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!

Sunday, June 03, 2012

separated ...


The 'Dying roads, Vibrant rail' blog is now up and revived. This is a revamped 'Transition Transport' blog so already has a fair amount of content. This new blog will have news from line revival schemes, small and large, standard and narrow gauge, from around the UK and further afield. It will also look at the slow death of roads, historical aspects of transport, Peak Oil, climate change and the economic situation, all of which are interlinked.

Dying roads, vibrant rail can be found here.

1 comment:

Neil said...

An excellent approach. There will only be lasting change when people stick together and co-operate. The road lobby have used the old military tactic of divide and conquer for years.

From an Irish angle, here is a project which will make Blarney Castle accessible by rail again from the main Cork-Dublin Railway:

http://eiretrains.com/Photo_Gallery/Railway%20Stations%20B/Blarney/Irish%20Railway%20Stations.html

There used to be the Cork and Muskerry Light Railway. The old station by Blarney Castle is now a tourist shop. The railway used to go into Cork. Traces hardly remain.

On the other hand, here is a crying shame:

http://eiretrains.com/Photo_Gallery/Railway%20Stations%20Q-U-V-Y/Youghal/IrishRailwayStations.html

Youghal should have been reopened years ago. The amount of traffic from East Cork in the mornings is huge, even with Midleton station open.