The
Somerset & Dorset Railway (continued). Thanks to help
from Ivor Sutton, we feature here some archive photographs from the
Colour-Rail
Collection which illustrate the S&D in action. These images
are in no partiicular order, but give a flavour of the line and the
trains that used it. As can be seen, this was no minor rural branch
line; the length of the trains alone proves that. |
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Above:
Locomotive no. 2218 at Glastonbury & Street station
on a Highbridge local. The Morris 1000 GPO van seen at the platform
was once a common sight throughout the country, while the churns
in the foreground contain water for the crossing keepers along the
branch. Just to the left of the engine, the tower of the 15th century
church of St. John the Baptist can be seen, described as 'one of
the most ambitious parish churches in Somerset'. March 1962. (Colour-Rail
Collection) |
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Above:
A class 4F locomotive, no. 44558, seen at Shepton Mallet
(Charlton Road) with a southbound mixed freight service. No trace
of this station now remains, the site having been taken over by light
industrial use. April 1962. (Colour-Rail
Collection) |
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Above:
Shepton Mallet (Charlton Road) station seen three years after
closure; the train in the above picture was passing through the right
hand platform. The viaduct just visible in the background has survived,
thanks to it being purchased after closure by Showerings Ltd., who
developed Babycham – 'the genuine champagne perry' – in
1953. More recently, the viaduct has become part of the Kilver Court
retail complex, but its new owners continue to look after it. 1969.
('JohnLR' used under the terms of this Creative
Commons Licence) |
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Above:
Locomotive no. 53809 pilots unrebuilt West Country Pacaific
34103, Calstock, northbound at Evercreech Junction. This was where
trains for 'the branch', the Somerset Central Railway's original main
line to Burnham-on-Sea, diverged from the extension to Bath. When
the latter opened, it created a through route to the Midlands and
North which completely eclipsed the earlier railway. Summer 1962.
(Colour-Rail
Collection) |
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Above:
A child single from Shepton Mallet to Evercreech Junction,
the stations seen in the photograph above. The price of 8 old pence
is equivalent to 3½p in modern money. Date unknown but from
the British Railways era. (Robin Summerhill Collection) |
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Above:
A fine study of an S&D express about a mile south of
Midford and just south east of Twinhoe. The locomotive at the front
of the train was class 9F no. 92212 which was heading north on the
09:55 Bournemouth West – Leeds service, taking the Martin family
home to Chesterfield after their annual summer holiday in Swanage.
Note the gleaming paintwork and clean windows! This section of the
old line is now open as part of Sustrans route NCN24. 19th August
1961. (George Martin by kind permission of Peter Martin) |
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Above:
A parcels label for Wincanton, which was valid from any station
on the once extensive Southern Railway network. This example was printed
in January 1941 (determined by the '1/41' near the top left corner)
and would have been distributed widely to the company's parcels offices.
Note that the parcels clerk was responsible for filling in the route.
(Jeff Vinter Collection) |
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Above:
Class 9F no. 92078 is seen on an up train seen from above
Winsor Hill Tunnel in an almost aerial view showing the sharp divergence
of the two lines. This section of the old line, now tree-covered,
is owned by the Dinder Estate which allows permissive access between
the northern edge of Shepton Mallet and Ham Wood Viaduct. July 1961.
(Colour-Rail
Collection) |