getting our act together

Two angles under the same heading.

First of all thanks to Andy Thompson again of RailTube who has taken on the task of bringing our IT services up to scratch. Not the website, which is in the very capable hands of David Bailey, but the blog, Facebook and Twitter.

He's created a general S&D Facebook page which already - in under two weeks - has 108 members! He's also created an S&D Twitter page which already has 83 followers!

It shows that there is huge support for the S&D out there, and that this support can be nurtured through all these internet channels.

It brings me on to my next point - the FIVE S&D groups, who all have the same aim, that is restoring and preserving the S&D, need to commit to combining, so that we can draw on far more resources and not keep reinventing the wheel. It seems that there has been some 'history' between groups, which as far as I'm concerned is nonsense. There's no room for egos or nastiness within a hundred miles of the S&D, it's not what we're about or have ever been about. The S&D was a friendly, family-orientated line, and as its successors we need to be the same.

I think this is where ordinary members should take the initiative. Join all the groups, then vote to make sure they do everything they can to make an easy transition to just one S&D group representing the whole route. The New S&D has this aim enshrined in its constitution, as members of the other groups we should ensure that they also adopt this as an aim. It will make the S&D stronger and trains between Bath and Bournemouth depart - and arrive - much sooner.

welcome aboard!

A big welcome to three new members of the New S&D team. Anna-Jayne Metcalfe and Simon Ellison have both joined the committee and will bring considerable skills to the team. Andy Thompson is now ploughing through our IT infrastructure, and a few other things, hopefully with the end result of making our New S&D presence as high profile and rewarding as his Steamtube and related sites!

We are still less than a year old and have made enormous progress in that time, but as I made clear at Saturday's meeting this is only the very very beginning of a long term and amazing project that will set the railway heritage, professional railway, tourism and sustainable industry 'communities' alight.

S&D developments

Yesterday's meeting at Blandford was superb. A very good turnout, great fun and a lot of ground covered. And two new people have joined the committee, which will strengthen us enormously.

Andy Thompson, who has created the hugely successful Steamtube site has agreed to begin contributing to this blog, and has also set up a New S&D Twitter account. This will be an ideal way to keep up with what's going on, and wil help build the S&D community.

I still feel that this blog needs more direct contributors, particularly from Midsomer Norton, Shillingstone, Gartell and Washford, who can keep our readers up to date with developments on site. You'll have full posting rights for both text and photographs. Please contact me to start posting!

At the meeting we spent some time discussing both Midford and Spetisbury. Both stations will be restored and will then act as information and sales points for the whole route. The stations will be restored to their peak BR glory and other buildings such as signalboxes etc will be rebuilt, to get a real railway atmosphere. Having had sight of the lease agreement at Midford between the current owner and Sustrans there is a codicil which requires Sustrans to move the cycleway from the trackbed and allow a single track railway to be reinstated. We will never bring in rolling stock or locos to Midford as a discrete restored station, but only when it is a part of a longer route (probably Radstock-Bath) - but track at Midford will be a real possibility to create the desired cosmetic effect.

Purchase of Midford proceeds apace, with paperwork (going back to 1895!) now in our hands.

2010 is going to be a fantastic year for the S&D!