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, November 14, 2013

Early Christmas present


Winging its way to all New S&D members worldwide is our latest magazine, Right Lines. Most of you will also be receiving a form for the three year reduced membership offer, plus a standing order form, so you can still take advantage of the old membership rate until 31st December this year, after which the new rate will be the only one available.

I have been sending a few of these out at a time so you may already have your copy! However it was clear I needed to blitz the backlog, so I've just sacrificed a whole day to get the rest of them out! These will hopefully get posted tonight!

If you have been considering joining the New S&D the next seven weeks is the time to do so as we are holding our membership price to just £5 per year (hopelessly uneconomic nowadays with insurance at two sites, the mortgage on Midford plus production costs of 2 annual printed magazines!) until 31st December, after that the basic membership fee rises to £15 per year. Life membership has been held at just £250, an absolute bargain, especially for our younger followers! It also helps admin enormously this end!

So why not treat yourself or a friend to a membership this Christmas?