Rail link reopens after 30 years

It is hoped villages along the line will benefit from the reopened link

For the first time in 30 years a rail link has begun operating from Bristol Temple Meads to Minehead.

Diesel locomotives link with trains at Taunton station to carry passengers into the heart of West Somerset.

Paul Conibeare, West Somerset Railway's General Manager said: "The line was axed in 1971 as part of the 'Beeching Cuts'."

Services will run on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays till 27 August to see if the link is economically viable.

"We're hoping that it will prove popular with tourists across the country who wish to visit Minehead and Exmoor, as well as with Butlins' visitors, who currently have to catch buses from Taunton," said Mr Conibeare.

"It's a delightful trip through some of our most scenic countryside and it will give visitors a really relaxing and charming start to their holidays," said West Somerset councillor Michael Downes.

"We're also hoping that it will bring economic benefits to the villages along the line, as well as to Minehead and Exmoor," he said.