A WEST Somerset Railway (WSR) steam locomotive was being renamed for the day on Wednesday (June 5) to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

BR(W) Manor Class 4-6-0 no.7828, known as ‘Odney Manor’, took the name ‘Norton Manor’ and displayed original Norton Manor nameplates in honour of 40 Commando battalion Royal Marines, whose headquarters is close to the railway.

Norton Manor was running from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead and back throughout the day.

It came a day ahead of the opening of the WSR’s summer diesel festival which takes place from June 6 to 8.

Visiting locomotives joined the WSR home fleet, which is looked after by the Diesel and Electric Preservation Group, in Williton, with some trains continuing past Bishops Lydeard to the southern end of the line at Norton Fitzwarren, a rarely used stretch of line for passenger trains.

Among the visiting locomotives is Class 50 No. 50033 ‘Glorious’, which is usually homed on the Severn Valley Railway, making its first visit since 1993 courtesy of the Class 50 Alliance.

Class 46 ‘Peak’ No. D182 (46045) will be making its debut on the 22-mile West Somerset line courtesy of the Peak Locomotive Co Ltd, and is one of only three class survivors.

Making a return after taking part in 2018 are Class 20s 20189, in BR blue livery and 20142 'Sir John Betjeman', in commemorative London Transport livery, courtesy of 20189 Ltd, both of which were part of the British Rail modernisation plan to replace steam.

Returning after 25 years is Class 24 diesel locomotive No. D5054 ‘Phil Southern’ courtesy of the East Lancashire Railway, which is one of four preserved examples from the original 151-strong fleet, and is based at the East Lancashire Railway, at Bury.

WSR will also be hosting and operating one of Great Western Railway’s ‘Castle class’ sets, one of the shorter train sets now used on regional services in the Westcountry.

A GWR HST will also be running two round trips on Saturday and one on the mixed traffic day on Sunday.

Tickets for the summer diesel; festival can be booked online here.