THE Quantock Hills will be alive with the sound of a specific type of steam train – that even starred in a movie with the Beatles in Somerset – at the end of this month, as the West Somerset Railway (WSR) celebrates a landmark anniversary.

Over the weekend of August 30 and 31, the WSR line between Bishops Lydeard and Minehead fill with the sound of Maybach Music – the term used by diesel locomotive enthusiasts to describe the distinctive sound of Hymek diesel hydraulic locos at work.

A weekend of trips will mark half a century since a group of enthusiasts got together to try to preserve at least one of the diesel hydraulics built for the Western Region of British Railways (BR).

Taking the name the Diesel and Electric Group (now the Diesel and Electric Preservation Group), the enthusiasts were successful in acquiring the pair of Hymeks – D7017 (on the last weekend in August 1975) and D7018.

To celebrate the anniversary, the WSR will run a special timetable on both days, giving diesel lovers the chance to travel 120 miles behind the locomotives.

An eight-coach set of carriages should be clearly audible as they make the climbs to Crowcombe Heathfield and Washford, with Hymeks leading steam train trips between Bishops Lydeard and Minehead.

“D7017 and D7018 will operate both individually and as a double-headed lunchtime pairing on both days and there will be early morning and evening trips,” a spokesperson said.

“Some of these special trains will run as ‘semi-fast’ and not call at all stations. Normal fares for travel on the two days will apply.”

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Historically, there were 101 Hymeks built by Beyer Peacock in Manchester. During the transition from steam to diesel haulage BR’s Western Region was keen to emulate West Germany – by combining hydraulic transmission with diesel power units, while the other five rail regions favoured electric transmission.

Though successful as mixed traffic locomotives working both passenger and freight trains, Hymeks fell victim to a drive for standardisation of types and had short working lives – just over a decade.

“Nonetheless, they became and remain very popular with enthusiasts,” the spokesperson went on. “Locally, they did work over the line to Minehead on summer holiday trains, but the big historical note is that one of the class headed a special five-coach train from Paddington to Minehead as part of the filming of the Beatles’ first feature film, A Hard Day’s Night.

“Various on-train scenes were filmed and at Crowcombe Heathfield station a short scene of all four running along the platform and George and Ringo riding bicycles was shot.

“The local schools bowed to the inevitability of pupils wanting to try to see the Fab Four and closed for the day.”

Today, the Diesel and Electric Preservation Group has constructed a large depot and workshop at Williton and has eight locomotives in its care, a mixture of diesel hydraulics and diesel electrics.

WSR general manager, Kerry Noble, said: “The DEPG has been part of the West Somerset Railway from the earliest days and it’s great to be able to highlight their hours of patient work by putting a weekend spotlight on two of their fleet.

“It’s sobering to think that in the year of Railway 200 that they have been caring for ‘modern traction’ for half a century and that the two Hymeks have spent four times as long on the WSR as they did in British Railways’ service.”

Tickets for the August 30 and 31 trips are available in advance from the West Somerset Railway website, or by calling 01643 704996. They can also be purchased from station ticket offices on the day of travel.