New petition to reopen Somerset & Dorset
By: Robin Jones
A petition has been launched asking the Government to reopen the Somerset and Dorset Railway.
BEN BROOKSBANK/CREATIVE COMMONS
Created by James Type, the petition asks: "For the Government to consider reopening the Somerset and Dorset Railway, this is now a much needed transport link from north to south."
The railway went from Bournemouth to Burnham-on-Sea via Shepton Mallet, Glastonbury and Wells and closed to passengers in 1966.
The petition closes in November. To sign go to epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/41959
Pictured is the 09.08 Birmingham New Street to Bournemouth West express, double-headed like all the rest on a summer Saturday, is descending the eight miles of mainly 1-in-50 from Masbury Summit to Evercreech Junction and approaching the viaduct just north of Shepton Mallet station. The locomotives are LMS 2P 4-4-0 No. 696 piloting BR Standard 5MT 4-6-0 No. 73050.
2 Responses to “New petition to reopen Somerset & Dorset”
realistidealist Says:
January, 12th 2013 at 01:13 pm
Erm, I'm not sure if anyone has noticed but the northern end of that line, from the start of single-track at Midford, is covered by a cycle path. So it's not going to happen. Some short stretches might reopen, but the complete route is gone forever.
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James Type Says:
January, 20th 2013 at 09:12 pm
James Type,Ah, the non-believers. You have to love 'em! Mind you, the same people claimed that the Bluebell would never get past Horsted Keynes, the Welsh Highland would never reach Porthmadog and the Waverley route would never return. I suppose misery keeps 'em happy, we'll just get on with getting the S&D reopened. And, as they say, there's no such thing as bad publicity! Go to the Avon Railway at Bitton to see the railway & cyclists getting on together, And the route has not gone forever think positive for a change !!!!!!!!