130 years or so ago, the fortunes of Minehead and surrounding hills changed as the train line was extended here. The Grand Beach Hotel (today the YMCA) opened at the same time ready to receive new visitors and holiday makers. At the time a pamphlet enthused about the town, describing it as
‘The Star of the West and comparable to Torquay'
it goes on to say that Minehead
'has few of the disagreeables of the general run of the sea side towns'
Chapter one
The Star of the West
Chapter two
The Station and Beatle-Mania
Minehead railway station is a great location to start this trail, it has been the landing point for visitors for over 100 years now and the perfect point for exploration and discovery of this great town.
The West Somerset Railway, originally extended from Watchet in 1874, and was constructed to connect people and commerce with the town and its assets. From holiday makers to cattle, from soft fruit to iron ore, from ballast to barrels of pickled herring, all have come and gone on this railway over the years.
In fact so many visitors came that camping cabins were installed along the railway line to support the influx, but with the onset of war, these were then re-purposed.
In the 1960's, Beatle-mania was at its peak and the fab four came to town to film ‘A Hard Day's Night'. It was March 1964 and two local school girls Marian Keery and Cynthia Wilkinson (13 and 14 at the time) both skipped school, to catch a glimpse of the fab four before being manhandled away by police officers.
The Beatles were here for two days, filming along the railway line. On the second day the two young girls didn't even need to play truant as the entire school was given the day off to go and see them!
The West Somerset Railway, originally extended from Watchet in 1874, and was constructed to connect people and commerce with the town and its assets. From holiday makers to cattle, from soft fruit to iron ore, from ballast to barrels of pickled herring, all have come and gone on this railway over the years.
In fact so many visitors came that camping cabins were installed along the railway line to support the influx, but with the onset of war, these were then re-purposed.
In the 1960's, Beatle-mania was at its peak and the fab four came to town to film ‘A Hard Day's Night'. It was March 1964 and two local school girls Marian Keery and Cynthia Wilkinson (13 and 14 at the time) both skipped school, to catch a glimpse of the fab four before being manhandled away by police officers.
The Beatles were here for two days, filming along the railway line. On the second day the two young girls didn't even need to play truant as the entire school was given the day off to go and see them!
Chapter three
The Beeching Closures
When the Beatles passed this way the line was already marked for closure by Lord Beeching as were hundreds of other miles of branch lines throughout the country.
In 1971 the inevitable came and closure happened, but in 1973 the local council bought the weed-strewn line and out of these ashes rose The West Somerset Railway Company. It took a few years to get the line operational again under its new charitable status but today it stands as the longest standard gauge heritage railway in Britain.
The image above was taken during the first world war and depicts mules being exported to the front line. Portuguese handlers broke and trained the animals on Exmoor first, having arrived from North America before their deployment to the front lines.
The hidden Somerset dialect words.
These Storywalks have hidden a few old Somerset dialect words in cafes and businesses along the trails. The Minehead Information Centre here, knows what a sparrow-bill (pronounced spaar'u-bee'ulz) is. To find out you'll have to pop in and ask before you move on.
In 1971 the inevitable came and closure happened, but in 1973 the local council bought the weed-strewn line and out of these ashes rose The West Somerset Railway Company. It took a few years to get the line operational again under its new charitable status but today it stands as the longest standard gauge heritage railway in Britain.
The image above was taken during the first world war and depicts mules being exported to the front line. Portuguese handlers broke and trained the animals on Exmoor first, having arrived from North America before their deployment to the front lines.
The hidden Somerset dialect words.
These Storywalks have hidden a few old Somerset dialect words in cafes and businesses along the trails. The Minehead Information Centre here, knows what a sparrow-bill (pronounced spaar'u-bee'ulz) is. To find out you'll have to pop in and ask before you move on.
Directions - From Minehead Information Centre and facing the railway station turn left and walk around the front of the Beach Hotel and the next chapter will reveal.