A LANDMARK two-year trial of trains linking the West Somerset Railway to the National Rail services is set to start in 2018.

Minehead Chamber of Commerce and West Somerset Railway plc released a joint statement saying they would like to see regular services linking to the national network return to West Somerset Railway provided they are viable, sustainable and complimentary to the heritage and tourist services already in place.

The next stage in fulfilling these ambitions is the two-year trial of services linking the national network to WSR's southern gateway terminus at Bishops Lydeard - allowing the trains to run all the way through to Minehead.

It is hoped that trial can commence in 2018 so that the results from it can be taken into account in the next round of railway operator franchising on the national network.

Alex de Mendoza, chairman of the Minehead Chamber of Commerce was delighted with the news, having been campaigning for the link-up over the past year.

Mr de Mendoza said: “We are completely behind this initiative being spear-headed by the WSR plc to link national rail trains to the WSR, as we wish to see the WSR using its services to help to attract many more new and unique visitors into Minehead and its local environs. "WSR's fabulous railway infrastructure could start to be used even more vigorously to help boost West Somerset's struggling tourist and business economy.

"Minehead is very proud of its steam railway, a crucial part of the town’s attractiveness for tourists and we look forward to working with the WSR plc to support future improvements and enhancements to this service. ”

John Irven, WSR plc chairman said: “We are very pleased to have the support of the Minehead Chamber of Commerce for services linking the national network to Bishops Lydeard.

"We place a high value on our links with all West Somerset and Taunton Deane local organisations. Being part of our local community is very important to us.

"There are opportunities to be grasped flowing from the shake-up of national rail services in the south west following electrification from London to Bristol and Cardiff.

"We need to work together to achieve the best result for our communities.”

There is a joint working group involving Taunton Deane Borough Council/ West Somerset Council, Somerset County, the PLC, Great Western Railway and Network Rail, under the leadership of the PLC developing the proposals.

Cllr Karen Mills, West Somerset Council’s lead member for economic development and tourism, said: “There has been a lot of work undertaken by the West Somerset Railway (WSR) in talks with Great Western Railway (GWR) to create this opportunity of linking the national network to the WSR’s southern gateway terminus of Bishops Lydeard.

"The two-year trial will be a great opportunity to understand the real benefit this sort of link could achieve into West Somerset, and the practicalities that would be needed to make this a full time connection.

"A desire to see this link achieved, is held by many and, thanks to the WSR, we now on the road to seeing this as a reality."

A taste of the links to national rail services was available during the WSR’s Autumn Steam Gala in October when Great Western Railway ran a shuttle service from Taunton to Bishops Lydeard.