wanted!

WANTED!

As we move from the early stages to a more mature
state we need a number of key people to help us spread the word about the New
S&D and rail resurgence in general. Ideally we'd love to have the following
people -

PRESS OFFICER - to inform all media of
happenings and developments along the S&D.

SALES OFFICER - to develop mail order and internet sales, also attend events
up and down the route to promote the line. At a later stage will be fully
responsible for building shop stock at Midford and Spetisbury.

PROMOTIONS OFFICER - to promote the line via meetings etc. Would also liaise with local and
regional government, working as a lobbyist for the New S&D. Would work
closely with the PRESS OFFICER.

LEGAL OFFICER - to take care of
insurances, trackbed purchases, working arrangements etc

TREASURER - to take care of the accounts, make payments etc, and advise on financial
matters.

MAGAZINE EDITOR - desperately needed to edit a quality magazine
for the New S&D - two issues a year.

If you are interested in any of
the above posts please email me at leysiner@aol.com

Ideally the sales
officer position needs to be held by somebody local to the line - would happily
split this role Dorset/Somerset if it makes it more manageable! Ideally the
Promotions Officer would also live locally to the line. The other posts can be
distant from the line.

a different view

I received this as an email today and would welcome comments in the comments section. Keith's vision is of a narrow gauge railway on a small part of the S&D mixing modern and heritage aspects.

I have been following progress of the various projects covering the
S&D, plus a few more in selected places over the south and east of the
country. I am at present living most of the time in Portugal, although that
might change in the coming months.


I was fortunate to view at first hand and from the earliest days the
revival of the Great Central and the Watercress lines, and also made frequent
stopovers/detours to the Bluebell Line during my time as a salesman. I often
tried to plan my route for the week with lunch time breaks near railways, both
preserved and those in mainline service.


I have now retired, although am busier than ever, involved in a number of
writing projects.However, in a rather full and varied career/careers I was also
noted for innovation/challenging the status quo, but always with a practical and
viable solution. My projects nearly always came to fruition because they were
'do-able'.

The S&D was 100 miles long, plus probably the same again in the
branchlines. To return that to full running would mean two miles of track a year
for 50 years, or five miles a year for 20 years, or 10 miles a year for 10
years. We only have to look at the experiences of the Great Central, the
Bluebell and the Watercress to realise how difficult it is to build, maintain
and manage relatively short lengths of track, and also how long it takes to
build even short extensions. I have recently watched some videos of the track
renewal work at the Bluebell. This is major engineering, requiring all the
skills, manpower, and heavy equipment needed to do the job, and in reality it is
only upgrading the railway, and the average passenger would see no difference or
benefit.


The Watercress did manage to get to Alton, but it took them 20 years. The
Bluebell still cant reach East Grinstead after 50 years, although 2012 maybe the
year. The Swanage line cant reach Wareham because of signalling and a level
crossing, although that might change this year, with the cash injection from
BP.


The timescale on all these things is measured in decades. In 1970 I was
surprised to see that 71000, Duke of Gloucester had survived the cutters torch
and was stabled at Loughborough. It wasn't in bad condition and I was told they
hoped to get it back running in around five years. One pessimist thought 10
years. In fact it took 20 years and probably 20 times the original cost
estimate.


So, how does all this impact on the S&D. Well the various projects are
moving forward and it is obvious that within five years there will be a number
of stations restored to their 1950s glory, and that there will be a small but
perfectly formed preserved railway at Midsummer Norton, and another at
Shillingstone. Gartell will be running for fun on a limited number of weekends.
All three will slowly grow from their current boundaries but nothing that is
going to see either a service to the community or an impressive stage for a
hardworking steam loco.


But there will be no more track, and with little prospect of more given the
current economic climate and the practicalities of running a railway.


Yesterday I watched a short youtube video of the old BBC S&D program
with Ivo Peters and it followed the route up to Midford, describing it as one of
the prettiest routes in the country. Few people would disagree I think. I am
also following the dramatic progress of the Two Tunnels route, which is planned
to be complete by this time next year, and will potentially put thousands of
walkers and bikers on to the platform at Midford.


So I looked at what was practical and what could be achieved. I looked at
places where there has been success over the kind of distances that will need to
be covered to get out of Bath and into the heart of Somerset, to Midford,
Radstock and to MSN.


There are two obvious and most successful models that ought to be looked
at, and both have very obvious similarities to the section between MSN and Bath.
The two lines I am talking about are the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch, and the
Ffestiniog line. Both are practical railways that cover substantial distances,
and both have showed long term sustainability.


Both, of course are narrow guage, but the economies of scale have so many
advantages that they are overwhelming. They also fit beautifully into the
scenario that is becoming the reality of the old S&D trackway.


Multiuse of the 'two tunnels' route by full size trains would be
problematic in the extreme, but a 2ft line would offer the perfect solution. The
scale makes it manageable, with everything from the permanent way to the rolling
stock. In particular the loading gauge on the bridges is not a problem.
Everything then becomes possible and practical and likely to be sustainable. It
also offers not just a wonderful tourist attraction but also a means of
transport into that most inaccessible city, Bath. It is a win, win, win
solution, and I could see very few detractors.


Because infrastructure costs are so greatly reduced the money and effort
can go into laying and maintaining the track. How difficult would it be to
create a 20 mile full scale railway from Bath to MSN, and how much easier to do
it in a smaller scale. The route breaks down beautifully into three sections,
each 6-7 miles long, and I could easily imagine train services out of Bath as
far as Midford in 3-5 years. If the money was available that would be an easy
task. MSN in ten years would be a certainty, and if phase one was a success then
probably much quicker.


So restoring the S&D as a working railway then becomes a feasible
project in everyones lifetime. Mix new technology with old, and so all the ideas
about engineering workshops and innovative motive power systems become a
practical reality. I think that would bring out the volunteers, because everyone
could help.


Full size railways are for heavy engineers and are out of the range of the
pockets of anyone involved, especially in these hard economic times. I'm sure a
visit to North Wales or to Dungeness would demonstrate this is a practical
solution and would have the wholesale support of both the people, and the
Councils that have an active interest in restoring the route.


Keith Browning

another one falls ...

In general economists tend to dismiss Peak Oil (as a problem, not a theory) because they believe in infinite substitution of products. Of course this only works up to a point, in the end even substitutes (unless they are sustainable like wood or sunlight) will run out, and oil is a very special case anyway. Nothing matches the cheapness and easiness of oil, and never before has a global society been built on the base of a finite product that has been treated as infinite. This is where  the real problems will occur, when everyone realises that. There isn't a substiture for oil, and so much - from fuel to plastics to fertilizers - depends on it.

Gradually even mainstream economists and commentators are beginning to get this, and I think the following statement (from today's Money Week on line) says it best of all.

Global oil production peaked in May 2005 and despite the higher price, this level of production has not been matched.

The fact that companies are now having to drill miles under the sea or in other undesirable locations, suggests that the easy–to–find ‘cheap’ stuff has long since been found. There may be something to this peak oil business after all.

not just a branch line!

(Photo copyright Mick Knox Dec 2011)

One of the misconceptions about the S&D is that it was some sort of branch line! Anyone who had seen the line at its peak in the 1950s would never make this mistake. Trains worked block on block, especially on the single track sections and especially on summer Saturdays. Passenger trains were joined by a succession of heavy freights and of course there was the express train, the Pines.

At Midsomer Norton they are relaying double track and the above shot really captures this. The only other double track standard gauge heritage line is the Great Central. Most of the  S&D was of course double track, there were short sections of single track between Bath GP and Midford and through Corfe Mullen, plus a longer stretch between Templecombe and Blandford.

So we will shortly have two restored stations on double track S&D (Midsomer Norton and Spetsibury) and two on single track (Shillingstone and Midford). Perhaps the real beauty of the S&D is that it could look like a main line and a branch line at the same time, depending on where you were and what trains were passing!

more track on the S&D!

(News via John Penny)
Exciting news for 2012 from the Gartell Railway is that there is a Northern Extension across Common Lane (that's the 'hump' you've crossed when visiting them in the past!) and rails are now back in the road for the first time for about 45 years. There is a new station under construction to be called 'Tower View' there being a good view of Alfred's Tower in the distance. Whilst this may be 'only' 400 metres, it seems a lot further being in narrow gauge, and the whole operation becomes even more interesting as you will cross the line from Common Lane station and then over the road, as well as interesting goings on at Pinesway Junction - a true 'Junction' at last!

the other way to templecombe

(Copyright Steve Sainsbury - Salisbury 14.4.1986)

You can still get to Templecombe via rail if you use the excellent Salisbury to Exeter route. This is a line that almost vanished in the mad sixties, it was reduced to practically a llong siding with many local stations closed including Templecombe. It had dreadful problems with timekeeping thanks to the long stretches of single track.

Get real. This is a main line, wonderfully engineered and serving many towns en route. It was deliberately run down because the idiot Beeching thought that one main line to the west (the ex GWR route) would suffice in the Oil Age. Many useful branches were closed depriving seaside towns of modern transport. With the loss of the S&D even more useful track, diversionary routes and alternatives were lost - for a while! Yeovil lost its incredible useful shuttle service between the three Yeovil stations. I remember walking between Yeovil Junction and Pen Mill in the 80s - an absolute nightmare!

But things are happening. Stations have been reopened, new stretches of double track have appeared and services are improving. But the line has a long way to go before it matches, then surpasses, its glory days.

Here's a new website that will champion the route. We at the S&D obviously have a big interest in this route as we will connect with it in the future.

restoration ...

There's a great shot currently on the Shillingstone Facebook page which shows existing track still in place at Stalbridge. There is also surviving track at Blandford. This is in addition to the track now relaid at Shillingstone and, of course, Midsomer Norton.

These small sections of track remaining from the original line, many structures surviving and around 97% of the trackbed unblemished, plus many locos and stock which worked on the line still around, are surely signs that closure was only temporary!

With Midford and soon Spetisbury also being restored there is beginning to develop a real feeling that this whole line is stirring. Each metre of track laid, each station restored, is bringing the S&D back. What this means is that the average person in the street is far more likely to stumble upon what we're doing, and more and more will join and get involved in this complex piece of rail restoration. There may still be a few people out there who simply don't understand what is happening and why, but it's our job to make sure that they do. Without a railway in 20 or 30 years' time the towns and villages along our route will begin to die. People will still need to move after the end of oil and raw materials and products will still need to come in and go out. Some dreamers may think that this can all be done by horse and cart or bike, but that's not going to happen. Things will not break down that much.

The S&D is coming back and we get stronger each day. With the heritage sections of the route preserving and developing those practical skills that will be so important in the future, and with the New S&D setting this amazing restoration in context, we have a fantastic team of dedicated professionals making all this happen. There's no room for egotism or partisanship, we're all working together towards a single aim - to bring back our trains!

midford resource

Midford 2012 Just added is the Midford 2012 album - to view just click on the link above which can also be accessed from the sidebar. This will show the progress being made at this iconic location and will have pictures added as they come in.

all change!

A great postcard view of Templecombe taken on my 3rd birthday!

Templecombe has seen a lot of change since this picture. Amazingly the entire station, once so busy, was closed entirely when the S&D closed. But this strange state of affairs didn't last long and the station was reopened in 1982. It's now an incredible success story with hundreds of thousands of passengers using it each year. It's clearly in the ascendent again and it shouldn't be too many years before S&D trains begin using it again. It's a very useful junction allowing journeys such as Bournemouth to Exeter or Salisbury to Radstock etc etc. No doubt it will also become a very large freight interchange again, returning a degree of capacity to routes currently under strain.

Buy a house in Templecombe if you can - they are going to be worth a lot when all the trains return!

spruce up at midsomer norton

(Midsomer Norton South 6.2.2012 both copyright Mick Knox)

Two shots taken last Monday at Midsomer Norton, primarily to show off the S&D style bank above the retaining wall after Mick Knox was released from his cage with a strimmer! Picture one also shows Midsomer Norton's latest locomotive addition, the class 08 diesel. The site now has two diesel locos, a steam Sentinel loco, a DMU and a Roadrailer, which means they are now covered for every eventuality!

passion!

I have to hand it to Compulsory Purchase Man - if I ever need new ideas for blog posts I can always count on him to send me something from his alternate reality universe to spark ideas!

His latest missive (unpublishable of course) announces that he is minded to 'hate the S&D' because he's tracked down a member of ours who has been 'asked to leave several heritage railways'! This is great stuff! Of course no clues as to who he means, and I rather wonder if it would matter anyway. I'm sure that all the ACTIVE New S&D members are certainly not guilty of this heinous crime. There are, it's true, a number of characters who seem to drift from heritage group to heritage group, but why not? Though how this unlikely occurence would leave CPM to 'hate the S&D' I can't imagine.

Hate's a strong word, but perhaps it does show how passionate some people can be about this line! Love it or hate it you can't ignore it!

I'm sorry to say I'm not passionate about the S&D - I don't have the time sadly. I'm passionate about cats, music and skiing. But many hard working S&D supporters ARE passionate that's for sure. It's because of passion that we have Ivo's fantastic record of the old line in its heyday, it's because of passion that Midford has emerged from the undergrowth. Midsomer Norton and Shillingstone exist because some people were absolutely passionate about these locations and worked like mad to make things happen, despite the jibes of people like CPM.

So I suspect passion will always be present around the S&D. Perhaps if I ever retire I can get a slice of it myself! I'm certainly passionate about the NEW S&D, and what it will bring. So I'm part of the way there!

once in a lifetime opportunity?

Something a bit different!

This is a fantastic scratch built 4mm scale model of the station building at Midsomer Norton. It's available on eBay until tomorrow afternoon! I'd love it myself but suspect it will go way beyond the £100 it's currently fetching!

For more click here.

Oh, and you get the signalbox as well!!

fawley revival

(All copyright Steve Sainsbury - 22.3.1975)

The return of passenger trains to a freight-only branch line in Hampshire has moved a step closer. A viability study for the re-introduction of services to Hythe has been approved by Hampshire County Council.

Following completion of a Grip2 study, which established a business case for using the line beside Southampton Water, the council will undertake a technical study to identify the infrastructure that would be needed, calculate passenger demand and assess how it could be funded. The line would serve Totton, Hounsdown, Marchwood and Hythe.

Passenger services ended on the line in 1966. It remains lightly used by freight trains to the military port at Marchwood and the oil refinery at Fawley. The case for re-opening the line is based on providing an hourly shuttle between Hythe and Southampton Central, with a 23-minute journey time. The Grip3 study will start this spring.

This is an interesting development. I visited this line on a Branch Line Society tour back in 1975. Fawley itself is quite small but Hythe is bigger. There should be a fair amount of originating traffic from the three towns en route. Commuting will be made far easier. This line was not even iopened until 1925 and was technically a light railway although promoted by the Southern Railway. Freight traffic is mainly from the refinery at Fawley, but there was a military line at Marchwood which may still exist. This line was part of the itinary on the BLS tour but thanks to the IRA we couldn't travel on this line! So there was other freight traffic.

This line is fortunate in that it has stayed open for freight, which makes reopening so much easier. But if we can justify trains to Hythe, Marchwood and Fawley how on earth can we resist trains to Blandford, Norton-Radstock, Shepton Mallet and Wells?

I can't wait to travel on this route again!

wellow way ...

Some views looking south towards Wellow from the end of the cycleway. There's plenty of space here for rail facilities and track relaying and is another option for phase 3 - the down goods yard in this area has plenty of room and as far as we can ascertain no other takers! In fact I've heard that at least one of the landowners hereabouts is extremely keen for the line to return!

another glimpse into the future

I think yesterday's wood has gone to my head! I've been watching one of those TV programmes that I can never decide whether they are interesting or terribly patronising. Two blokes driving (LOL!) around England looking at 'heritage' projects. All nostalgia and volunteers etc. 'These things are dying', sort of attitude.

Rubbish! What they seem to be doing is giving us a glimpse into our sustainable and resilient future, but can't see that themselves. They are looking at simple machinery, simple products, proper skills. All things that will be returning soon enough!

They've just been chatting to a pole lathe turner, someone who will be an aristocrat post Peak Oil! Their material is wood, their product is something we will all use (bowls), they make their own tools and they use a lathe that uses hand power - no other energy required.

So I checked up and found that far from being a dying craft this is a vibrant and self-aware profession that is organised and growing. Check this out. Nothing to do with the past, everything to do with the future.

We'll all need to find something like this to do in the future, using skills to produce things people want that require little or no energy. And of course a nearby railway or tramway to bring in their raw materials and send out their products.

wood everywhere

An excellent day up at Midford today - so much is happening there! To all those doubters that still think the S&D isn't coming back - switch off now!!

Mick Knox brought his chainsaw up (after a day at Midsomer Norton) and has been busy yesterday and today clearing some of the bank above the platform. Result - a clear bank and LOADS of firewood. If you live around Midford please feel free to take some of the cut logs for your woodburners - a small donation to the New S&D is always appreciated!

We chatted about other possible locations for the Sustainable Engineering Centre.

To those few remaining dinosaurs who think this is still 1969 PLEASE think about actually getting involved with the S&D restoration, rather than trying to stop us doing the work! Most of our biggest supporters and workers are people who, just a few years ago, said this would never happen LLOL!

back ...

I've been away for a few days but plan to get up to Midford again tomorrow. Hopefully 2012 will see a lot of visits from me!

It's always 'fun' to return to a huge load of emails, and there were a few good 'uns again, including one telling us the S&D can't be rebuilt because in places people have stolen OUR trackbed and included it in their garden! If that's really the case then surely we could just do the same - it'll save us millions!! The same email explained that other sections will never be rebuilt because some tuppeny halfpenny industrial estate has been built on the trackbed. As always we'll simply bypass (and lay sidings) into these places, or simply buy them up unit by unit. I don't understand why some people love to put the tiniest obstacles in our way. What do they expect us to do - go back to living and dying in the same village all our lives?

Crazy stuff, but great fun.

Meanwhile back in the real world (the one where energy is going to be harder and harder to find) the 99% of us that don't believe in conspiracy theories, the need for nostalgia or that oil will always be as cheap as it is now are just getting on with things.

So if you can get up to Midford tomorrow (from midday onwards) where more clearing of the site will take place!

get pedalling!

Now this is a GREAT idea!!

As we see cycle groups and railway groups begin to work more and more closely together this has got to be one of the best and biggest bike/rail events of 2012!

Sunday, August 4, 2013 at 12:00pm until Sunday, August 18, 2013 at 12:00pm

Where

Bath to Bournemouth

Description

A two week Trip of a similar means to the Southwest Coast Path. Except the whole 114 miles will be done A: On bike B: In one go   The idea is to traverse the whole former 'Somerset And Dorset Joint Railway' and raise money for your chosen Heritage Railway or Loco. It is an... open thing so you do not have to be invited; Nor be with the main group for the whole journey. It will take around two weeks to complete including rest days and branch lines. As before; you will not have to do the whole trip. Good Luck!   Facebook group here!