The original Somerset and Dorset Railway closed very controversially in 1966. It is time that decision, made in a very different world, was reversed. We now have many councillors, MPs, businesses and individuals living along the line supporting us. Even the Ministry of Transport supports our general aim. The New S&D was formed in 2009 with the aim of rebuilding as much of the route as possible, at the very least the main line from Bath (Britain's only World Heritage City) to Bournemouth (our premier seaside resort); as well as the branches to Wells, Glastonbury and Wimborne. We will achieve this through a mix of lobbying, trackbed purchase and restoration of sections of the route as they become economically viable. With Climate Change, road congestion, capacity constraints on the railways and now Peak Oil firmly on the agenda we are pushing against an open door. We already own Midford just south of Bath, and are restoring Spetisbury under license from DCC, but this is just the start. There are other established groups restoring stations and line at Midsomer Norton and Shillingstone, and the fabulous narrow gauge line near Templevcombe, the Gartell Railway.
There are now FIVE sites being actively restored on the S&D and this blog will follow what goes on at all of them!
Our aim is to use a mix of lobbying, strategic track-bed purchase, fundraising and encouragement and support of groups already preserving sections of the route, as well as working with local and national government, local people, countryside groups and railway enthusiasts (of all types!) To restore sections of the route as they become viable.
Whilst the New S&D will primarily be a modern passenger and freight railway offering state of the art trains and services, we will also restore the infrastructure to the highest standards and encourage steam working and steam specials over all sections of the route, as well as work very closely with existing heritage lines established on the route.
This blog contains my personal views. Anything said here does not necessarily represent the aims or views of any of the groups currently restoring, preserving or operating trains over the Somerset and Dorset Railway!
Saturday, June 30, 2007
an a-lister in the box!
(Photo courtesy John Rideout)
A valued visitor at the Midsummer weekend was Mike Arlett who is seen here pulling off a lever in the box. The frame and levers have been painted in the last few weeks. The box is looking fantastic!
My word! That looks absolutely brilliant. Well done to you all for such progress! Thank you Sunshiner for posting this picture and the others of the MN Box. Despite the wet weather there has been some excellent work being done. On my other favourite railway they are busy clearning the old Broadway Station site ready to rebuild the station and reconnect the line with Toddington. The signal box from Exminster will be going upon the site of the old Broadway box (the Exminster box is rather bigger however!).
The use of a duster or cloth was to avoid any sweat from the hands discolouring the polished heads to the levers. Certainly in most, if not all boxes on the S&D, none-use of 'the duster' was a sin too great to contemplate and any enthusiast foolhardy enough to overlook this, (if invited to pull over a lever) was likely to be 'advised' in no uncertain terms never to do so again!
3 comments:
My word! That looks absolutely brilliant. Well done to you all for such progress! Thank you Sunshiner for posting this picture and the others of the MN Box. Despite the wet weather there has been some excellent work being done. On my other favourite railway they are busy clearning the old Broadway Station site ready to rebuild the station and reconnect the line with Toddington. The signal box from Exminster will be going upon the site of the old Broadway box (the Exminster box is rather bigger however!).
Non-railway-geek here:) Why the cloth over the lever? I have always wondered about this!
The use of a duster or cloth was to avoid any sweat from the hands discolouring the polished heads to the levers.
Certainly in most, if not all boxes on the S&D, none-use of 'the duster' was a sin too great to contemplate and any enthusiast foolhardy enough to overlook this, (if invited to pull over a lever) was likely to be 'advised' in no uncertain terms never to do so again!
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