The West Somerset Railway Association is seeking new people with professional, practical and volunteering skills to help protect and develop the heritage of the West Somerset Railway.
The West Somerset Railway Association (WSRA) has launched its Corporate Plan for 2026–2031, setting out an ambitious programme to strengthen heritage preservation, education, community engagement, volunteering and financial sustainability in support of the West Somerset Railway.
The five-year plan reaffirms the Association’s charitable purpose: to promote education in the heritage of the railway from Taunton to Minehead. It also sets out a practical roadmap for restoration, preservation, public benefit, environmental stewardship and closer collaboration across the railway family.
However, the WSRA is clear that the successful delivery of the plan will depend on attracting additional resources — particularly new Trustees, Volunteers and Advisors with the skills, time and experience needed to support an increasingly wide range of work.
Delivering the plan
Key priorities include completing the restoration of locomotives 4561 and 80064, both targeted for return to service in 2028; developing a long-term plan for the future restoration of Ditcheat Manor; progressing a carriage-by-carriage restoration strategy; and exploring options for covered accommodation for the Railway’s valuable carriage fleet.
The plan also places strong emphasis on growing membership, expanding educational outreach, increasing community engagement and developing the railway corridor as a “living corridor” supporting biodiversity and environmental education. Alongside these heritage objectives, the WSRA will continue to modernise its digital systems, strengthen governance, improve risk management and build organisational resilience through disciplined financial planning.
Recent work has already placed the Association on a strong footing. The Board oversees assets exceeding £3.25 million, including cash and investments of more than £2.1 million, providing an important platform for future restoration projects and charitable activity. The Association also continues to build constructive relationships with the West Somerset Railway Plc, the West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust, the Diesel and Electric Preservation Group, local communities, educational partners and funders.
A call for additional support
The scale of the Corporate Plan means that the WSRA now needs to strengthen its team. The Association is particularly keen to hear from people who may be able to contribute as Trustees, professional Advisors or Volunteers, and it has an immediate need to appoint a new Treasurer to help oversee the Association’s finances and support delivery of the plan.
Skills and experience that would be especially valuable include governance, finance and charity accounting, membership development, events management, fundraising, project management, procurement, compliance, business planning, communications, education and community engagement. Some roles may involve regular commitments, while others may require only a few hours each month or support for particular projects.
Edward Martin, Chairman of the WSRA, said: “We recognise that the aspirations we have set out in this Plan are challenging. Like all heritage bodies and many charities, we are finding resourcing our plans increasingly difficult. We hope that this plan, in showing clearly what we are planning and outlining how we hope to achieve those plans, will provide a solid foundation to support grant applications and attract more donors and volunteers to support our work.
“In particular, we are looking for volunteers to help with many of the support functions of the WSRA. Volunteer roles can support our restoration work, our business functions, our events programme or our education work. We are also looking to appoint a number of new Trustees at our AGM in September to strengthen the Board. If anyone, or any organisation, wishes to support us as a Trustee, professional Advisor or Volunteer, we would be delighted to hear from them.”
Mike Lanning, Vice Chair of the WSRA, added that strengthening the Association’s skills base would be critical to delivering the plan’s milestones, particularly as the WSRA expands its work across heritage restoration, events, compliance, fundraising, education and business planning.
Clive Hetherington, Chief Executive Officer of West Somerset Railway Plc, said: “The support provided by the WSRA is vital to the long-term success of the West Somerset Railway. Through its investment in locomotive and carriage restoration, volunteer development, education programmes and fundraising, the Association makes a significant contribution to the heritage railway we operate. This Corporate Plan demonstrates a shared commitment to preserving the railway’s unique heritage while building the resilience, skills and partnerships needed for the future.”
Mike Thompson, Chair of the West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust, said: “The emphasis on collaboration is particularly encouraging. By working closely together across the railway family, we can achieve more for heritage conservation, public engagement and the long-term resilience of the railway than any organisation can achieve alone.”
The WSRA’s Annual General Meeting will take place on Saturday 26 September at 2.00 pm at Bishops Lydeard Village Hall. Members interested in becoming Trustees are encouraged to make contact for an informal conversation before the AGM. Trustee nominations will open on 1st August 2026 and close on 24th August 2026. A link to the Trustee Nomination form is attached below.
Get involved
Anyone interested in supporting the WSRA as a Trustee, Advisor or Volunteer can contact the Association by emailing info@wsra.org.uk or writing to WSRA Office, Bishops Lydeard Station, Station Approach, Bishops Lydeard, TA4 3BX.
The full WSRA Corporate Plan 2026–2031 is available on the WSRA website: https://bit.ly/4g9qOuW
Trustee Nomination Form Link: https://bit.ly/3TBW1OF