(18.2.2009)
First stop on our Stour Valley trip was Shillingstone. Much to our surprise it was open - we even managed to get tea and stuff from the shop. Apparently Wednesday is a work day there so all the facilities were open.
At last track's starting to appear between the platforms, the station bulding itself is nice and roomy and they are laying it out very well inside. The old shop has now been converted to a small museum.
They seemed a very friendly bunch down there, and very keen to push the S&D message. If you do live down this end of the line why not get involved? There is plenty of trackbed north and south, much already prepared ready for tracklaying! Sturminster Newton to Blandford is clear the whole way through!
4 comments:
I went to Shillingstone this morning and was surprised to find the Morning Star's Cab completly painted, the group are doing a great job! Then I walked along the trailway, the trackbed was wide enougth to have both Trailway and Railway. Towards the end of the Trailway it is not so populated due to the dead end and another path branching off, its ussaly only the Railway Enthusiast who goes to the end. Some of the trackbed south of the Trailway is occupied by a shooting range. A problem, but surley over the next few years they will ban shooting birds and change to Clay Pigeons or something. Then they won't need to change feilds each time to allow more birds to come. I'm confident that it will not be that hard to relay track to Stourpaine and Dueweston.
apart from the 80,000 ton infill in rabbit cutting and missing 75 foot girder over the stour....
Both minor 'problems'. I was stood on the infill the other day, secondhand bridges are easy to source and with a mugh publicity tie in can often be lowered into place for free.
Bigger problems are where there has been major building development on the route, but even these can be overcome fairly easily.
Bearing in mind the line has been closed for 43 years now it's amazing how much of the trackbed still remains - there is still ballast in places.
I suspect that the local authorities en route have been aware of the need to reinstate the route for years, which is why most encroachment happened many years ago, when railways were on the defensive! Very little has happened recently. People aren't stupid. They know that large places like Blandford, Norton Radstock, Shepton and Wells won't last long into the 21st century without modern transport.
I have no idea what 'mugh' means on the above comment! Too much Swiss wine and bad news has affected my typewriting fingers!
I suspect I meant to write something like 'big' or 'major'!
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