Welcome to the 'New Somerset and Dorset Railway'

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!
Midford - Midsomer Norton - Gartell - Shillingstone - Spetisbury


Our Aim:

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!

Thursday, June 14, 2007

land purchase



We've had a low-key Land Purchase Fund set up for over a year now, and it's just passed £3000. People often see us as just a heritage railway set up based around Midsomer Norton, but of course our remit covers the whole route, and the LPF is there for use when sections of land come onto the open market, anywhere on the S&D. So keep your eyes open on your local press etc and let us know if anything is up for grabs. Think of the S&D as a big jigsaw puzzle, we're here to help put it together again!

The LPF will now be pushed a lot harder, so if you want to help preserve and reopen the S&D why not make a donation today (see sidebar for details) or write to us at the station for a regular direct debit mandate.

The fund is ONLY for purchase of trackbed and associated land and buildings, not for track materials, rolling stock etc! All sections of land acquired will be preserved in perpetuity for use by the new S&D, and will have a plaque (and possibly donation box) on every section.
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