midford - looking great!!

(Midford 31.7.2011 all pics copyright Stuart Seale)

Midford is looking fantastic! The Midford Team are real heroes of the S&D and have done so much in less than a year. The whole site is now ready for the next step - rebuilding the buildings etc.

This is Stuart Seale's report for today.

We have now finished clearing the platform (see attached pics), hopefully some regular sweeping will be all that is required to maintain it. It is remarkable how much wider it feels to walk along, and it will make it much easier to access overhanging vegetation.

We still have some digging out work to do behind the station foundations, hopefully we will be able to salvage some of the rubble and brickwork for construction of the oil store. Much of the retaining wall is in pretty bad shape in places and could really do with re-pointing, we will try and remove any trees etc. growing out of the brickwork in due course, but if we have any budding masons it'd be an easier job than re-errecting a fallen wall.

bournemouth meeting facebook page ... and two more meetings

I've just set up a Facebook page for the Bournemouth meeting which is now only three weeks away! There hasn't been a New S&D meeting for a while as there were more immediate things to get done, but there are now three pencilled in for 2011. After the Bournemouth meeting we'll be holding one at my house in south Bristol, always legendary as our extensive wine stock is available free of charge, plus food etc! This will give a chance for members at the northern end of the line, plus the Midford workers, to get to know each other and hopefully knock out a progress plan for Midford - and perhaps a nothern Somerset end location in the not too distant future. Then there will be our AGM in November, in Templecombe, nice and central on the route and available to access by rail. All meetings will get Facebook groups as we get closer but for now only the Bournemouth meeting has one, which can be accessed by clicking here.

take a look ...

(Photo copyright Tulki Jenkins)

This is a fantastic shot of Midford from the air, taken back in March. It shows very clearly just how much clearance has taken place at the site. It also gives a good idea of the lushness of the countryside we will be running through. It also gives a very good idea of just how easy it will be to physically put the line back in. That day is getting closer and closer!

a glimpse into the future ...

Well the Saltford meeting went extremely well!

This is Chris Warren's report -

Great shout again on the blog. Well, the meeting was an outstanding success! 138 people attended, a straw poll was conducted, 'who would support and use Saltford Station?' Only THREE against! We had a lively discussion and amazingly we had cross party support for the Station from Francine Haeberling, Tim Warren and Matthew Blankeley(CONS) and Roger Symonds who is the Lib Dem cabinet member with the transport brief. All these are BaNES councillors. We have a PRO RAIL local authority!!

Was very funny watching the former Chair of BaNES and Saltford councillor Francine squirm in her seat after I had handed her a flyer last week and she almost snatched it out of my hand and was very dismissive about the station, to suddenly have a 180 degree turn around in front of 130 or so of her constituents and say she was in full support!! She must be very upset that her pet project BRT along the Midland trackbed has been scrapped and here is a viable, low carbon transport proposal coming from her own back yard! Politicians eh?

Anyway, looking good for any S&D expansion.

saltford TONIGHT!

Saltford Station Campaign.

JUST A REMINDER OF THE MEETING IN SALTFORD TONIGHT - IF YOU ARE FREE PLEASE TRY TO GET ALONG!

Saltford Environment Group was formed about four months ago by a group of like minded residents to raise awareness of a nationwide initiative called 'Transition Towns' which aims to prepare communities for a 'post oil' world. With fossil fuels becoming more scarce and prices rocketing, many experts feel we have reached 'Peak Oil' and need to adapt quickly in order to reduce the shock of a post oil economy.

In the last six months the government announced it is going to electrify Brunel's Great Western Mainline from London Paddington through to Cardiff. This will be a massive infrastructure project, and will eventually see electric trains running through Bath, Keynsham and Saltford.

This is an opportunity that is too good to miss for Saltford. Electric trains mean faster acceleration and deceleration which means quicker timings and gaps in the timetable for re opened stations. We as a group felt the time was right to start a campaign to get our station back. Indeed, Paul Crossley, the new leader of Bath and North East Somerset Council, has already mentioned Saltford as one of the stations he'd like to see re opened! I have spoken to Roger Symonds who is a cabinet member with the transport brief and he is very keen also.

With the ever increasing cost of private motoring, a re opened station gives the residents of Saltford a vital and environmentally friendly transport asset that will 'future proof' the village. Many residents commute to Bath, Bristol, London and beyond. Saltford has quite a large student population who attend universities all over the country, Portsmouth, Birmingham etc.. Many people visit the village, a railway station will give people the option to visit without using the car.

We see the station as a small community facility. Not a vast 'Park and ride' set up. Many people will be able to access the station on foot as there is a comprehensive network of footpaths that the victorians put in place when the station was opened in 1841. It could open up the station site and turn it into a small business park or other village amenity.

It is with all this in mind we would like to give notice of a public meeting at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 26th July at Saltford Hall to discuss the possibility of a re opened station and to invite residents of Saltford along to express their support. Roger Symonds will be there as will members of Saltford Parish Council.

There will be a question and answer session too. [T]here will be available soon a 'Saltford' mug, bearing the original British Railways Western Region chocolate and cream Totem, which will be sold to raise funds for the campaign

midsomer norton station demolished!!!

Who'd have thought it? Midsomer Norton station in the act of being demolished ...

Don't worry, this isn't the iconic S&D station but Midsomer Norton's other station which was on the Bristol to Frome line. This vandalism took place in 1970.

But this COULD have happened at the S&D station if Nick Howes and Shirley Steel hadn't saved the site for heritage use at the start of the 1990s. We owe them a huge amount of respect for having the foresight and energy to fight for the site, against seemingly impossible odds. It was this turning point for the S&D which partly inspired the New S&D.

S&D booklist

Nick Howes has produced the following booklist of all books published with the S&D as the main or incidental subject. This is a work in progress and any other titles can be added to this list. Please email details to leysiner@aol.com

53808 a somerset and dorset engine

a souvenir of evening star

all about midsomer norton

bath to bristol

bath to evercreech

bournemouth to evercreech

branch lines of somerset

bristol and bath railways

britains railways in colour br steam in the 1950 and 60s

british railway centres no 3 - bath green park

burnham to evercreech

colour of steam - somerset and dorset line

district controllers view 4 bath to bournemouth in the 1950s

district controllers view 5 - somerset and dorset railway summer Saturday 1957

donald beales somerset and dorset

double headed more tales from the footplate

down memory lane

golden age of steam - locomotives of the great western and somerset and dorset railways

gw pryer somerset and dorset

heart of the somerset and dorset

heyday of the somerset and dorset

highbridge in its heyday

historical survey of the somerset and dorset railway

history of the somerset and dorset wimborne to blandford - for bailey gate

images of bristol somerset and dorset railways

ivo peters classic steam

jinty

last days of steam in bristol and somerset

last years of the somerset and dorset

legend of the somerset and dorset

life of a steam railway photographer alan newman maggs

life on the railway

life on the somerset and dorset

lines on an s&d branch

london midland steam twilight

lost railways of somerset

mangotsfield to bath branch

mangotsfield to bath branch

maritime activities of the somerset and dorset railway

mendips engineman

midland railway system maps 4

on somerset and dorset lines

organised chaos

picture history of the somerset and dorset railway

ra cooke somerset and dorset

radstock coal and steam 1

radstock coal and steam 2

railways into wells

railways of bristol and somerset

railways of bristol and somerset martin smith

reminisces of the somerset and dorset

right away with the pines

s&d booklist

s&d memories

sabotaged and defeated

sabotaged and defeated revisted

somerset - british railways past and present

somerset and dorset - aftermath of the beeching axe

somerset and dorset an english cross country railway

somerset and dorset at midford

somerset and dorset engineman f e stickley

somerset and dorset files 1

somerset and dorset files 2

somerset and dorset files 3

somerset and dorset files 4

somerset and dorset files 5

somerset and dorset files 6

somerset and dorset in colour

somerset and dorset in the fifties vol 1 1950-1954

somerset and dorset in the fifties vol 2 1955-1959

somerset and dorset in the sixties vol 1 1960-1962

somerset and dorset in the sixties vol 2 1963-1966

somerset and dorset joint 1852-1948

somerset and dorset joint railway locomotives and rolling stock registers 1886 1930

somerset and dorset life on the bath to bournemouth line 2 eds

somerset and dorset line - british railway pictorial

somerset and dorset railway - opening of the bath extension 1874

somerset and dorset railway 1935 1966

somerset and dorset railway a view from the past

somerset and dorset railway atthill

somerset and dorset railway barrie and clinker

somerset and dorset railway in public archives

somerset and dorset remembered 1 bath the evercreech

somerset and dorset remembered 2 evercreech to bouremouth and branches

somerset and dorset steam finale

somerset and dorset sunset

somerset and dorset then and now 1986

somerset and dorset then and now 1995

somerset railway stations

somerset railways

somerset railways

somerset railways - britains railways in old photos

somerset steam

somewhere along the line - 50 years love of trains

southbound with the pines

southern way special issue 4 - southern colour to the west, dorset somerset devon and cornwall

spirit of the somerset and dorset

splendour of the somerset and dorset

steam - tales from the footplate

steam around bath

steam in somerset

steam on the somerset and dorset

stories of the somerset and dorset

tales of somerset steam

wiltshire and somerset - a railway landscape

working somerset and dorset steam

working timetables of the somerset and dorset railway 1921 and 1930

working timetables of the somerset and dorset railway june 5th 1950

happy 137th!

Midsomer Norton South

Midford

Happy 137th birthday to the Bath Extension, which opened on this day in 1874. This section of line now has one restored station running trains (Midsomer Norton South), one restored privately (Masbury) and one cleared and ready to start rebuilding (Midford). That'll be the Ms done!

This stretch of the line was probably the finest section of railway in England and certainly the most missed. With its fantastic scenery and huge variety of trains it was really the jewel in the crown of the heritage movement - but seemed to be missed first time round!

The glory days of the Bath Extension are really ahead of us. As more and more of this stretch of line reopens the reality of its return will become clear to everybody. Towns and villages along the route will once again have a modern transport system on their doorstep, linking them to the outside world once again and protecting them from the worst effects of Peak Oil. And the heritage movement, particularly locomotive owners, will have available the finest line on which to fully show off their magnificent machines.

The S&D community should stop 'celebrating' closures, and start celebrating openings and reopenings - there are going to be very many ahead of us. The tables really have turned and the S&D is very clearly on its way back after 45 years of that ridiculous and now obviously temporary closure.

cole

Just added to the Rail Thing archive is this evocative late 60s shot of Cole station. This station now has new houses in the area which will need to be purchased by the New S&D and demolished. The short sighted scandal of putting houses etc on essential trackbeds will become a major talking point in future years. Ironically the very act of publicising the opening of new railways on old trackbeds will suppress the prices of houses and buildings in this strange situation, making them cheaper to buy, a virtuous circle if ever there was one! I suspect that many buildings now on trackbeds are already seeing the first signs of this blight, whilst houses built NEAR trackbeds (especially where new stations are to be built) will be seeing rising prices.

memories - let's 'ave 'em!

(Photo copyright Rail Thing)

Don't forget that the New S&D does have an excellent website and content is ALWAYS required. One of the sections covers all the S&D stations and as well as historical, current and future information we also have a section on 'memories' which is gradually filling up. Latest is for Henstridge, this from Tony Wiles.

I love the picture. My brother and sister used to spend our summer holidays with our grandparents in Henstridge, they lived in Vale View and we could see part of the line from there. My brother and I were keen train spotters and the then Station Master Mr Wareham, who was a friend of my grandfathers who himself was once a train driver, would often allow us to stand on the platform. I remember how every day we would arrive in time to watch the Pines Express roar through. The station use to vibrate as it did so. We would also travel to Templecombe and spend all day on the platform noting steam train numbers.

Recently on a visit I walked around the area where the station used to be and really wished it could have still been there. Also went to Templecombe which although still open looked so small.

So if you do have memories and/or pictures of any S&D station please allow us to share them. Even after closure memories are more than welcome as it will all form part of the historic record of this amazing line. Simply email any info and pictures to leysiner@aol.com All info and pictures will of course be fully acknowledged.

The photo is from the Rail Thing archive collection which is gradually building up a full record of Britain's railways.

scaremongering - let's consign it to the dustbin

(What's really happening - 70 005 at Bristol Parson Street 21.6.2011 copyright Steve Sainsbury)

This month's Railfuture Rail User Express carries a feature on the Ayr-Stranraer line. It mentions that Stena is switching its ferry service from Stranraer to Cairnryan soon and, to quote -

When one considers that the Stranraer line provides the only rail link with the other part of the UK Scotland has a direct connection with – Northern Ireland – it seems strange in this era of climate change that the Scottish Government is overseeing the continual run down of the Stranraer line. It may now only be a matter of time before the railway to Stranraer is closed. The Stockton Haulage Yard has been taken out of use and the Stranraer Town Yard offered for sale.

(see highlighted)

What utter rubbish! No railway is ever going to close again in the UK, or anywhere else for that matter, and this is plain, ignorant scaremongering. If anything not only will this existing route flourish but the line to Cairnryan will eventually reopen (it was a military route) and also the far more important Stranraer to Dumfries line, amazingly closed in 1965 even though it was the direct route to Stranraer.

Note that the quote only mentions Climate Change and totally ignores Peak Oil! Are the Scots really that far behind? I don't think so.

Rail closures were a 50s, 60s and 70s thing. That was FORTY years ago. Since then lines have reopened (particularly in Scotland!) as have hundreds of stations. It is idiotic to talk of closure - whilst the shipping route across to Larne will almost certainly survive Peak Oil the roads definitely won't, so the ONLY way to get to Stranraer will be by rail.

Rail supporters' groups should NEVER employ this tactic. It is forty years out of date and only serves to set up a feeling of hopelessness which will hardly bring activists in. And not to mention Peak Oil is unbelievable in 2011.

I look forward to travelling to Stranraer and Cairnryan by train in 2031 and afterwards I'll travel up to Ayr and Glasgow to travel on Glasgow's high speed trams!
Rail

hard figures

(Bristol Parson Street 21.6.2011 - copyright Steve Sainsbury)

I was googling 'reduced traffic levels fuel prices' but soon reached this which is a useful chart of energy efficiencies. Some of the text also underlines what we've been saying for years!


Transport - source

At the end of 2002, the UK government admitted that its target reduction of 6% in road congestion by 2010 would not be met. The increase in road use was explained by the growth in the economy. The number of new car registrations peaked in 2003 falling by 7% by the end of 2007. The number of commercial vehicle registrations, remained virtually at the same level from 2004 to the end of 2007. Bus and coach registrations peaked in 2006, falling 6% by the end of 2007, bringing the total vehicles on UK roads to around 31 million cars and 4¼ million commercial vehicles.

To control congestion local authorities have been granted powers to apply various charging schemes to limit traffic in cities and in London a successful scheme was introduced. Perhaps if the fuel escalator tax had not been abandoned in 2000, but had been increasingly applied, sales in cars might have fallen and congestion restricted by higher costs. Indeed, the escalator could have been ramped up until it had a demonstrable effect on congestion. However, it has been suggested that it would take an increase of 5 times in fuel prices to make a noticeable effect on road use. The fall in new car registrations over the 5 years to 2008 was probably due to lack of road space more than high fuel prices.

But air traffic has increased and the skies are also congested, while the railways struggle to cope with more passengers than their carrying capacity. Two of the three principle forms of transport currently rely on oil-based fuels, the amount of which is finite. By consuming fuel at an ever increasing rate, the time when the roads and skies will empty is brought forward. Congestion will be exacerbated by increases in road and runway capacity, but will eventually be relieved when the fuel sustaining it runs out. Paradoxically the very increase in demand encouraged by road and runway building will bring forward the final turn-down, leaving empty motorways and abandoned airfields. The exception to this is the railways which could eventually be powered by sustainable wind and tidal power.

Comparison of surface transport motive energy efficiencies

Before considering various forms of transport, it is useful to estimate the relative efficiencies of those operating on the surface, i.e., roads and railways (including trams).

<><> <><><><> <><><><> <><><><> <><><><> <><><><> <><>

Method	Overall %
Renewable electricity -> Transmission 90% -> Electric traction 85% (Rail and tram)	76
Diesel -> 46% ->Electricity 90% ->Electric traction 82% + 21% (Diesel-electric-battery train) *	55
Diesel engines; Average 46% (Road and train)	46
Diesel -> 46% -> Electricity 90% -> Electric traction 82% (Diesel-electric train)	34
Petrol engines 30-38%; Average 34% (Road)	34
Fossil fuels -> Electricity 40% -> Transmission 90% -> Electric traction 85% (Rail and tram)	30
Renewable electricity -> H2 44% -> Fuel cell 40% -> Electric traction 85% (Road)	15
Fossil fuels -> Electricity 40% -> Transmission 90% -> H2 44% -> Fuel cell 40% -> Electric traction 85% (Train)	5

* Hitachi diesel-electric multiple unit with battery storage enabling regeneration

From the above rough estimated stage efficiencies, it is evident that rail and tram make the best use of renewable sources of electricity, whereas the use of hydrogen as a "mobile" fuel able to be carried on a vehicle is the least efficient. It is also evident that renewable electricity offers 2½ times more useful work energy that the primary energy used for fossil fuel electricity generation.

gartell event

The Gartell Railway has their big Steam and Vintage show at the end of the month. This is the Facebook page.

the rail revival message spreads

This is a press release issued today from the group that plans to reopen SALTFORD station - please try to attend!

Saltford Station Campaign.

Saltford Environment Group was formed about four months ago by a group of like minded residents to raise awareness of a nationwide initiative called 'Transition Towns' which aims to prepare communities for a 'post oil' world. With fossil fuels becoming more scarce and prices rocketing, many experts feel we have reached 'Peak Oil' and need to adapt quickly in order to reduce the shock of a post oil economy.

In the last six months the government announced it is going to electrify Brunel's Great Western Mainline from London Paddington through to Cardiff. This will be a massive infrastructure project, and will eventually see electric trains running through Bath, Keynsham and Saltford.

This is an opportunity that is too good to miss for Saltford. Electric trains mean faster acceleration and deceleration which means quicker timings and gaps in the timetable for re opened stations. We as a group felt the time was right to start a campaign to get our station back. Indeed, Paul Crossley, the new leader of Bath and North East Somerset Council, has already mentioned Saltford as one of the stations he'd like to see re opened! I have spoken to Roger Symonds who is a cabinet member with the transport brief and he is very keen also.

 With the ever increasing cost of private motoring, a re opened station gives the residents of Saltford a vital and environmentally friendly transport asset that will 'future proof' the village. Many residents commute to Bath, Bristol, London and beyond. Saltford has quite a large student population who attend universities all over the country, Portsmouth, Birmingham etc.. Many people visit the village, a railway station will give people the option to visit without using the car.

We see the station as a small community facility. Not a vast 'Park and ride' set up. Many people will be able to access the station on foot as there is a comprehensive network of footpaths that the victorians put in place when the station was opened in 1841. It could open up the station site and turn it into a small business park or other village amenity.

 It is with all this in mind we would like to give notice of a public meeting at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 26th July at Saltford Hall to discuss the possibility of a re opened station and to invite residents of Saltford along to express their support. Roger Symonds will be there as will members of Saltford Parish Council.

There will be a question and answer session too.  [T]here will be available soon a 'Saltford' mug, bearing the original British Railways Western Region chocolate and cream Totem, which will be sold to raise funds for the campaign.

midford today

All photos copyright Tom Seale.

Midford is looking FANTASTIC. We should soon be on stage two which is putting the buildings etc back.

Tom Seale's report for today.

As the weather significantly improved we decided to head down to Midford again today, this time to clear more of the platform.

We made far more progress than I'd anticipated, only a small portion of the platform now remains to be cleared. The tarmac and guttering were again in remarkably good condition despite having been buried. We've also uncovered the base and foundations of the oil store. The concrete base has unfortunately succumed to time and is in need of replacement; however with the foundations unearthed I can start taking some measurements for planning drawings. Should need only one more visit to finish clearing the platform, then its on to moving that pile of rubble off the parcels office.

REMEMBER - all members are welcome to help out in the restoration of Midford!

meeting - at last!

At last we are able to hold a meeting! With all the work at Midford there hasn't been a lot of time for meetings, but the vital thing now is to consolidate and develop the management team, so it's time for us to all get together again! Wd are particularly keen to find members who will take on various roles at committee and board level. We're still looking for a Right Lines editor, a treasurer, a social manager, a sales manager and members of the sales/promotion team(s). We also still need a few more trackbed stewards, general committee and board members.

We've chosen Bournemouth as most of our members live in the area and it is accessible by modern transport (ie rail).

The meeting will be held in the bar area (if wet) or pool area (if dry) at the Cumberland Hotel, which is situated in East Overcliffe Drive, BOURNEMOUTH, BH1 3AF. Date and time is Saturday 20 August 2011, 12 midday. Please try to come.

This is a pre-AGM meeting, the AGM will be in November, probably in Templecombe which is equidistant for members from both the north and south of the S&D. More details later.

midford 3 july

(All pics copyright Stuart Seale)

Latest report from the Midford Team.

There were a few of us at Midford on Sunday when we went down for the express purpose of getting rid of the huge pile of cuttings that had built up. Unfortunately no sooner had we got the fire going well when one of the neighbours asked us if we would put it out as the smoke was causing him a nuisance. It is a bit ironic that this same person also wishes us to clear the trees behind his property. In the interests of harmony we let the fire die out and then re-commenced work digging out the platform and clearing up the area where the Scouts had cut down some trees.

It was satisfying to see the gutter appear from under the composted matter on the platform and it appeared very deep and in good condition. The newly exposed tarmac surface was in similarly good condition.

common sense approaches portishead - at last!

The Avon Gorge - old form of transport on the right, the future on the left (in the trees!)

Thanks to Brian Clarke for this.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-13977534

Meeting backs £43.3m Portishead to Bristol rail link

Transport leaders from councils around Bristol have met despite plans for a partnership board to be closed down.

The West of England Partnership is to be shut with some roles taken over by a Local Enterprise Partnership.

At a meeting in Weston-super-Mare the group decided to put forward a bid for £43.3m of government cash to reopen the Portishead to Bristol railway line.

Plans were also announced for a rail summit in the autumn as part of a drive to tackle rail issues across the West.

An Integrated Transport Authority (ITA) could give councils greater power over buses and railways and the power to set fares was also discussed.

Network Rail said it would also be looking at doubling the number of tracks between Parson Street, in Bedminster, Bristol, and Temple Meads railway station.

'Key priority'

Commenting on the proposed Portishead to Bristol railway line, a North Somerset Council spokesman said morning rush hour journey times were typically 45 minutes but claim it would take just 17 minutes by rail.

If funding and planning issues are solved the council believes a realistic opening date for the line would be by 2017.

Councillor John Calway, who chairs the partnership, said the councils would continue to meet and bid for projects such as new bus routes.

"Transport remains a key priority for both residents and businesses in the West of England," said Mr Calway, the leader of South Gloucestershire Council.

"In recognition of this, the hugely successful West of England Joint Transport Executive Committee will continue in its current form."

The partnership was formed by Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire councils in 2003 and could be closed by the autumn.