THE West Somerset Railway’s Spring Steam Gala will be featuring a star of the 1990s BBC sitcom Oh Doctor Beeching – steam locomotive 46521!

The sitcom was written by Richard Spendlove and David Croft and set at a fictitious branch line station threatened with closure during the 1960s.

The programmes were filmed on the Severn Valley Railway and featured steam locomotive 46521 alongside the human members of the cast including Paul Shane, Su Pollard and Jeffrey Holland.

The engine is now due to come to Somerset to appear at the West Somerset Railway’s Spring Steam Gala which takes place over the four days March 26-29, 2015.

Built at Crewe in 1953 the locomotive was designed by H. Ivatt and was one of a class of small sized tender engines intended to take over from veteran and time-expired locos on branch line work and secondary duties.

In fact the machines, which were given the nickname “Mickey Mouse” by crews and enthusiasts, turned out to be more powerful than expected and were very successful.

However like many steam locomotives built in the 1950s their working lives were cut short a decade later by the rapid introduction of diesel trains.

The 46521 spent some time in a scrapyard at Barry before being rescued for preservation and is today based on the Great Central Railway in Leicestershire. It will be the first of its type to work on the West Somerset.

In total the Steam Gala will feature ten steam engines at work over the 20 miles of line between Bishops Lydeard and Minehead and there will be other attractions at stations along the line.

More information can be seen at www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk or by phoning 01643-704996.