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!
7 comments:
Amazed how extraordinarily good this looks. What is the short term and medium term plan now?
We owe a lot to the two earlier preservation attempts and most of the rest to Tom and Stuart Seale and Mick Knox!
The plan is to start rebuilding the oil store later this year, then the station building. Tom's drawing up plans for this and we hope to apply for planning permission shortly.
The exterior of the station will be early 1950s style, the interior will be subject to modern building regs and may well have a different layout from the original, with a sales area, a display area and information point. The information area will cover the history of the railway and our plans for the whole route, with nods towards sustainable development, wildlife, modern locomotives etc. The sales area will complement this. There will also be facilities for the storage of bicycles.
That will be it for Midford until proper trains return, which is a long way off as it will have to be part of a larger restoration between Radstock and Bath via Limpley Stoke.
Thank you Steve, but the real work has been done by Stuart and Tom. mine was only a fleeting visit. to be continued.......
Will you reinstate the signal box with the later trade mark post- accident flat roof?
We'll put it to the membership I suspect. It's a way off yet as the signalbox was sited in the Hope and Anchor car park.
This is where conflicts may arise between members wanting to only build appropriate infrastructure (for economic reasons) and more heritage minded ones who would build for cosmetic purposes. There may be a compromise where the signalbox is rebuilt externally but perhaps has a computer signalling system installed or even something else entirely (retail unit, museum or whatever).
Light the blue touchpaper and step backwards ...
Will there be a new junction at Limpley Stoke?
Yes, but facing towards Bath rather than Warminster. This doesn't rule out a more direct route to Bath.
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