sustainability?

Short notice I know but do try to get along to the talk tonight at Avon Valley Railway, 7.30pm - David Cole will talk about the railway's efforts to become more sustainable. The talk is free, and there will be free refreshements as well! Location is Bitton.

I better not go along as I suspect I'd create a little discomfort bringing up points such as use of diesel locos, lack of a genuine public service taking cars and buses off the road etc, but at least the AVR are realising that this issue is going to become of great importance over the coming years. Personally I hope the AVR presses to extend so that eventually they can provide a full passenger and freight service between Bristol and Bath, releasing some capacity from the network line which partly parallels it. They should also be looking into the building of lightweight electric vehicles once a full service is introduced. One day we'll connect with an extended AVR in Bath, so I always follow this line's developments with interest.

momentous weekend

The committee and Debs who took the minutes.


Members present on the big day.



Spetisbury immediately after the meeting.

The third New S&D meeting was momentous, with three major landmarks being passed.

The setting up of the limited company - Wessex Links Ltd - who will purchase sections of trackbed etc, and eventually build and operate sections/all of the route.

The setting up of a charity - the New Somerset and Dorset Railway - which will cover fundraising and membership.

The agreement to purchase Midford from Laurence Skinnerton, which will happen as soon as the limited company details are received, which should be a week or so. This will give us our northern base, providing other interested parties are agreeable, the station and other infrastructure will be rebuilt and this will then serve as an information centre, office and shop for the New S&D.

After the meeting a lot of us went to Spetisbury which hopefully this year will become the southern base, with the same commitment to rebuild the infrastructure and set up a second information centre, office and shop.

From now the New S&D is not just a serious player locally but also nationally, being the first properly incorporated sustainable railway charity and business, no doubt the first of hundreds that will spring up as a reaction to the energy supply and affordability problems that are even now beginning to ear their ugly heads.

shillingstone's future

This is Nick Howes' projection of the locomotive shed/workshop that will be built at Shillingstone. It will be used to generate funds for the rebuilding of this stretch of the S&D based around Shillingstone station, and is the key to the location operating successfully into the distant future.

It is nice to know that eventually locomotives will be brought in by rail rather than road, the ultimate indignity! It is good that people are thinking far ahead into the future and helping to transform purely 'heritage' set ups into something far more vital - businesses that will offer employment and employment opportunities particularly in rural areas. Our country's future will be built on small, sustainable business initiatives tapping into future needs.

There does seem to be a whole new vitality at Shillingstone these days. I'd like to think that's partly because of the New S&D, but I'm probably wrong! However that is one of the main purposes of the New S&D - to make new initiatives (like the Sturminster Rail Group) as well as the existing S&D set ups feel there is something bigger behind everything we do. I expect a lot more groups and initiatives to spring up along the line now we are all working towards the same objective.