castles in the air?

(Josselin 9.7.07)

Sometimes when you look at the work needed just to restore from Radstock to Shepton you wonder how long it will take to restore the S&D proper, relay the track, demolish incursions, repair the engineering works, rebuild the stations, put the signalling back in, raise money, train staff, complete all the legal arrangements, rebuild Prestleigh Viaduct, purchase locos and stock, negotiate running agreements with other lines (Network, East Somerset, North Somerset, North Dorset, Gartell) etc etc.

And then you can see just how easy it can be by looking at the restoration of the Welsh Highland from Carnarfon to Portmadog, 25 miles of line closed 30 years BEFORE the S&D, now likely to be fully reopened in just two years time. Or look at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire, now ten miles of busy line where there was once just empty trackbed and demolished stations.

And then remember that our line is the S&D, possibly the World's favourite line, and that our work lies ahead, in a world of unstable climate and Peak Oil, both which work totally towards rail and against the old-fashioned and dying 'alternatives', and suddenly it all seems so easy ...