The original Somerset and Dorset Railway closed very controversially in 1966. It is time that decision, made in a very different world, was reversed. We now have many councillors, MPs, businesses and individuals living along the line supporting us. Even the Ministry of Transport supports our general aim. The New S&D was formed in 2009 with the aim of rebuilding as much of the route as possible, at the very least the main line from Bath (Britain's only World Heritage City) to Bournemouth (our premier seaside resort); as well as the branches to Wells, Glastonbury and Wimborne. We will achieve this through a mix of lobbying, trackbed purchase and restoration of sections of the route as they become economically viable. With Climate Change, road congestion, capacity constraints on the railways and now Peak Oil firmly on the agenda we are pushing against an open door. We already own Midford just south of Bath, and are restoring Spetisbury under license from DCC, but this is just the start. There are other established groups restoring stations and line at Midsomer Norton and Shillingstone, and the fabulous narrow gauge line near Templevcombe, the Gartell Railway.
There are now FIVE sites being actively restored on the S&D and this blog will follow what goes on at all of them!
Our aim is to use a mix of lobbying, strategic track-bed purchase, fundraising and encouragement and support of groups already preserving sections of the route, as well as working with local and national government, local people, countryside groups and railway enthusiasts (of all types!) To restore sections of the route as they become viable.
Whilst the New S&D will primarily be a modern passenger and freight railway offering state of the art trains and services, we will also restore the infrastructure to the highest standards and encourage steam working and steam specials over all sections of the route, as well as work very closely with existing heritage lines established on the route.
This blog contains my personal views. Anything said here does not necessarily represent the aims or views of any of the groups currently restoring, preserving or operating trains over the Somerset and Dorset Railway!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
blizzard of midford pics ...
Brian Clarke has just downloaded 100+ pictures taken at Midford yesterday. To view please click here.
In some of Brian's Photographs he mentions that cyclist are using the platform and not the track bed. Should this be encouraged so at some point we might be able to add track and maybe a couple of Mark 1's. By establishing the regular route the cyclists will have little objection when the trackbed is used for its original purpose. There is obviously a safety issues with cycling along a platform.
Bear in mind that we are Sustrans' landlords at Midford and that their lease requires them to move the cycleway when we lay track. The platform will then be an obvious alternative route, this already happens I believe at Shillingstone. We do intend to fit lockable cycle racks and storage units on the platform in any case. Obviously track WILL eventually appear at Midford but it may not be until the line is opened throughout to Radstock (and beyond), rather than in a purely cosmetic form, but who knows? Things may well happen far more quickly than any of us expect if oil supplies begin to falter over the coming years.
3 comments:
In some of Brian's Photographs he mentions that cyclist are using the platform and not the track bed. Should this be encouraged so at some point we might be able to add track and maybe a couple of Mark 1's. By establishing the regular route the cyclists will have little objection when the trackbed is used for its original purpose. There is obviously a safety issues with cycling along a platform.
Bear in mind that we are Sustrans' landlords at Midford and that their lease requires them to move the cycleway when we lay track. The platform will then be an obvious alternative route, this already happens I believe at Shillingstone. We do intend to fit lockable cycle racks and storage units on the platform in any case. Obviously track WILL eventually appear at Midford but it may not be until the line is opened throughout to Radstock (and beyond), rather than in a purely cosmetic form, but who knows? Things may well happen far more quickly than any of us expect if oil supplies begin to falter over the coming years.
Once Midford is connected to Bournemouth, Bath will follow....
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