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!

Thursday, May 31, 2012

velvet divorce


The S&D is now developing so quickly that I feel this blog should from now on ONLY report on the S&D, and perhaps on wider issues that affect the line directly.

Accordingly I'll be setting up a new blog within days concentrating on rail developments other than on the S&D, particularly line reopenings and plans for new lines in the UK. I would welcome contributors to this new blog who are actively involved in some of these projects - please email me on leysiner@aol.com so I can add you to the contributors' list. Obviously I'll welcome any news, links, pictures etc on rail developments outside the S&D, please use the same email. If you want to promote a new line group don't hesitate to contact me!

It's clear that we need a massive programme of line reopenings and completely new lines to survive the huge upheavals ahead of us. Hopefully the new blog will play a small part in helping this to happen!

2 comments:

yamfaz said...

No doubt you are aware of the very good blog http://12rvrnews.blogspot.co.uk/ all about the rebuilding of the missing link on the KSER. Pictures of your truly laying some track. I'm the one with the red bandanna and sunglasses. Boy it was hot!!

I look forwards to the new blog with interest.

Steve Sainsbury said...

Not merely aware but the work down there is one of the inspirations for the new blog!