The West Somerset Railway is the longest preserved railway in the UK, running 20 miles from Minehead to Bishops Lydeard along 10 miles of coast and then through the Quantock Hills. A regular service operates from Easter to the end of October with special events during the winter. The line remained connected to the main line at Taunton to allow visiting trains to reach the branch which closed in 1971 and reopened under preservation in 1976. The branch tries to recreate the atmosphere of a Great Western Railway branch with many vintage steam locomotives and rolling stock.
