Welcome to the 'New Somerset and Dorset Railway'

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!
Midford - Midsomer Norton - Gartell - Shillingstone - Spetisbury


Our Aim:

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!

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

midford last sunday


Looking as good as new - amazing to think that a couple of years ago this was totally overgrown!




(All pics copyright Tom Seale)

Latest report from Tom Seale - I'm hoping to get along myself on the next work party day. It's amazing how much the site has changed over the last couple of years!

Myself and Dad were down at Midford again yesterday doing a bit of routine maintenance activities.

Dad brought his strimmer down and cut the growth either side of the cycleway and on the bank above the station.

It's nice to see increasing wild flower growth on the cleared areas, chief among them were some bluebells growing on the bank.

Whilst dad was avoiding cutting down bluebells I cleared the gutter on the northen end of the platform, it's nice to see this area now looking properly tidy.

 We also re-cleared the base of the oil store, it was a cracking day weather wise, I even managed a sun burn.

1 comment:

yamfaz said...

Looking really great guys! You are doing a brilliant job. Keep up the good work.