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!

Friday, August 28, 2009

sid at gartell




(Photos courtesy John Penny 27.8.2009)

Three shots of 'Sid', a Maffei 0-4-0 of 1925 being tested for the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway following extensive work at the GLR workshops by John Uphill. Still a way to go as you can see, the chimney is only temporary and the boiler cladding will be put on at the L&B apparently. Certainly a very 'basic industrial' but it goes very well and rides quite well for a loco of this wheel arrangement. Interestingly, it still has repairs visible following an attack by a Spitfire. It will NOT be in steam over the weekend but the GLR IS fully open for services on Sunday and Monday over the bank holiday.

Don't forget that there will be (7¼" gauge) steam over the viaduct at Shepton Mallet this weekend as well, so there's never been a better time to come and see what's happening on the S&D. Combine it with a stop at Shillingstone and Midsomer Norton and you'll get a real feel for the potential our fantastic route has to offer.
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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

So will not go.