Somerset & Dorset - heritage line - the remains and possible resurrection

[whole diary]

[Kingfisherdart]

Not entirely sure if this is the appropriate page for this discussion - I'll let the moderators decide!

Spent a few hours cycling around Bruton today, looking for traces of the old Somerset and Dorset railway. Anyone else interested in this line?

I found plenty of evidence, including the station buildings at Cole, as well as several overbridges and embankments, not to mention the abutments of where the S&D^▸ (Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway) crossed the Berks & Hants west of Bruton. I've attached a few photos - hope these are of interest to people...

Luke


The former station at Cole - just a 5 minute cycle ride from Bruton station.

An HST^▸ (High Speed Train) heads for Paddington, at the site where the S&D used to cross the Berks & Hants. You can just make out where the line ran, to the right of the trees just in front of the power car.

Not many people could miss this as being a former railway line...

The Berks & Hants to the west of Bruton. The S&D would have run across the foreground of this shot

An overbridge half way between Cole and Evercreech. An original concrete workman's hut survives under this bridge. The trackbed can be seen curving off towards the Berks & Hants line, and Cole station.

[grahame]

Thanks for posting that. I'm certainly happy to have threads like this - in fact I think I did one up the line at Patney and Chirton at one point.    Where to put it is a really good question to which I don't really and answer for.   Personally, I would go for the board of the neighbouring open line - which is a combination of Heart of Wessex and London to West of England.   If only FGW^▸ (First Great Western) was as simple as the tube and we could have one colour for each line!

[Timmer]

They are of great interest, thanks for taking the time to post them here.

[Phil]

Yes, thirded - I'm definitely up for more of this. I'd love to find a straightforward resource that shows where to park and walk stretches of this line (and others) but every one I've ever found online and in books has been over complicated and aimed at the serious walker who isn't phased by grid references and "14 mile rambles". I may be in a minority but I just want to be able to park my car somewhere safe and easy, unload the bikes or pull on a pair of wellies, and spend three or four hours at most letting my imagination roam free in a former railway environment.

Most enjoyable outing so far this year was parking in Winscombe and wandering through Shute Shelve tunnel to Axbridge and back along the Strawberry Line, but that felt like cheating in a way given that I used to live there (albeit 40 years ago now). So, yeah: any other recommendations (esp. backed up with photos) much appreciated. Thanks!

[Kingfisherdart]

I quite agree Phil - exactly what I did from Bruton station today!

I'm aiming to see as much of the line as possible - I reckon bike is the best way - you can stop as you wish, but you're never blocking anyone as you would in a car.

Others I plan to do, are Evercreech Junction and Evercreech (from Castle Cary), Broadstone (Hamworthy), the Camerton Branch (Freshford?), and Wincanton (Bruton or Templecombe).

I would be interested in setting up a website for 'manageable' railway walks (or cycles). I stuck to the lanes for my visit - thought trying to follow the line itself may have been a bit of a challenge, but i'm sure I managed to see most, if not all of it.

Luke

[JayMac]

I find Google Earth and Bing Maps very useful in tracing the route of disused lines. Often where there appears no visible remains on the ground an aerial view can show up traces of a route. Handy for finding spots where former lines cross country lanes and farm tracks.

Here's an aerial view of Evercreech Junction and you can see the branch to Highbridge curving off to the top left. Even where fields have been ploughed you can still see the feint impression of the line:

[The Grecian]

If you're interested in the S&D^▸ (Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway), there's an open day where you can walk through the mile long Combe Down Tunnel on the southern outskirts of Bath coming up on Saturday 17th July. It's part of the general intent of the Two Tunnels Group to open the 4 mile Bath-Midford stretch as a cycle path in the long term. More info here:

http://www.twotunnels.org.uk/index.html

[Kingfisherdart]

A further update. Walked from Cole - all the way to Evercreech Junction this week - got some further photos. Extremely sad to see Evercreech Junction in it's present form.


Cole Station - taken from the other side of the field. A station sign survives inside the dwelling.


The two-arch overbridge to the South of Cole - with the line to Wincanton heading off through the partially infilled cutting.


Crossing Cottage - the site of the former 'Lamyatt Crossing', one of two level crossings situated between Cole and Evercreech Junction. The second was further to the south, and crossed the main Bruton to Castle Road - this was known as 'Cole Road Crossing'.


The forlorn remains of Evercreech Junction station. The back garden of what was the station building, marks the site of the platforms. The signal box and other buildings on the largely hidden 'up' platform are all but a memory. I believe the platform structures still exist underneath the turf.


A section of the former 'up' platform is still visible. The posts for the platform fencing are still there, made of old rail - and you can even see the Southern green that was applied to them. A signal box used to stand on this section of the platform. The section of the platform that juts out, is where the waiting shelter would have stood.


Behind the cars of the 'Natterjack Inn', is where Evercreech Junction crossing used to be. The line from Cole arrived over this road once upon a time.


Another view of the remaining station building, at Evercreech Junction. This is the former entrance - the platforms are on the other side.

[567662]

Hi All
Just joined the forum as i have an interest in the S&D^▸ (Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway).
We live in the "Crossing Cottage" at Lamyatt. I was interested to notice the photo of my house here on the forum. On a point of interest, the original Crossing Cottage is still standing. I built around it and it is still inside of the new house. The cottage was originally 12ft x 12ft. One up and one down with a small outhouse built on the end furthest away from the road. It was extended with another 12ft x 12ft built on the end. This was how it stood when we bought it. Coal was dropped off from the passing trains. Water was supplied in churns from Evercreech Junction to both Lamyatt and Bruton Road Cottages.
There is still some of the track left here. it runs from Crossing Cottage to the Naterjack Inn next to the old Evercreech junction station. It is very overgrown now. The photo that i have attached is of Lamyatt Crossing Cottage sometime in the 1960's. The gates have been smashed by a local lady in her car. She had washed the car, got water in the brakes and could not stop. We came here in 1984 and have extended the property as you can see from Lukes photo. I notice that several people like to do walks or rides in this area. If anyone needs somewhere to park then we would be pleased to help. We have lots of space here. We also have a friend who has extensive knowledge of the S&D in this area and couldprovide information. If anyone has any photos of this neck of the woods i would appreciate to know. The other Crossing Cottage next along the line towards Cole Station from here was called Bruton Road Crossing. In latter years Mr and Mrs Box lived there. It was demolished as it had no water supply, no drainage and i don't think any electricity.
If you woant to contact me further my email address is gerald@rightway.biz
Hopefully the photo will be attached!!

[JayMac]

Thank you very much, 567662, for that informative first post. I'm sure the information provided will be of interest to some of the forum members.

May I, on behalf of the Admin and Moderator team, extend a very warm welcome to the Coffee Shop! 

[Phil]

A big welcome to the forum 567662 and also a personal thanks for your kind offer of a place to park - I may very well take you up on that!!

[34104]

Hi All
Just joined the forum as i have an interest in the S&D^▸ (Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway).
We live in the "Crossing Cottage" at Lamyatt. I was interested to notice the photo of my house here on the forum. On a point of interest, the original Crossing Cottage is still standing. I built around it and it is still inside of the new house. The cottage was originally 12ft x 12ft. One up and one down with a small outhouse built on the end furthest away from the road. It was extended with another 12ft x 12ft built on the end. This was how it stood when we bought it. Coal was dropped off from the passing trains. Water was supplied in churns from Evercreech Junction to both Lamyatt and Bruton Road Cottages.
There is still some of the track left here. it runs from Crossing Cottage to the Naterjack Inn next to the old Evercreech junction station. It is very overgrown now. The photo that i have attached is of Lamyatt Crossing Cottage sometime in the 1960's. The gates have been smashed by a local lady in her car. She had washed the car, got water in the brakes and could not stop. We came here in 1984 and have extended the property as you can see from Lukes photo. I notice that several people like to do walks or rides in this area. If anyone needs somewhere to park then we would be pleased to help. We have lots of space here. We also have a friend who has extensive knowledge of the S&D in this area and couldprovide information. If anyone has any photos of this neck of the woods i would appreciate to know. The other Crossing Cottage next along the line towards Cole Station from here was called Bruton Road Crossing. In latter years Mr and Mrs Box lived there. It was demolished as it had no water supply, no drainage and i don't think any electricity.
If you woant to contact me further my email address is gerald@rightway.biz
Hopefully the photo will be attached!!

I tried to walk the section between Lamyatt crossing cottage and Evercreech Junction many years ago [in the mid nineties,i think],but the cutting adjacent to the cottage was as absolute bog and impossible to get through-has it dried out at all since? If you're interested in the S and D and its possible restoration,try these sites;



http://www.sdjr.co.uk/
http://www.shillingstone.addr.com/
http://somersetanddorset.blogspot.com/

The latter is a plan to restore the entire S and D between Bath and Bournemouth,much debated on other sites! Unlikely in my lifetime i would say,but who knows in the fullness of time?

[34104]

Not sure if this is in the right section but an appeal has been launched by the Somerset and Dorset Railway Heritage Trust,who have carried out a wonderful restoration job at Midsomer Norton,to purchase Masbury station about 6 miles down the line with a long term view to joining the two and making a real working heritage line a possibility;

http://www.sdjr.co.uk/

If Masbury station was to be purchased,then i'd have thought that Shepton Mallet would also be a very achievable aim in the longer long term-now that would be a mouth watering prospect.

[Red Squirrel]

I wish them the best of luck with this.

There don't seem to be too many physical obstacles between Masbury and Midsomer Norton, other than (I make it) one missing bridge and a couple of houses at Binegar. Oh, and a couple of level crossings.

Be interesting to see what impact this would have on the East Somerset Railway if it succeeds.

Not sure this really qualifies as a 'Campaign for new or improved service' though - at best this would surely be a tourist attraction?

Edit: Typo and clarification

[Chris from Nailsea]

Many thanks to 34104 for the original post, and to Red Squirrel for an initial response. 

This topic was originally posted on our 'Across the West' board, but I felt it was rather more appropriate here, as a 'new campaign'.  However, time constraints made it difficult for me to complete that move yesterday as neatly as I'd have liked. 

What I'd now like to do is to combine any previous posts on the subject of the Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust here - rather as we have done previously, with other heritage lines and their aspirations to expand their services.

Please bear with me, while I do a bit more shunting on the forum!