some points of interest. Firstly the gap between the two lines of track is wider than might be expected. This is a consequence of the tracks that passed here being Brunel’s Broad Gauge of 7 feet and a quarter inch rather than the current standard gauge of 4 feet 8 and a half inches. The Signalbox which controls the movements at this station dates from the opening of the Railway in 1862 and is the last remaining box from the Bristol and Exeter Railway (who ran the branch on behalf of the original West Somerset Railway company before the Great Western took over).
The rest of Williton yard is a working area and access is not normally permitted to this or the large shed at the Minehead end of the site. This shed was once part of the GWR works at Swindon and was donated to the West Somerset Railway by Tarmac Plc. The Shed is the restoration base of the West Somerset Railway Association and the West Somerset Steam Railway Trust. Also present there are 5542 Ltd who are rebuilding a Great Western Auto Coach No: 168.
For the above information
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