new facebook group

Recently started by our very own Robin Whitlock, why not take a look at and join the Restore Britain's Railways group.

I doubt anyone will propose the reopening of the above line (although there was a preservation attempt in the 1970s). Any ideas where it is? A second clue is that the line featured in a classic 1960s film ...

radstock

This will hopefully be the site for a new Radstock station once we switch extension from south to north.


The trackbed is clear throughout - though the route will need two new bridges.


The Five Arches are just waiting for track to be relaid.


With a ready built car park, toilets in place and even a children's playground, the new Radstock station will be a superb advert for the line, and would alleviate many of the access problems at Midsomer Norton South. It would also act as a superb high visibility 'advert' for the route and draw in casual passing visitors, with a main road and a very popular cycleway alongside. There are also rumours that Norton Radstock council are very keen to offload the route to the Trust. What are we waiting for??

up platform

At last - hi-res pictures of the excellent resurfacing of the up platform. And it looks like there was just enough tarmac to do the bend around the side of the station to the platform gate as well. It will be great when the whole car park area is resurfaced!

cheap solution to blockages!

Transition Transport UK now also has a blogsite
to complement its facebook presence. I promise future posts here will be S&D first and foremost but this is such a great video I thought it might give the S&D ideas where the trackbed is a bit difficult - run 9Fs down the middle of the street! Cheap, easy and spectacular, and conflict with road traffic will become less and less of a problem as cars and lorries disappear from our roads!

This will soon be a common sight in Porthmadog when the Welsh Highland links with the Festiniog on street - using steam!

transition transport UK

Since giving up my role at the Trust I've been looking for a way forward and I think I've found it - I've set up Transition Transport UK with the stated aim to provide information on both infrastructure planning and finance for modern (post-oil) transport to the rapidly growing Transition network in the UK.

The S&D will be part of this modern transport network. Bath is now a Transition City, as the towns and villages between Bath and Bournemouth take on the Transition model then hopefully they will start to look at ways of connecting themselves.

Transition Transport UK will not only look at heavy rail, but also light rail, tramways, cycleways, canals and bridleways/footpaths. Transition is a very proactive and positive non-political organisation working towards solutions that will address both Climate Change and Peak Oil, rather than looking at them (as many do) as discrete challenges.

random

A few fairly recent shots around the station.

I'm looking forward to seeing the new platform surface next week when I'm next at the station. We really are in the last few stages before reopening.

I miss the regular trips I used to make to Midsomer Norton! It was nice putting on new photos a few times a week. I'm always happy to put your pics, info and views on the blog so don't be shy and send them in!