Give me Shelter

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.

Volunteer of the Year

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.

Gartell 3.7.2016

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.

(All pics 3.7.2016. All text and photos copyright John Penny)

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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!

Gartell signalbox work

Trevor puts some finishing touches to this bit. Still the upper part to do!

Meanwhile, at the rear of the box, C.J. Ian and Hugh get to grips with what needs to be done.

I couldn't resist this shot, possibly because I hadn't really taken notice of the direction before. It looks right away from the station throat as you can see.

Looking back toward the engine shed from the picnic area, we can spot Keith finishing some painting of a bench. GLR No. 5 waits patiently for a driver.

Work on the Northern end of the box. Trevor is up the ladder, Mike on the steps whilst Ian keeps a watchful eye and Sheila takes a brief break away from landscape duty. One can certainly see the difference in the paintwork. All the front boards have been replace as well.

All above pics and text by John Penny 26.5.2016

FACEBOOK - RAIL THING - NARROW GAUGE RAILS

We had fantastic weather down here in Wessex today and, as the above pics show, the team down at Gartell certainly made the most of it.

Gartell is famous for having a fully signalled route, and on operating days runs a very intensive service on the line. The signalbox and signals are certainly not there just to look right - they do the job they are supposed to, to keep the line moving and safe. Last time I was down there John Penny kindly allowed me into the box and it was hard to talk as he was constantly pulling some lever or other!

The Gartell Railway is an absolute gem and the attention to detail is fantastic. The line is of course operating this bank holiday weekend.

Gartell work 15 November 2015

Between Chandler and myself we had decided that he was going to post the pictures of yesterday's activities, but mine are a little bit different, so here they are. We'll be spending the next few days removing thorns from various parts of our anatomies, ready for starting again on the remainder of the clearance with 'The Thursday Boys'.

Looking North at Park Lane before the work started.

The lads make a start.

This was just from the morning's activities!

Finishing up for the day. In 25 years of working on the railway, this is the first photo I have taken from the field. We certainly made an impact on the undergrowth! The Thursday gang can look forward to the rest of the clearance work.

C.J. picks up the last of the scraps for burning. A satisfying day.

(All pics, text and captions courtesy John Penny at Gartell)

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I really miss this - I started at Midsomer Norton on the Monday (mainly) Track Gang, and it was a real pleasure and privilege to be on the line cutting back undergrowth, repairing fences and, eventually, helping out on tracklaying. Hopefully in the not too distant future we'll be doing this at Midford and other locations along the line!

Behind the scenes - fun AND hard work!

(All courtesy John Penny at Gartell)

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Some fantastric shots from John Penny showing the singular mix of fun and hard work that goes into keeping an iconic narrow gauge railway going!

For more info on this superb NG line on S&D tracks see the website.

Shillingstone 25.10.2015

SHILLINGSTONE

The wall is on the level and the repairs continue apace. Although John is tall even he will need a ladder or scaffold for the wall behind the shelter!

 The greenhouse in the background has had a good clear-out today and it looks like Rose approves.

You can't have too many token machines especially when offered one that originated on the station and came with original tokens for the whole line.

(Pics, text and captions via The Porter, Shillingstone station).

FACEBOOK - NEW SOMERSET AND DORSET RAILWAY

After a cold and wet Saturday where most volunteers volunteered to stay away, along with the public, although our new volunteers proved their mettle and set to on the café, shop, gardens and Ruston, today was manic. Brent Shore turned up at the station to sign/sell his book and they turned out in their thousands - probably to do with The Stickler run over the ten miles and three hills finishing at the station! With 5 volunteers in the café and 2 in the shop we still had difficulty keeping up! With all these volunteers tied up we still managed to have a gardening team and a large team on THE WALL! It is moving south....in a good way and a small group in the Signal Box.

Midsomer Norton Working Weekend

Facebook - New Somerset and Dorset Railway

Come and make a difference - volunteer working week, August 18 - 23, 2014.

The railway is holding a working week to consolidate efforts around specific tasks which require urgent completion, in some cases by a group of people. Running from Monday 18th to Saturday 23rd, this is open to existing members/volunteers only, due to insurance considerations. The type of jobs available and working times will be drawn up by Volunteer Co-ordinator Alan Price, who hopes for a good turn-out and the satisfaction of jobs well done. If you can spare a day or two, or even more, then Alan wants to hear from you! Please email and your enquiry will be forwarded to Alan.

NOT A MEMBER? NO PROBLEM!

You can sign-up online for a very modest fee here. You'll not only contribute to our efforts, but receive free magazines and newsletters to keep you abreast of things on the S&D at Midsomer Norton.

it's all happening

Both Midford and Spetisbury will be having work parties tomorrow. Remember that as a New S&D member you can just turn up at each station, make yourself known, and start work right away - all for no pay! Non-members can also join on site and will be covered by insurance immediately.

There will also of course be work parties at Midsomer Norton and Shillingstone. The days of the S&D being a dead line are long gone!

overwhelmed

The New S&D have had loads of new members join in the last few weeks, possibly as a result of the recent Steam Railway magazine article.

To those of you who have sent in cheques or paid by Paypal please accept my apologies for the delay in getting your membership cards etc to you. I will do everything I can to get them out in this coming week!

There's certainly a feeling in the air that huge changes are coming to our railways, all of them good! With new lines opening up both in the heritage and network sectors this really is beginning to feel like the great rail revival we've been forecasting for years.

So if you want to see railways and tramways spring up everywhere in response to Peak Oil and Climate Change please join (or start!) a local society or group, get involved at the grass roots level and help to make this happen. You'll learn new practical skills, make loads of new friends and inevitably form the sort of network of contacts that will stand you in good stead in the future.

These are amazing times for the railway community. You owe it to yourselves to get involved!

great work!

Midsomer Norton South

The 'Bee Bed' has some visitors.

The Garden Gang have a policy of 'Garden Organic', in keeping with the approach we will be introducing 'Weed free Mondays' on the first Monday of each month. Please feel free to call by and give a hand, even if it's just for an hour - you'll find Midsomer Norton South is a very rewarding project to be involved in.

Source.

spetisbury ... all systems go!!

Dear Volunteer,

I have just posted these messages to our Facebook page, and if anyone cannot make it for any reason, and wants to keep up to date with our progress at Spetisbury, visit http://www.facebook.com/ and if you have a facebook account, log in and get yourself on the Spetisbury facebook page, we would be glad of your company.

If you don't have a facebook account, don't worry. We will also have our progress posted on The New Somerset & Dorset Railway website at http://www.somersetanddorsetrailway.co.uk/

Anyway, here are the messages!

OK Group! I can't hold onto the news any longer. We are good to go, or we will be on the 1st of May. I met with Richard at DCC on Monday, and he is going to give us a license to do clearance work on the platforms. I will get the full details in due course, but I want to call a site meeting for Sunday 6th May, so I am going to need numbers. Those of you who can make it, please let me know. I need you to park up at the school which is up the north end of the village, as there is not enough room by the bridge, close to the station. Let's say between 10 and 11am. And bring tools, just in case we feel the urge to get started on the day. I know this is cheesey! But, ARE YOU WITH ME?

I know I have mentioned this before, but if you want to help us and work on the clearance of the platforms, we need you to be a member of The New Somerset and Dorset Railway. It's all to do with insurance. I will bring forms with me for those of you who have not signed up yet!
I know this is obvious, but I would like all volunteers who work on the clearance work party, to wear at least strong shoes/ boots, preferably steel toe capped.
I don't want any accidents, and I am sure that you don't either! That's it, I have said my piece! Now let's go and have some fun!

If you want to help, and you have not let me know through the facebook page, then please reply to this e-mail so that I know how many of you will be turning up on the day?

Best regards,

Dean Cockwell

Project Manager - Spetisbury

The New Somerset & Dorset Railway

real work!

Just a thought here, if you read the excellent steaming to Broadway 2015 blogsite where a team of volunteers are currently rebuilding the long lost platforms they have engaged the assistance of young apprentice bricklayers from the college at Worcester. Would it not be an excellent idea if you could do the same here using young people from the Poole/Blandford area colleges /Senior schools. I know the red tape is a nightmare but if we can get the younger generation interested in learning REAL skills and the history of the S& D and why we must rebuild it and the criminally insane who closed it back in 1966 instead of dossing about street corners and playing rubbish on computers this can give them that esteem they require as adults and the respect and voice they wish to have and more good can come of this in Britain today. Again my late Father who as I stated earlier worked for the Southern Railway and BRSR ensured I left school into the adult world with that ethos of working for a living and enjoying a basic degree of knowledge of DIY skills and about the world we all live in, and this has helped out on countless times. This would be a brilliant chance to try and demonstrate to today,s young adults why the world of crime and drugs and binge Britain is not cool and maybe these youngsters would enjoy a physical challenge as well. I know some youngsters would deride us but this is not about playing trains, there are serious life skills involved in this fine project including Community, team work and fitness as well as the trade skills to be learnt. You only need to look at the friendly banter on many of these preservation projects between the young and not so young! the side kick from this, these youngsters would then pick up the right ethos and would be better armed ready to take up employment. (Sir Terry Leahy the Tsco chairman a few yrs ago bemoaned about todays youth.) Academics are fine to a degree but it is practical work that makes the world go round!

Again, this is a comment that really needs to be on the main page. I don't agree with generalising about whole groups of people - I suspect my experience of young people goes a lot deeper than Sir Terry Leahy! I think kids today have it much much harder than we did when I was a kid in the 60s, but this is the key. I know a few hang around on street corners and cause trouble (I know I did at that age) but the kids today seem far more sensible and grounded than we ever were.

 The S&D, and other community projects, can give many different people the skills and network they'll need to get on in the post oil world. Young people have the energy and also will have to live the majority of their lives in a harsher and far more hands-on world than we have now. The New S&D represents everything that the future will be. Sustainable, hands-on, recycle and reuse, community based, economically sound and unrelentingly modern and forwards-looking.

I'm sure that once Spetisbury needs these skills (and Midford) we will approach the appropriate colleges.

gartell extends north

(All pics via Gartell Blog)

Some excellent shots of the current extension works on the Gartell Railway as they head towards Templecombe. Full post here on their superb blog site.

great opportunity

Would you like to staff this iconic station?

With passenger services set to run every Sunday from April 7 to September 30 and 6 event weekends - there's a busy season coming! With the development of full scale passenger services, there are now opportunities for new volunteers to staff Midsomer Norton station and assist the public visiting the centre.

A friendly outlook is all you'll need to get started, training is available for your development to specific roles. To get involved in this sociable and rewarding project, please call by any Sunday or email general@sdjr.co.uk

spetisbury - an appeal!

(Blandford - how many years away before we reach there? Photo copyright Joe Robbins)

Dean Cockwell is progressing Spetisbury at a blistering pace.

This email has gone out to all members but I also feel that for non members who have been thinking of joining but for whom Midford is too far away this may be just the opportunity you've all been waiting for!

Firstly, I want to introduce myself, as I am a new member to the group, but I have also taken on the role of Project Manager of Spetisbury Station.

My name is Dean Cockwell, and I live within 15 minutes drive to the station.

To give you a little update of the situation regarding Spetisbury Station. I have been in contact by phone with the local council in charge of the site and track bed, which has been turned into a trailway since the track has been lifted back in the late 60's, early 70's.

I have put together a proposal outlining our intentions, and what we want to do with the site not only in the short term, but also in the long term. This has now been sent to them today (29/9/2011).

The next step is that I have a meeting with both the contact at the council, but also the ranger in charge of the area around Spetisbury Station.

 I can't tell you much more at the present time, but I would like to ask all of you the following.

Once we get the go ahead that we have taken control of the station and an amount of the trailway, both north and south of the station. We are going to need volunteers to clear the overgrown vegetation, and other tasks that don't come to mind straight away.

So, my first question is, Can you help?

Granted, there are going to be those of you that live too far away, but you may have skills that could be of benefit to the group that does not involve picking up a shovel or pushing a wheelbarrow. I will let you tell me if you are able to help, and in what capacity.

This also includes our junior members, of which we have a few. You may be able to help too. But we would need your parents consent and assistance, and we would not want it to interfere with your homework either! LOL

Now, its over to you to flood my inbox* with offers of help, (he says hopefully).

As I said earlier, until I have had the meeting with the council, I cannot tell you any more. But it would be nice to get an idea of how many volunteers we would have available for a whole range of tasks that will need to be done throughout this project.

Hoping to hear from you soon.

* Dean's email is deancockwell@ntlworld.com

You can join the New S&D via the sidebar on this blog or via the website where there is a downloadable membership form.

wanted

This has gone out to all SDRHT members but they have also asked me to put this on the blog so it reaches the widest possible audience. So if you're not already a member of the SDRHT down at Midsomer Norton if you do have any of these skills now is definitely the time to join!

These are interesting times at Midsomer Norton as we extend the railway towards Chilcompton but, as ever, we need more willing volunteers to achieve our ultimate aim.

We have been considering how best to move forward in the civil and mechanical engineering front and feel that the ideal solution is to set up a dedicated team comprising people who have either mechanical, electrical, or civil engineering skills who can work together in support of the Engineering Directors.

To that end, would you be willing to be part of that essential support team? If you have any of these skills, or the skills to make inventories, drawings or maps then

“Your Railway Needs You”

We seek those who could help us create a Register of the Trust Assets, that is, all plant, equipment, rolling stock, earthworks, culverts, drainage, trackwork, signaling, buildings and services.

The team would then take on responsibility for updating those records prompting/arranging routine inspections of those assets.

Amongst our members we are sure there are some excellent skills just waiting to be utilised and this could be your opportunity to apply them to the S&D. The result would be that you have played a significant role in ensuring that we expand the railway quicker and safely.

In the first instance, if you feel your skills could be useful to us, please contact me either by writing to me at the station address or emailing me at douglashill1@tiscali.co.uk by the 20th March if possible letting me know the area where you feel you can assist. I will then contact you on how we can best make use of your offer of assistance.

telegraph 37

Just received today is the latest edition of Midsomer Norton's S&D Telegraph. This is even better than usual, and covers the running of the first public trains, a momentous event in the history of the revived S&D.

You know me, I'm a Midsomer Norton fanatic and absolutely love the place. They've done an amazing job down there over the last ten years or so. I'm proud to say that I was very involved there before my family circumstances changed, serving on the board for several years, and loved every minute of it.

The magazine has to be the best in preservation - I always read it from cover to cover and there's never any 'filler' in it. Even the historical articles are excellent. Great stuff!

The editorial leads on the need for MN to bring in more volunteers. I'd urge any of you to get involved down there if you can - it's a great place and a fantastic location to be doing such important work. Remember that as a member at MN you get the Telegraph free, it's also available to non-members for just £2.95.

I'll certainly try to get down there myself to help out this year. I really miss the place.

unfencing the gartell

Four shots courtesy of John Penny showing fence removal work at Gartell on 21.3.2010. This is because a new disabled access is being put in.

Narrow gauge work always seems gentler and lighter than standard gauge work!

Please note- the GLR is on private property and participation is by invitation only. However, you may write to introduce yourself, and careful consideration is given to those who wish to become a member of this very exclusive band of volunteers.