a lesson from Austria

Berg Isel station.



The tramride through the woods.


Igls station.

Years ago there was a rural tramway in the Black Country which ran up to a beauty spot called Kinver. It was a popular and busy route which only closed (in 1930!) because the parent tramway company, principally an urban set up, was closing down. If open today it would be a major tourist attraction.

In Austria they do things differently! The little tramway from Bergisel on the Innsbruck network up to Igls is like an Austrian Kinver Light Railway, complete with a bit of street and roadside running, followed by a wonderful squealy trip through the woods, up to a real station in Igls. Trams run every hour. Don't miss it!

Apparently the entire route of the Kinver Valley line remains. Why not bring tourist trams back to the Black Country? If Austria can do it why can't we?

out there again

I've just discovered an excellent new Facebook-type community which concentrates on environmental groups etc. So we are now on there with our own New S&D group here.

the next step - help!!

The next step in the New S&D story is for us to create a killer website.

Does anyone out there have the skills and time to do this? I am more than happy to provide content and photos - but the technical stuff eludes me totally. I want us to create the best railway website in the UK. Are you up to the task??

a link at last!!!!

Dear old Midsomer Norton have now relented and have included a direct link to this blog from their website.

To find it go to their website, click on the links page, then click on the links tab (in red) at the top and you're here!

A little obscure perhaps but I'll be buying Julian a drink when I see him next!

appointments

We now have a member who is doing a survey of the whole route. He's Mick Knox who I joined on a brilliant trip down the southern section of the line back in February. The survey will involve discovering ownership of every inch of the line as well as alerting us to any potential blockages etc.

We also now have two line stewards. I am covering the Bristol to Radstock section and Mark Warr of New Milton is covering the Ringwood to Brockenhurst section. The role of steward is to keep an eye on the integrity of the route near where they live. Eventually we would like to cover the whole line. If you are interested in this not particularly daunting role please contact us. It basically just involves keeping an ear to the ground as to changes in land ownership, local opinions, 'development' threats and anything that appears in the local media.

You've probably noticed that the two sections of the route covered are both non-S&D sections!

gartell at full pelt

(Courtesy John Penny)

Here are some shots from a very busy Gartell Light Railway on Bank Holiday Monday (13th April 2009). As you can see the brand new steam engine, No.9 'Jean', was out and running as they had hoped. It went out for a few times with their other steam engine, No.6 'Mr. G' for a few turns to check things out (which must be the first double-headed steam over the Somerset and Dorset for well over 40 years!) and then ran solo as you can see. There were only a couple of minor adjustments to do which is credit to its builder Dr. Alan 'Chalky' White, seen on the footplate with driver John Uphill and Alan's wife Jean.

Gartell's next open day is again a Bank Holiday Monday 4th May, and then again on 25th May. Please try to go along - you'll be pleasantly surprised!

upwards and onwards

I've just got the New S&D a nice high profile link on the Campaign for Better Transport's website here.

I must spend a few hours building us some nice links on appropriate sites. It still hurts that the Midsomer Norton group refuses to put a link to us, which is making them look very daft and backwards-looking! Perhaps they're still smarting from the fact that we had the news about their planning permission being granted days before they did LOL!

New S&D junior membership

We now have junior membership available for the New Somerset and Dorset Railway.

This is available to anyone under the age of 18.

Junior members get all the same benefits as full members except voting rights.

To join please click the link below.

electric cars - the next con

So everyone is now talking about electric cars, that they are going to save the world! This is hilarious. The worst thing is that Gordon Brown et al keep explaining that this is to control CO2 emissions, no mention of Peak Oil!

The fact is that to switch all the UK's cars to electric power - which is after all what these idiots are proposing - will require current UK electricity generating capacity to increase FOURFOLD. (Source Analysis commissioned by CBT from Keith Buchan of the Metropolitian Transport Research Unit) This does not take into account the embedded energy also required to build these vehicles. Not even the greenest hippy would claim that renewables could supply even a tiny percentage of this increase so where is the only place it could come from? Coal. Great news for the pits of North Somerset but very bad news for the climate.

These odd ideas will fall one by one as the seriousness of the energy crunch comes clear to even the most befuddled politician. We need to constantly argue the case for rail, to stress how much more energy efficient it is (ironically 400%), and to point out that once a line is in place almost all the income is profit. The Americans and continental Europeans understand this, particularly with regard to freight, it will not be that long before our dull lot realise it too. But a little bit of lobbying and information thrown their way won't hurt either!

If you would like to donate towards lobbying local, regional and national government in addition to helping maintain a high media profile then you can donate any amount by clicking the Paypal button below.

LOBBYING AND MEDIA.

the impossible comes to life ...

This was the scene at Rhyd Dhu on the Welsh Highland Railway back in 2005. This was the end of the line then, but now it has been built back to Porthmadog, giving 40 miles of narrow gauge railway. There were many who said it would never happen.

Now the line is complete and even includes a section of street running in Porthmadog. Below is a video of the first train to use this section for 70 years.

Nothing is impossible.

donate - lobbying and media

It may seem unglamorous compared to buying land or developing a steam centre, but the lobbying ability of the New S&D will be crucial. We will need to network with local, regional and national politicians and businesses, have excellent relationships with the newspapers, websites, TV and radio and be sharp and media savvy. We'll need to develop the resources and people needed to undertake this important activity. It will be important to stress the absolute superiority of rail, in all its forms, above all other powered mechanical activity and set this within the context of a rebuilt 21st century S&D.

To donate specifically for lobbying and media please click the Paypal button below.

donate - land purchase

A big part of what the New S&D will do will be purchasing S&D trackbed and former buildings, to protect them from development and to make rebuilding of the route easier.

If this is what interests you most (as it does me!) then you can donate specifically for this purpose by clicking the Paypal button below. You can donate any amount.

donate - steam centre

Yesterday was really Midsomer Norton's day, so I've waited until today before setting up new donation buttons for specific aspects of the New S&D.

We are now getting new members most days (2 yesterday) so know we are doing something right. Suggestions for development of the New S&D are coming from members as they join. Early on it was suggested that we acquire a site en-route to develop as a steam centre.

It's important to stress what we mean by this. It doesn't mean we're going into the heritage business! It means that we fully appreciate the importance of the S&D as a historic steam route, and that steam traction will play a definite role, and will be an irresistable draw, on the New S&D. We would love to see regular steam operation on part or all of the line, both using classic locomotives and new build wood burners. This would mean a mix of regular scheduled services and all-line specials. The Steam Centre would exist as partly a visitor attraction, with dining and sales facilities on site; and principally as a place where steam locomotive owners can securely base their locomotives on the S&D.

To start the ball rolling I have set up a Paypal button so you can donate specifically for this cause.