Well, it's seriously annoying. I don't know the exact distance, but it can't be more than a couple of miles. The ideal would, of course, be two miles of dedicated WSR track alongside the NR line and a dedicated WSR bay.
I Went onto the WSR on Saturday by a mainline steam charter, all the way from Paddington to Minehead and someone that day said that your suggestion above could be a possibility infact. It would be logical, but I guess still would be expensive.
It is a bit of a pain having to go to Taunton, then wait for the bus to the WSR & VV. Trying to get the schedules to work out for me have been hard too.
Having WSR go into Taunton would be more convenient.
Someone's suggestion here of extending the Cardiff/Taunton trains to the WSR a good idea too.
As mentioned here, having adjacent or very close NR & Preserved railway stations makes the journey much easier, such as at Alton, Whitby/Grosmont, Eridge, Keithley, Totnes, Matlock, Duffield, Sttingbourne, Bodmin to name but a few.
Saturday's main line trip with "Tangmere" went quite well, only a few mins late arriving, and on the return journey, although owing to a Points problem then delay with taking water which at one stage meant we were about 50 minutes late, by the time we got back to Slough where I got off, it was right on time. I don't know how punctual it was back at Paddington. (On the outbound journey, we went along the under used line via Park Royal, then via Castle Bar Park). On the mainline in both directions Tangmere performed very well indeed. The Stations on the WSR are very well kept and the WSR staff were very welcoming. The Shops at Bishop's Lyd and Minehead had some good Hornby & Bachmann items at good prices too.The shunting arrangements/loco change went very well especially in the evening. There was no diesels attached on the mainline or on the WSR so pure steam all the way, there and back. So overall a very good day.
I did notice there seemed to be small platform now at Norton Fitzwarren and I saw part of the triangles too, which I assume are in use now, although I could not quite see the ends of them, there appeared to be more construction going on in connection with these too.