THE Somerset & Dorset Railway (S&DRHT) at Midsomer Norton is holding its first Wickham Weekender event on July 8/9.
There will be at least one, rather rare visiting trolley joining resident Type 27A No. B40W (Wickham 7504 of 1956) (PWM 4301/TR18). This is No. 156W, Type 8S Wickham 4165 of 1948 (PWM 2188/A156/TR12). Owned by Peter Nicholson, it has been beautifully restored to original condition by Andrew Woodhall and Peter Bennett of the Vale of Berkeley Railway project, Sharpness Docks. It is on long-term loan to the embryonic railway in Gloucestershire.
Delivered new to BR (WR) in February 1948 and latterly in yellow livery when withdrawn in the 1970s, it is now in the more attractive earlier BR red livery.
Although acquired for preservation by the present owner in 1977, it has been kept in store in poor/part dismantled condition until going to Sharpness in 2017. As far as is known, the S&DRHT event will see the diminutive trolley running in public for the first time in its life.