Rail Thing - Friends of the S&D

The Return of the Jinty!!

2018-03-09T20:43:00.002+00:00

MIDSOMER NORTON SOUTH

FACEBOOK - FRIENDS OF THE S&D

Great news (if a little late!) Jinty 47406 is making an appearance at Midsomer Norton South this weekend and will be making plenty of trips up and down the line.

Previous events featuring steam at Midsomer Norton have been very well attended. Please go along, enjoy the atmosphere and spend plenty of money in the shop. You will also be able to ride behind steam on the first trips on the new extension towards Chilcompton. It's a fantastic experience, get a real taste of genuine S&D steam on the S&D.

Sadly I'll be missing it this time as I shall be on my way to Hong Kong for a week ...

(Pic copyright Steve Sainsbury)

A flashback 13 years to 2005 when steam first visited the revived S&D at Midsomer Norton. Much has changed since then!

Help needed at Midford

2017-07-12T19:46:00.001+01:00

FACEBOOK - S&D - MIDFORD RAILWAY FUTURE

The Two Tunnels Group is unveiling an information board on the station on Saturday July 29 2017 at midday. Is anyone available to go up to the station a day or two before, or even early on the morning to tidy up the area around where the board is (it is in place but covered up) so that the area is nice and clean? Please let me know if you can by emailing leysiner@aol.com

All members and supporters are of course welcome to attend the unveiling on the day, it's a joint venture between Two Tunnels, Sustrans and the New S&D. The board is one of several being erected along this part of the route to give info on the line and the cycleway, and they also direct potential new members to the New S&D!

An Oscar for the S&D

2017-02-17T11:45:00.001+00:00

MIDSOMER NORTON SOUTH

Source

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The SDRHT at Midsomer Norton were joint winners of the prestigious HRA/Steam Railway award for 2017 recognising the fantastic job the S&D community did to mark the 50th anniversary of closure of the line. I suspect there are MANY more awards to come as the line comes back to life all along the route. Well done to everybody involved. As a treat I'm posting a few photos of the actual event below.

Betchworth 1977

2017-02-08T19:22:00.000+00:00

BETCHWORTH

(All 20.5.1977 copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

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When I lived in Littlehampton we made regular trips to relatives in Battersea, by car of course. The route was reasonably scenic with a little rail interest - the closed station at Fittleworth (my dad for some reason always went via Fittleworth rather than the main A29), under the bridge at Deepdene with glimpses of the station at Dorking North and the line up to Boxhill on the left, and of course a good few lines as we approached London.

On one trip we were diverted around Dorking as the main road was shut for some reason. I have a very strong image of reaching an old style level crossing and seeing a quaint station on a non-electric line through the darkness. I was hoping the gates would close and a steam train would come through! I also clearly remember Gilbert O'Sullivan's 'Nothing Rhymed' as we crossed it, which dates this to October 1970 or just after, so the steam train was a forlorn hope, five years too late.

A few years later, well into railways and armed with a camera I sought out the mystery station. It was clearly Betchworth on the Reading to Tonbridge cross country line. Little had changed since my previous encounter. I managed to get the above three shots but sadly no trains came through whilst I was there. The line was diesel worked and had a slight air of dereliction. Of course now it's a major route but back then lines were still closing!

The next twenty years

2017-01-10T11:56:00.000+00:00

Midsomer Norton (copyright Rail Thing)

(Photo copyright John Penny GLR)

Midford (copyright Rail Thing)

Shillingstone (copyright NDRT)

Spetisbury (copyright Rail Thing)

FACEBOOK - FRIENDS OF THE S&D

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The various S&D revival groups have now been around for about 25 years, the New S&D will be 8 years old in March. On the ground the line has certainly made its presence felt, especially at Midsomer Norton and Shillingstone. The Gartell continues to run about once a month and has recently extended towards Templecombe. Spetisbury and Midford are cleared and closer to becoming stations again. Two steam locos reside at Shillingstone, one at Midsomer Norton. The S&D is back - but it still has a very long way to go!

Midsomer Norton has extended southwards towards Chilcompton. Although just under a mile in length it has needed to negotiate with FIVE separate landowners! It is almost as if when the line closed the powers-that-be thought it would be permanent, selling off small parcels of land rather than keeping the trackbed in public ownership. What were they thinking?

Shillingstone has made amazing progress over the last few years. laying track through the station area and a short way north and south. Two steam locos are being restored on site. The signalbox has been rebuilt, just like the one at Midsomer Norton was. They have the advantage of only having to deal with one landowner!

The Gartell Railway is narrow gauge but makes a huge effort at capturing the S&D atmosphere. With its recent extension towards Templecombe now open it uses about a mile of original S&D trackbed.

Spetisbury is being restored gradually, it will in time become a stop on the S&D phase two route from Blandford to Poole. This mainly local initiative ensures that in the future the village will be served by trains, rather than have them rush through without stopping.

At Mdiford work parties recommenced in 2016 and were larger than ever. It's always a great place to work, the location is superb and there's an excellent pub a minute's walk away. Hopefully work to rebuild the buildings will start in the not too distant future. Midford station, and the 400 metres of trackbed towards Bath, is currently the only stretch of the line that is owned by one of the S&D groups.

Over the next twenty years energy supplies will face a huge crunch. This is of course the reason why we are doing this, but as well as the opportunities this situation presents there are real dangers. Energy shortages will make everything more difficult, more of an effort. It'll be harder to get to the sites and harder to do the work needed, a lot will need to revert to hand (although a few years ago that was exactly how we laid track at Midsomer Norton!) On the plus side the urgency of getting the railway back will become clear to everyone and we should receive a huge boost in both support at local and regional level, and from volunteers desperate to hang on to a link with the outside world. This may well mean big companies, swollen with government funds, will take over the rebuilding of the S&D, and many other lines. That's why it's so important for us to be doing the groundwork now, so we get the S&D we want! The more line we restore now the easier it will be to leverage rebuilding in the style we want.

Everyone with an interest in the S&D really should be getting deeply involved with this restoration. It's great fun, the S&D community is growing and diverse and what could be better than spending an hour or two down on the line helping it return?

Wellow station

2016-11-07T23:47:00.005+00:00

WELLOW

(All pics sourced via Google)

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Wellow station

Wellow station opened on 20 July 1874, closed for freight on 10 June 1963 and completely, with the rest of the S&D, on 7 March 1966.

The station had two platforms with a goods yard and sidings, all being controlled from an 18 lever signalbox.

The station still exists havin g been converted into a house by the artist Peter Blake (of Sargeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club cover fame). The signalbox also survives having also been converted into a residence after closure. This section of the route was double track and had a very intensive service in the line's heyday. It's rural location made it a favourite photographic location along the route.

Chilcompton ahoy!

2016-10-16T22:55:00.003+01:00

CHILCOMPTON

(16.10.2106 source)

FACEBOOK - HERITAGE AND COMMUNITY RAILWAYS - THE NEXT GENERATION

A wonderful picture taken south of Midsomer Norton today (16.10.2016) showing the team laying sleepers for the extension to Chilcompton. Tracklaying has been progressing for about 15 years now and the team have become very expert at the job, these days aided by heavy equipment. In the early days all the tracklaying was done by hand. Notice the countryside starting to open up, the fantastic scenery along the line was always one of the main points of interest on the original S&D.

Midford today and tomorrow

2016-10-09T00:50:00.000+01:00

MIDFORD

BR Class 4, 2-6-4T 80134 brings a Bath to Templecombe train into Midford station towards the end of S & D services sometime in 1965 (Source)

FACEBOOK - HERITAGE AND COMMUNITY RAILWAYS - THE NEXT GENERATION

Just a quick reminder to all New S&D members that we are having a two day working 'weekend' today - Sunday 9.10.2016 and tomorrow - Monday 10.10.2016 up at Midford. Members should start turning up from around 10am on each day, towards the latter part of each day there will be a barbecue (please bring food!) over the bonfire from each day's cuttings!

The work will involve cutting and clearing, with some smaller trees being pruned by Mick Knox's chainsaw. The weather's looking good and there is no better location on Britain's railway network than Midford. There is also the fabulous Hope and Anchor pub right next door to the station for those wanting sustenance at lunchtime. Come and join the S&D adventure at its most iconic location.

(Sadly due to sciatica I won't be able to make it, but I'll be there in spirit!)

Two Day Work Party and Barbecue at Midford

2016-09-25T14:24:00.000+01:00

MIDFORD

(Both pics copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

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There will be a two day work party and barbecue up at Midford on Sunday 9 October 2016 and Monday 10 October 2016. ALL New S&D members are invited to attend, non members are welcome to join in advance.

Work parties will begin each day at around 10 am. If you need more info please email me at leysiner@aol.com. Steel toe-capped boots are recommended and please bring your own tools - hedge trimmers, clippers, shears etc, also a wheelbarrow if you have one!

Bigger and Bigger ...

2016-09-18T15:00:00.002+01:00

MIDSOMER NORTON SOUTH

(All pics 18.9.2016 copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

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It was the last of four days over the last two weekend when the SDRHT at Midsomer Norton had the 4MT tank loco on site. It was running from 10.30am this morning puling two coaches in BR (LMR) maroon towards Chilcompton.

I got there just after eleven and got some nice shots of the train as it left Midsomer Norton up the 1 in 53 grade towards Bournemouth. The station and train were packed of course!

The locomotive, hired from the Llangollen steam railway, is ex BR number 80072, and has run in the guise of both 80041 and 80043 over the two weekends, commemorating the locos with those numbers which double-headed the last northbound train (in BR days) to Bath on 6.3.1966.

The costs of hiring in the loco were part sponsored by Midsomer Norton Town Council, who are becoming increasingly aware of the huge value this unique asset has for the town.

Planning permission has been granted to complete phase one of the line up to the infill near Chilcompton and the money raised from these two weekends will go a long way towards laying the track on and completing this section. After then the new challenges of returning to Radstock and heading south through the tunnels to Shepton Mallet and beyond will start to take over.

The next step will be a tender engine and eventually a 9F will return to the line. Just imagine that with 12 coaches on! It'll be a good few years yet but the line has come on enormously since my first visit in about 2003 when just two track panels were laid, the line was blocked and there were just a few freight wagons on site.

Make no mistake, the S&D is back!

It's Really Happening!!

2016-09-11T19:19:00.001+01:00

MIDSOMER NORTON SOUTH

(All 11.9.2016 source)

FACEBOOK - RAIL THING - HERITAGE AND COMMUNITY RAILWAYS UK

Wonderful stuff continues to happen up and down the S&D - but I suspect the arrival of a big engine at Midsomer Norton has to be the best thing yet (since 1966 anyway!) They are now just one step away from a tender engine ... and only a few more to a 9F!

New Baby for Gartell

2016-08-22T14:59:00.001+01:00

(Pic and text courtesy John Penny)

FACEBOOK - RAIL THING - NARROW GAUGE RAILS

EXCLUSIVE! The newest steam locomotive in the country - possibly even the newest in the world - is scheduled to appear at the Gartell Light Railway next Monday 29th August, 2016. Subject to final inspections and running trials* the locomotive - as yet un-numbered and un-named - has been constructed over the last 17 years by John Uphill. Similar in design to the GLR's first steam loco (No. 6 'Mr. G' of 1998) and again an 0-4-2, the loco has been designed to spend much of its time with the GLR, increasing its traction numbers to three steam and three diesel. (*Please note: Loco is subject to availability)

Midford update

2016-08-20T20:28:00.001+01:00

MIDFORD

(All pics 18.8.2016 Copyright Peter Sandell)

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Peter Sandell has been making regular trips up to Midford station to help with the site clearance, and he's sent in these pics, all taken on 18 August 2016, of some of the progress at the site. This has built on the work done by the work party we had earlier in the month when the south end of the platform was cleared of vegetation. The station is beginning to emerge again from its lush summer coat - and we are now moving swiftly to the easier (if colder) time of year when clearance becomes much easier as almost everything has stopped growing!

Remember that as a New S&D member you are perfectly able to go up to the site and do some work on the platform and alongside the trackbed, though work on the steeper bank is best left to when we have an official work party with first aider and the right equipment.

If you do go to the site to work please let us know and also if possible send a brief summary of the work done together with pictures!

Very special September!!

2016-08-13T17:59:00.000+01:00

MIDSOMER NORTON SOUTH

FACEBOOK - FRIENDS OF THE S&D

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MIDSOMER NORTON: The Somerset and Dorset Railway Heritage Trust is pleased to announce that we will be hosting their third Ex-British Railways Steam Locomotive for two weekends: 10th & 11th/ 17th & 18th of September. Courtesy of the Llangollen Railway, BR Standard Class 4 2-6-4T No.80072 will be hauling passenger trains, and recreating scenes from the swansong years of the S&D.

Prices are £5 per trip (no concessions) with children under 5 travelling free.

Please come and join them and travel behind the largest steam locomotive to grace Somerset and Dorset metals since 1966!

Midford - we're back!

2016-08-04T15:51:00.000+01:00

MIDFORD

(All pics 3.8.2016 copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

FACEBOOK - S&D - MIDFORD RAILWAY FUTURE

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Well, it's official. Midford work parties have started again, and yesterday saw 5 of us cutting back undergrowth plus some smaller regrowth trees at the station and further along near the Long Arch bridge.

We made a good deal of progress, despite a 2 hour pub break!

What really stood out was the amount of cycle and pedestrian traffic on the path through the site - a huge increase from a few years ago before the Two Tunnels route was opened. It suggests an excellent future for the site, even before the trains return!

After the pub we took a look at the cutting and decided on a weekend (or perhaps Sunday/Monday) big clear out in October, together with a barbecue, Final date to be set, but please keep it in mind. All members are welcome to come along and help! Further news as I get it.

Midford Wednesday 3 August 2016 Work Party

2016-07-31T11:27:00.004+01:00

MIDFORD

FACEBOOK - NEW SOMERSET AND DORSET RAILWAY

THE RAIL THING WEBSITE

There will be a New Somerset and Dorset Railway work party at Midford this coming Wednesday (3.8.2016). ALL New S&D members are invited to come along and help with ongoing clearance of the site. You can become a member on the day if you wish. Bring your own tools - most of the work will be the cutting back of undergrowth. Parking is limited in Midford, there are a few spaces dotted about including space for one or two cars above the station site.

Members should be aware that insurance for the site has lapsed pending setting up a new insurance scheme, so the work will be very low risk. If concerned please arrange your own insurance for the day. It may be that we have set up insurance by Wednesday, we are waiting for the responsible member to get back to us on this. If there is a change I'll announce it on this page and elsewhere.

Work will start around 10am and the day will almost certainly include a long break for lunch and/or refreshments at the adjacent Hope and Anchor pub!

Bigger and Better!

2016-07-29T19:44:00.000+01:00

MIDSOMER NORTON SOUTH

(Picture sourced from the internet)

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Fantastic news from Midsomer Norton. Whilst we've got used to steam there over the last eleven years the locos have been getting better and better, though we still haven't got beyond an 0-6-0 (even if it was a Jinty!)

But now the third ex-BR steam locomotive booked to visit the line has taken us up a league - it's BR Standard Class 4 2-6-4 tank locomotive number 80072, which is visiting us from the Llangollen Railway.

She'll be at the station over the two weekends of 10/11 September and 17/18 September 2016 - and will be an unmissable event for all S&D fans around the world. The 50th anniversary of closure events were packed out, but to be honest I suspect the coming two weekends in September will be even busier.

Cancel everything and come - and experience the true S&D atmosphere of this iconic location. Just one step away from a tender loco ...

Give me Shelter

2016-07-28T17:47:00.000+01:00

SHILLINGSTONE

(Source)

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Progress at Shillingstone has been phenomenal over the last few years, and as the group approaches membership around 500 they are now adding all the little touches - after the really hard work of getting the site looking like a station again - that really capture what the place, and what the S&D, was really like.

This is the down platform shelter, built from scratch. It's magnificent, and shows what can be done. The volunteers down at Shillingstone should be very proud of what they've achieved. I can't wait to see what fantastic developments happen as we approach 2020.

Steam at Shepton

2016-07-16T12:44:00.000+01:00

SHEPTON MALLET CHARLTON ROAD

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A really special treat back in 2009 was the opportunity to travel by train and behind steam over Charlton Road viaduct in Shepton Mallet. This is one of the most spectacular pieces of infrastructure on the line, and normally it is not even possible to walk across it as it is gated at both ends.

As part of the Kilver Court Gardens Open Day a 7¼" gauge miniature railway was laid across the viaduct and, for just a day, you could recapture, in a small way, the thrill of crossing this magnificent structure.

Hopefully in the future similar set ups can be created up and down the line to celebrate events! (Prior to the line being reopened for standard gauge trains of course!)

Volunteer of the Year

2016-07-09T16:45:00.000+01:00

MIDSOMER NORTON SOUTH

Picture and text source

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Somerset & Dorset fans don’t have to be men!

The award from Midsomer Norton Town Council of 'Volunteer of the Year' - goes to our own rather talented Annie Davenport.

Annie, with cup, is next to her fantastic reproduction of the S&D company emblem.

The station also won a medal (with Gail) for their achievement in the 'Its Your Neighbourhood' RHS South West In Bloom competition.

More good reasons to join the teams at Midsomer Norton Station.

Sentinel launch at Midsomer Norton.

2016-07-07T22:26:00.000+01:00

MIDSOMER NORTON SOUTH

FACEBOOK - RAIL THING - HERITAGE AND COMMUNITY RAILWAYS UK

Midsomer Norton South station will be open this Saturday (9 July, 2016) where, at 2pm, well known rail writer Paul Atterbury will be officially naming and launching the Trust's own steam locomotive, Sentinel 7109 'Joyce'. He will join the first steam run and afterwards be available to sign books.
Visitors will also be able to ride behind the diesel loco to view this authentic and growing section of the S&D.

The station will of course also be open on the Sunday as usual.

Gartell 3.7.2016

2016-07-05T18:54:00.002+01:00

Chandler continues with some test and inspection. Serious planning is necessary to ensure all will go well before we remove the existing installations.

'You've missed a bit!' The boss keeps his eye on C.J.

C.J. paints a top coat on the inside of the foot-bridge. Whilst chatting (and working at the same time, obviously) we realised that this is one of the oldest installations at the GLR, and it has had little, if any, alterations.

C.J. checks my work in cleaning off as much rust and flora as I could. Up to standard C.J.? Over to the Thursday gang for the next stage... then we get to work on the black!

Daddy trolley, Mummy trolley and baby trolley! C.J. finishes off the large version as well, after a team effort by the Thursday gang of a complete refurbishment to them all.

FACEBOOK - RAIL THING - NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS

Of all the S&D revivals the Gartell always seems the most laid back, with a strong team of beaming workers seemingly always enjoying the sunshine. What's their secret? Perhaps it's because it's narrow gauge, or only operates a few weekends a year, or because it's a private line! If anyone does know please tell me!

And the rebuild continues!

2016-06-22T20:31:00.004+01:00

MIDSOMER NORTON SOUTH

FACEBOOK - NEW SOMERSET AND DORSET RAILWAY

LATEST NEWS FROM MIDSOMER NORTON: The Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust has launched an extension appeal to double the length of their current running line to a mile. The recently cleared trackbed will take the railway further into the open countryside, drawing ever closer to the village of Chilcompton.

In order to complete this mission they need you! The appeal target is £30k - this is the anticipated figure for groundwork, track and peripherals.

You can donate via the Trust's website by clicking on the following link: http://www.sdjr.co.uk/pages/fundraising.html

Thank you!

And the rebuild continues!

2016-06-22T20:31:00.003+01:00

MIDSOMER NORTON SOUTH

FACEBOOK - NEW SOMERSET AND DORSET RAILWAY

In order to complete this mission they need you! The appeal target is £30k - this is the anticipated figure for groundwork, track and peripherals.

You can donate via the Trust's website by clicking on the following link: http://www.sdjr.co.uk/pages/fundraising.html

Thank you!

Sunset on the S&D

2016-06-21T12:06:00.000+01:00

SHILLINGSTONE

30075 watches the sun set on 19 June 2016 Source

FACEBOOK - FRIENDS OF THE S&D

Where once there was just empty trackbeds and decay each year now we see more and more of the S&D come back into use, each year there's more to photograph and after the original frenzy of record shots (I have thousands from the early days at Midsomer Norton!) we are now getting more and more arty captures, the photographers secure in the knowledge that all is not going to vanish again!

In the past 'Sunset on the S&D' had a sinister ring, usually being applied to pics of the original line in its final years as bit by bit the heart was torn out of the line.

Now we get the above ...