103-497: Strawberry Line may refer to one of two places in the United Kingdom. The Strawberry Line railway walk . A footpath between Yatton and Winscombe following the old Cheddar Valley line The Strawberry Line miniature railway . A 5" gauge railway in the south of England. Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
206-449: A "collecting" siding that traps vehicles in the goods sidings of Wells S&D Yard, protecting the through running line, and there was a signal box immediately overlooking the yard, later designated Wells "A" Box. The Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway (S&DJR) was already standard gauge by this time, and the other two railways had moved from broad gauge to standard gauge in 1875 (see below). The Bristol and Exeter had amalgamated with
309-632: A B&E coach, and it had been sent to the wrong station at Wells, and to reach the right one, it had to do so via Bristol. It appears that from the beginning the desired track had been laid; when Board of Trade sanction to open it was refused, the Somerset and Dorset company nonetheless charged the B&;ER for the agreed rental charge. Later the ESR approached the GWR asking them to agree to work goods movements over
412-491: A block telegraph system, upgraded to train staff and ticket by 1886 and to electric train staff in 1895. The electric train staff system was installed on 11 May 1896, and certain stations that were not crossing places—Congresbury, Winscombe, Draycott, Dulcote Siding and Doulting Siding—were downgraded, and the points there worked by Annett's key attached to the train staff. The short sections at Wells (East Somerset to Wells S&D, and Wells S&D to Tucker Street) were worked on
515-663: A branch in Somerset from Evercreech Junction to Burnham-on-Sea and Bridgwater . Strictly speaking, its main line only ran from Bath Junction to Broadstone , as the Bath to Bath Junction section was wholly owned by the MR and the Broadstone to Bournemouth section was owned by the LSWR. Brought under joint ownership in 1876, the S&;DJR was used for freight and local passenger traffic over
618-417: A connection to the north via Bath, but their actual railway started more modestly. It opened on 1 November 1860 from the LSWR station at Wimborne , to the important market town of Blandford . The Blandford station at this time was south of the river Stour, at the hamlet of Blandford St. Mary, until later amalgamation, when the bridge was built over the river. The line was worked by the LSWR. This and all of
721-531: A daughter company from Poole to Bournemouth on 15 June 1874. The Bournemouth station eventually became Bournemouth West. Somerset & Dorset trains transferred from the Hamworthy station to the new Poole station immediately, and extended to Bournemouth as soon as the extension was opened. They still had to reverse at Wimborne, as the Corfe Mullen connection did not materialise until 1885. In earlier times
824-606: A deviation to avoid his residence was planned; this was authorised by another Act of 14 June 1860. It appears that a connection with the Somerset Central Railway at Wells had been included in the original Act, but that this was dropped from the 1860 Act. Work on the line started in December, the main contractor being D Baldwin, and the line was ready for Board of Trade inspection in February 1862. The inspector
927-432: A general north-west to south-east direction. The "down" direction of trains was from Yatton to Wells Tucker Street, and from Witham to Wells Tucker Street. Great Western Railway, originally Bristol and Exeter Railway Cheddar Valley and Yatton Branch Somerset Central Railway, later Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway East Somerset Railway Great Western Railway, Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth section From Yatton
1030-491: A new off-road link. This passes large orchards before rejoining the track bed for a short stretch to the A368. After crossing the road the site of Sandford and Banwell railway station is visible. The site has been developed as "Sandford Station Retirement Village" a sheltered housing complex. There is a view of the station, goods shed and platform including a short section of track, with period carriage and open wagons. The station
1133-475: A no-staff system using GWR instruments. GWR signals were installed as part of the work. The electric key token system was installed from 1948 to 1954. Much of the disused line between Yatton and Cheddar today forms The Strawberry Line , a railway walk and part of the National Cycle Network route 26. The trail starts at Yatton railway station and is in good condition most of the way to
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#17327729564181236-458: A railway connection was important for them. The Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway (WS&WR) obtained its authorising Act of Parliament on 30 June 1845, to build from the GWR main line near Chippenham , to Salisbury and to Weymouth , the latter part running through Frome , Witham and Castle Cary towards Yeovil . The WS&WR was soon taken over by the GWR; construction enabled the line as far as Frome to be opened on 7 October 1850, but
1339-443: A railway from London to Dorchester was being planned, no importance was attached to the coastal area. Later as the town grew many of its wealthier inhabitants blocked the coming of the railway as they felt it would spoil the exclusivity of the town by allowing access to tourists from all classes. Accordingly, the railway from Southampton to Dorchester cut inland to pass through the important towns of Ringwood and Wimborne . There
1442-529: Is now restored and open to the public on summer weekends with access from the trail. The scenery through to Winscombe changes from open moorland to railway cuttings, with the path in condition to match the previous sections. The former station platform is preserved, with a time line of local and world events along its length. The small red bricked façade of the demolished station building has been laid flat into its former foundation. Seats and lighting have been provided and there are public toilets. After Winscombe
1545-780: The Biddle Street Site of Special Scientific Interest . Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway#Somerset Central Railway The Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway ( S&DJR , also known as the S&;D , S&DR or SDJR ), was an English railway line jointly owned by the Midland Railway (MR) and the London and South Western Railway (LSWR) that grew to connect Bath (in north-east Somerset ) and Bournemouth (then in Hampshire ; now in south-east Dorset ), with
1648-535: The Bristol Channel . The success of Highbridge Wharf for goods traffic encouraged ideas of expanding passenger traffic across the Bristol Channel, and on 3 May 1858 the Somerset Central Railway opened an extension from Highbridge to a new passenger pier at Burnham , expecting heavy passenger traffic. The pier was actually a slip, a broad ramp 900 feet (274 m) long, sloping down at 1 in 21 into
1751-567: The Bristol and Exeter Railway 's main line. It soon saw that a longer connection southwards was useful, and made an alliance with the Dorset Central Railway, and built an easterly line to join that railway at Cole. The Somerset Central Railway opened on 28 August 1854 from Glastonbury to Highbridge Wharf. Glastonbury was then an important manufacturing town, but its location made the transport of goods difficult. Coastal shipping
1854-611: The Combe Down summit and over Masbury. The Highbridge branch trains were latterly worked by GWR 2251 Class 0-6-0s, and LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0 .s The S&D main line ran south from Bath Queen Square (later renamed Green Park) to Radstock , at one time the centre of the Somerset coalfield , and then over Masbury Summit, at 811 feet (274 m) above sea level, crossing the Mendip Hills , via Shepton Mallet and entering
1957-545: The Dorset Central Railway , together forming the Somerset and Dorset Railway (S&DR). The Somerset Central had intended making a branch from Wells to Yatton, joining the B&ER main line there, and including the formation of the direct connection to the East Somerset line at Wells, and a spur there to enable direct running from Glastonbury to Bristol. The Somerset & Dorset Railway took over
2060-540: The Mendip Hills , and for weekend holiday traffic to Bournemouth. Criticised as the "Slow and Dirty" or the "Slow and Doubtful", it closed in 1966 as part of the Beeching axe despite protests from the local community. The initial Somerset and Dorset Railway (S&DR) was created on 1 September 1862 by an amalgamation of the Somerset Central Railway (SCR; opened in 1854) and the Dorset Central Railway (DCR; opened in 1860). The SCR line ran from Highbridge to Templecombe and
2163-494: The Midland Railway and the LSWR, and was renamed the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway (S&DJR). After the 1 January 1923 Grouping , joint ownership of the S&DJR passed to the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) and the Southern Railway . Its attractions were its quirky individuality, its varied scenery (captured particularly by the photographs and pioneering cine films taken by Ivo Peters ), and
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#17327729564182266-578: The port and industrial centre of Bristol had been the northerly magnet, but in the intervening years other railways had interposed themselves. But the Midland Railway's Mangotsfield and Bath Branch Line had reached Bath in 1869, so the S&DR decided to head for that destination. This had the advantage also of crossing the Somerset Coalfield . An act of Parliament was obtained on 21 August 1871 which included running powers for
2369-416: The tidal waters; and steamers berthed alongside at the point where the adjacent part of the slip was at a suitable height. Rails were laid on the slip, and single wagons were worked down to the steamers using a wire rope; passengers, however, walked to a platform at Burnham station nearby. In both cases the arrangement was awkward and inconvenient, and the anticipated traffic growth never materialised, and
2472-530: The 1960s, just before final closure as part of the nationwide reduction of railway services, usually called the Beeching Axe . The main line was still active, carrying local passenger trains and a daily long-distance train, the Pines Express , from Manchester to Bournemouth West, reversing at Bath Green Park. Local freight on the route survived in adequate volumes, although the Somerset coalfield
2575-434: The B&ER station. There were goods facilities at Highbridge Wharf, to the west of the B&ER line. The line was worked operationally by the B&ER. Initial results were encouraging, and the original objective of the railway, to give Glastonbury access to the maritime and railway transport links at Highbridge, was successfully achieved. Highbridge Wharf became a hive of activity, and at this early date coastal shipping
2678-528: The Bristol & Exeter Railway (Additional Powers) Act on 19 June 1865. The Bristol and Exeter Railway proceeded with the construction of the project it had acquired; their Chief Engineer, Francis Fox, was resident engineer for the work. The authorised scheme was to run to the East Somerset Railway station at Wells, running through and calling at the Somerset & Dorset station there, and
2781-667: The Burnham Pier, which had cost £20,000, was a financial failure. At the eastern end, a branch to the important city of Wells was opened on 15 March 1859. This had originally been planned to be part of a main line extension towards Frome , where the Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway could be joined, giving the yearned-for access to the South Coast towns, but by now the Somerset Central thought that joining up with
2884-592: The DCR line from Blandford to Wimborne , and by 1863 when a line connecting them was opened, the Somerset and Dorset Railway ran from Burnham-on-Sea to Wimborne, where S&DR trains could use a line owned by the London and South Western Railway (LSWR) to reach Poole Junction (now Hamworthy ) on the Dorset south coast. This cross-country link between the Bristol Channel and the English Channel failed to attract
2987-413: The DCR spur probably did not connect directly into the S&YR main line. The Somerset Central Railway and the northern part of the Dorset Central Railway were worked as a single unit from the beginning, and on 1 September 1862 the two railways were amalgamated by Act of Parliament , under the title Somerset & Dorset Railway. At this time therefore, the system consisted of: The new company opened
3090-598: The Deputy Chairman of the GWR visited, and reported Proceeding through the Somerset & Dorset station I had pointed out to me what had already been done to form a physical connection with the B&E lines, so that, by arrangement, vehicles could then pass from one of our stations to the other. Proceeding to the Great Western station ... the first thing which attracted my attention was a new first class coach, sent from Swindon ... [it was] destined to relieve
3193-419: The Dorset Central Railway would be a more cost-effective option. Wells therefore was a branch line only, with the station at Priory Road . It too was broad gauge, and one intermediate station at Polsham was opened in 1861. The impetus now however was the south-easterly link with the Dorset Central Railway, and parliamentary powers were sought for the extension to Cole. Cole was no destination in itself, but
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3296-453: The Dorset Central Railway's lines were standard gauge. Intermediate stations were at Spetisbury , and Sturminster Marshall . Seeing that its northwards destiny could best be served by an alliance with the Somerset Central Railway, it obtained powers to extend to Cole and join that railway there, and it opened part of this route, from Templecombe to Cole on 3 February 1862, the same day that the Somerset company opened its section to Cole. There
3399-495: The East Somerset Railway followed the Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway practice of using a double-needle electric telegraph; the signals at each station were disc and crossbar home signals; starting was authorised by hand signal. The GWR replaced the double-needle telegraph by a single-needle variety. The Bristol and Exeter line (north-west of Wells) used a staff-and-ticket system, but the Somerset Central line, worked by them, used
3502-496: The GWR in 1876, and the integrated service ran from Yatton through to Witham, which became the standard service for this line from 1878. GWR trains ran through the Priory Road S&;DJR station without stopping. As it was the terminus of that railway's branch from Glastonbury and Street , so that terminating trains blocked the through line during their own station duties there. By the 1870s it began to be obvious that
3605-617: The GWR was unwilling to pay that price for an unsuccessful railway. The GWR was planning to convert the gauge of the former Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth line to standard gauge, and gave notice to the East Somerset in January 1874 that it would do so in May. The ESR directors could hardly have been surprised at this development, but it meant that they too would have to convert the gauge of their line. The cost of that would be £7,390, money that they did not have. The ESR now had no alternative to selling to
3708-422: The GWR, which they did for GWR preference stock valued at £67,442. The sale took effect on 2 December 1874. As described above, the Somerset Central Railway (SCR) had opened its branch line from Glastonbury to Wells on 15 March 1859; the Somerset Central was a broad gauge line at this time, worked by the Bristol and Exeter Railway (B&ER), with which it joined at Highbridge. It was originally contemplated that
3811-477: The S&D was single track, but the main line was double track from Midford to Templecombe, and from Blandford Forum to Corfe Mullen . Crossing trains on the single line sections always added operational interest to the line, but many enthusiasts chose to focus on the quirky operation of trains calling at Templecombe and the light engine movements associated with them. Trains had to reverse from Templecombe station to Templecombe Junction (for southbound trains, and
3914-504: The S&YR station. Because of the height difference it made its junction with the DCR main line some distance to the north at a new junction. The east-facing connection to the S&YR line was severed, although the spur was retained as a siding connected at the Templecombe S&;DR end. At some later date, it became obvious that the S&D station to the east of its main line was almost useless, as nearly all trains called at
4017-519: The Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway. Blagdon and Farrington Gurney had long wanted a railway connection, but local interests could not raise the necessary funds. The Light Railways Act, 1896 enabled the construction and operation of railways with lower standards and therefore more cheaply. This coupled with the interest of the Bristol Waterworks Company in building a large reservoir which became known as Blagdon Lake , enabled
4120-492: The South Coast. Parliamentary powers were sought and the standard gauge was specified, but pressure from the broad gauge B&ER – who feared loss of the feeder traffic from the line it had supported – led to a requirement to lay broad gauge and to make a junction with the Wilts Somerset and Weymouth where the lines would cross. The line from Glastonbury to Cole opened on 3 February 1862 and mixed gauge track
4223-554: The catchment area of the River Stour to Wincanton and Blandford, joining the LSWR South West Main Line at Poole , the S&D trains continuing to the LSWR station at Bournemouth West. The branch line from Highbridge to Evercreech Junction had been the original main line, when attracting steamer traffic across the Bristol Channel had been an objective. It traversed a sparsely populated area, and when
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4326-420: The company to make the physical connection facing towards Salisbury and London, and the junction was to the east of the S&YR station. The S&YR provided a track from the point of junction back to their station, and DCR trains arriving from Cole had to reverse from the junction to the S&YR station. It is unlikely at this early date that through running (without calling at Templecombe) was contemplated, and
4429-622: The construction of the Wrington Vale Light Railway , from Congresbury on the Cheddar Valley line to Blagdon. The GWR provided the money and a Light Railway Order was obtained. The line was 6 miles 41 chains (10.5 km) long and the station at Congresbury was substantially altered to accommodate the junction. The line opened on 4 December 1901, with stations at Wrington, Langford, Burrington and Blagdon . There were four passenger trains daily of which one
4532-654: The construction of the Shepton Mallet section early in 1857 and in October 1858 Captain Yolland of the Board of Trade visited the line for the formal inspection prior to opening for passengers. There were a number of detail issues: a turntable was provided at Shepton Mallet but not at Witham; and the signalling arrangements at Witham were questionable. The Company undertook that only tank engines would be used, rendering
4635-463: The difficulty of its main line. Its strategic significance was as part of a through route between the Midlands and the South Coast, by connecting with the Midland Railway at Bath. The Midland Railway linked Bath to Bristol and via Gloucester to Birmingham and the north. Heavy summer holiday passenger traffic and healthy through freight business was the result, but the long and difficult main line
4738-411: The friendly B&ER, and by arrangement with them the canal was closed and the railway built partly on the course of the canal, reducing construction cost. The line was opened as 7 ft 1 ⁄ 4 in ( 2,140 mm ) broad gauge , as a feeder to the B&ER, and had stations at Glastonbury , Ashcott , Shapwick , Edington , Bason Bridge (opened in 1862) and Highbridge at
4841-468: The indefinite continuation of the broad gauge was impossible, and plans were formulated to convert the broad gauge lines to standard gauge (often referred to as narrow gauge for contrast). In 1874 131 miles (211 km) of the former Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth group of lines were converted; this included the former East Somerset line. In a huge operation, the last broad gauge trains ran on the line on 18 June, and on Sunday 21 June narrow gauge rolling stock
4944-520: The last half mile into Bath over the Midland's line, and the use of their Bath station at Queen Square. The terrain was quite different from the previous ground covered, and engineers had to build many tunnels and viaducts. The line was steep, with a ruling gradient of 1 in 50. The summit, in the Mendip Hills, was 811 feet above sea level. (247 m ). From Radstock to Midford the railway followed
5047-418: The line continues south to Shute Shelve Tunnel, which cuts underneath Shute Shelve Hill . Within the tunnel the central surface has been paved with tarmac but it is unlit except for a central guide line of small guide lamps. The north half of the tunnel is brick lined, but about midway it reverts to unlined rock for the southern half, marking a change in the underlying geology from sandstone to limestone. After
5150-416: The line for 999 years to the Midland Railway and the London and South Western Railway jointly. The origins of the Somerset & Dorset Railway lay with two separate companies, which built sections of line, each with their own ambitions. The Somerset Central Railway started out as a local railway line designed to give Glastonbury transport access for manufactured goods, to the Bristol Channel and to
5253-478: The line on a couple of excursions only in the final years. After closure, diesels worked demolition trains, and some diesel workings operated to Blandford Forum after the line had closed. Freight in the 1960s was largely in the hands of Fowler 4Fs , Stanier 8Fs , Standard Class 5 4-6-0s , and the S&DJR 7F 2-8-0s , assisted by Fowler 3F "Jinty" 0-6-0Ts and Great Western Railway Pannier Tanks ; freight trains were assisted in rear by these locomotives over
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#17327729564185356-502: The line ran more or less level at first, then climbing to Shute Shelve Tunnel at 1 in 90, falling on the other side at 1 in 75. Gentle undulations followed to a summit between Lodge Hill and Wookey, climbing at 1 in 96. A slight fall followed to Wells. Leaving Wells the line climbed for over 6 miles to Dulcote at 1 in 46½ for much of the distance. The falling gradient the other side had a ruling gradient of 1 in 47, although with some short sections of gentler climb. The original signalling on
5459-502: The line took place on 28 February 1862, and the public opening was next day, 1 March 1862. The electric telegraph was hastily installed in pursuance of an undertaking given to the Board of Trade, and was ready on 1 May 1862. The East Somerset Railway was not a success in financial terms, and after a few years the possibility of a sale to the wealthy Great Western Railway was being considered. The East Somerset valued its line at £87,138, but
5562-461: The line towards Weymouth had a low priority, and the section between Frome and Yeovil did not open until 1 September 1856. Inhabitants of Shepton Mallet saw that a branch line to the WS&;WR (now GWR) line was feasible, and a provisional East Somerset Railway Company was formed at a meeting on 29 September 1855. The line was to join the GWR at Frome. The GWR was supportive, but made it clear that
5665-411: The line would make a direct connection with the East Somerset line, but this did not take place. The SCR station was aligned towards the ESR station, but they stopped on opposite sides of Priory Road without connecting to one another. The Somerset Central was taking steps to become independent of the B&ER, mixing the gauge of its track and acquiring its own rolling stock. In August 1862 it merged with
5768-433: The line, as the Board of Trade refusal only applied to passenger trains; the GWR replied that it would "hesitate to use the junction [i.e. the connecting line] without the authority of the Board of Trade." In fact in 1874 when the B&ER Yatton line was still broad but the GWR former ESR line was narrow, an exchange platform was built by the B&ER at the East Somerset station, but sanction to run passenger trains through
5871-422: The main (Upper) station to make connections. The Lower station was closed and a short platform, Templecombe Lower Platform , was provided on the west side of the main line, adjacent to the main road. There were no facilities on it, and only the last train from Bournemouth and certain other very early or late trains used it. In the first half of the 19th century, Bournemouth was an insignificant hamlet , and when
5974-418: The marine connection ceased, only Glastonbury and Street in the centre of the route contributed any worthwhile income. There had been other, shorter branches, but these too generated very little traffic and they had all closed by the early 1950s. Serving only a string of medium-sized market towns between its extremities, the S&D generated a modest internal traffic, and had daunting operational costs, due to
6077-419: The missing link from Blandford to Templecombe on 31 August 1863, and now the original dream of a link from the English Channel to the Bristol Channel materialised. The LSWR allowed through passenger trains to run over their line between Wimborne and Poole, reversing at Wimborne. The Somerset and Dorset company therefore operated trains from Burnham to Poole and on the branch to Wells. At this time Poole station
6180-475: The name East Somerset Railway . Important inland market towns suddenly found themselves at a huge disadvantage when trunk railways connected competing communities, giving them cheap and fast transport of the necessities of life, and of their products. When the Great Western Railway (GWR) opened throughout between London and Bristol in 1841, the inhabitants of Wells and Shepton Mallet saw that
6283-506: The new line diverged half a mile or so north of the S&YR line, passing under it by a bridge. The S&D Templecombe station was provided between the new junction and the S&YR bridge. The opening of Sturminster Newton station prompted the renaming of the Sturminster Marshall station to Bailey Gate (after the adjacent turnpike gate) to avoid confusion. At Blandford, a new station was built, situated more conveniently to
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#17327729564186386-429: The original canal. Completion was swift, despite a break in construction when a contractor had financial problems. It opened on 20 July 1874. There were four passenger trains each way every day; two of them carried through coaches from Birmingham to Bournemouth. Intermediate stations were at Wellow , Radstock , Chilcompton , Binegar , Masbury , Shepton Mallet and Evercreech New . The original Evercreech station
6489-411: The passenger trains through Wells, as a through station ... [nor do I] assent to the present construction of this station so far as it renders it necessary to shunt engines across the turnpike road. ... [and] there are still sidings lying south of [the Somerset and Dorset] passenger lines which are not provided with blind sidings or throw-off points to prevent vehicles from being brought out of them without
6592-460: The preponderance of double-heading required on the majority of trains between Bath and Evercreech Junction on account of the steep gradients encountered on either side of Masbury summit. For the same reason, during the summer months the native S&D class 7F 2-8-0s were also pressed into service to assist, or to handle lighter trains on their own. The route remained almost entirely steam-worked until closure, though some diesel multiple units ran over
6695-413: The project, obtaining the necessary Act of Parliament on 14 July 1864 for the Cheddar Valley and Yatton Railway . The B&ER had promoted a competing line, but a settlement was reached in which the B&ER and the S&DR agreed to abandon schemes encroaching on each other's area of influence, and the Cheddar Valley and Yatton scheme was transferred to the B&ER; the transfer of powers was ratified by
6798-414: The projected ESR extension there would abstract business from them, they proposed to the ESR that the two lines should link at Street , combine and arrange for the whole combined line to be worked by the GWR. The ESR did not favour this arrangement, and decided to proceed with its own extension. However the implacable opposition of a landowner made adherence to the route originally designed impracticable, and
6901-503: The promoters would not receive financial help from them. Isambard Kingdom Brunel was retained as the little company's engineer, and after a survey he recommended that Witham would be a preferable point of junction, reducing construction costs. A contractor, Rowland Brotherhood of Chippenham, agreed to subscribe £25,000 to the company's share issue if it could raise £30,000. On 5 June 1856 the East Somerset Railway Act
7004-409: The provisional directors of the East Somerset line; if Wells subscribed £12,500, would the ESR connect to their city? They would, and nearly all of the promised subscription was quickly forthcoming; the ESR obtained an Act on 25 July 1857 extending their powers to reach Wells, and authorising an additional £40,000 capital. The connection to Wells opened in 1862. Contract had been let to Brotherhood for
7107-400: The reverse for northbound), requiring use of a pilot engine to assist with these manoeuvres. In at least one case, a northbound train and a southbound train, both requiring to call at Templecombe station, were timed to arrive at Templecombe Junction simultaneously. The operating procedure was for the northbound train to set back on to the southbound train at the junction, thence to be pulled into
7210-548: The route of the Radstock branch of the Somerset Coal Canal which was little used and had been replaced by a tramway on the canal's towpath in 1815. The S&DR purchased the waterway, filled in the canal, removed the tramway and built its railway along the route. This greatly reduced the cost and time of construction and provided a mostly level course, but forced the railway to follow the sharply-curved course of
7313-426: The route, and the home locomotive fleet was augmented by strangers such as LMS Jubilee Class 4-6-0s from the north, though these did not work over the S&D proper, and West Country Pacifics from the south. For the summer seasons of 1960, 1961 and 1962 a small number of BR Standard Class 9F 2-10-0s, which were designed as heavy freight locomotives, were transferred to Bath locomotive depot, in an attempt to reduce
7416-511: The sanction of the signalman on duty. Gauge conversion on the B&ER line in November 1875 and operation of through trains of course reduced the blockage of the road by engines of terminating trains running round; the remaining sidings that did not have trap points must have been fitted, for the Board of Trade objection to through running was eventually resolved, and the intended connection was opened on 1 January 1878. Track layout diagrams show
7519-509: The site of Congresbury railway station . A new section of path along the top of the Congresbury Yeo river bank avoids the busy A370 road running alongside. At Congresbury the platforms of the former station remain, as do houses built for railway workers. The route on to Sandford is surfaced. Upon reaching the rail bridge on the outskirts of Sandford the trail joins Nye Road for about half a mile (800 m), before turning right into
7622-474: The station by the southbound train engine, with the northbound engine still on the back. After completion of station work, the entire equipage was pulled back to the junction by the northbound train engine, where the two trains were uncoupled to continue on their separate ways. The Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway came into existence on 1 November 1875. It was formed when the Somerset & Dorset Railway ran into unmanageable financial difficulties and they leased
7725-465: The steep gradients. The S&DJR started before the railway network in England had settled down, and both local and strategic aspirations structured the line's earliest days. Work has now started to restore some remnants of the line to working condition, notably at Midsomer Norton in Somerset and Shillingstone in Dorset. The fame of the Somerset & Dorset line reached its peak in the first years of
7828-487: The substantial traffic expected and so the S&DR, falling into dire financial straits, made a desperate bid to increase their prospects by building an extension from Evercreech Junction to Bath in 1874, to link with the Midland Railway . This provided a through route between the south coast and Midlands and north and produced a substantial increase in traffic, but came too late to save the company. The S&DR went into receivership and in 1875 it became jointly owned by
7931-450: The through traffic from Glastonbury and Highbridge to London was important, and would not think well of the half mile walk between the two stations. To accommodate those passengers, the S&YR operated a shuttle train service between the two stations. This arrangement could hardly continue, but the topography of the village was challenging. The solution eventually adopted was to construct a new west-facing connection entering directly into
8034-511: The title Strawberry Line . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Strawberry_Line&oldid=1059599175 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Strawberry Line railway walk The Cheddar Valley line
8137-419: The town itself missing out the station site higher on the hillside behind the church. The railway track is regained opposite St Michael's Cheshire Home and there is a picnic spot overlooking the reservoir. The route comes to an end at the side of the former station which is now in use as a stonemason's surrounded by a small industrial estate, a mile (1.6 km) from Cheddar Gorge . It also includes parts of
8240-414: The town, and the earlier DCR station south of the River Stour was closed. Templecombe had suddenly become the most important interchange point on the system, and trains from Wimborne needed convenient access to a station. The company provided its own "Lower" station on the direct north–south line a little north of the S&YR line on the east of its own line. S&DR passengers had their own station, but
8343-402: The track was to be on the broad gauge. There was to be a 180-yard (165-metre) tunnel at Shute Shelve. A difficulty with the route emerged at Wells: the tracks at the approach to the Somerset Central Railway (now S&DR) station had been laid out in a way that cut across the proposed Cheddar Valley line to the East Somerset station. The Board of Trade made it clear that the proposed through line
8446-632: The tunnel the line continues due south through a deep cutting and onto an embankment as the land falls away until meeting the A38 which a bridge once crossed. From this point the line turns eastwards and follows the southern edge of the Mendip Hills crossing the Cheddar Yeo . The track bed around Axbridge has now been made into the A371 road , but the station building, goods shed and station master's house are all in use. The Strawberry Line Trail goes through
8549-436: The turntable unnecessary, and Brunel personally managed to persuade the Board of Trade that opening was permissible: they agreed, and the opening took place on 9 November 1858. The line was single, and on the broad gauge with longitudinal sleepers and bridge rails. The GWR would work the line including maintaining the permanent way. The Somerset Central Railway opened its line as far as Wells on 15 March 1859, and seeing that
8652-405: The way it seemed to struggle against overwhelming odds. Its main line climbed to 811 feet (247 m) above sea level at Masbury , and it contained several single line sections, but on summer Saturdays it managed to handle a considerable volume of holiday trains, when it seemed every possible locomotive was drafted into service to handle heavy trains requiring double-heading and banking over
8755-427: Was a branch to the west of Holes Bay from Poole Junction (now Hamworthy) to a station called Poole, situated to the west of the bridge over the inlet. This was the "Poole" station that Somerset & Dorset trains reached over LSWR tracks, reversing at Wimborne. This was inconvenient for the town of Poole, and the LSWR interest built a railway to reach Poole itself from Broadstone, opening on 2 December 1872, and through
8858-402: Was a railway line in Somerset, England, running between Yatton and Witham . It was opened in parts: the first section connecting Shepton Mallet to Witham, later extended to Wells , was built by the East Somerset Railway from 1858. Later the Bristol and Exeter Railway built their branch line from Yatton to Wells, but the two lines were prevented for a time from joining up. Eventually the gap
8961-406: Was again Yolland, now apparently a Lieutenant-Colonel. He observed that there was now a turntable at Shepton Mallet, in the middle of the line, but none at either terminus, and the signalling system was inadequate: he declined to pass the line as ready. The Board of Trade seems to have overruled him on receiving undertakings that one engine at a time would be in use on the line. A ceremonial opening of
9064-460: Was again refused by Colonel Yolland; this was partly due to anticipated blockage of the turnpike road (Priory Road) by ESR engines running round their trains. Yolland reported that Great pains [had] been taken to make such arrangements of the sidings points and their connections with the signals by interlocking as to provide against the danger inherent on crossing so many goods lines on the level, but ... these arrangements are not suitable for working
9167-512: Was always very expensive to run. There was only one intermediate connection on the route, at Templecombe where the West of England line was crossed. There was an awkward layout there, requiring through trains to reverse along a spur between the S&D main line and the east-west LSWR main line. The full journey time for ordinary passenger trains was typically four hours, although the limited stop holiday expresses managed it in two hours. Much of
9270-495: Was becoming ever more uneconomic to work and so coal traffic had dwindled. On summer Saturdays, the line continued to carry a very heavy traffic of long-distance trains, from northern towns to Bournemouth and back. The traditional nature of the operation of the route was reflected in the fact that most of the originating towns were on the former Midland Railway system, almost as if the railway grouping of 1923 had never taken place. These trains brought unusual traffic combinations to
9373-552: Was closed, and the line became a simple through line, operated by the Great Western Railway. The line became known as The Strawberry Line because of the volume of locally-grown strawberries that it carried. It closed in 1963. Sections of the former trackbed have been opened as the Strawberry Line Trail , which runs from Yatton to Cheddar . The southern section operates as a heritage railway using
9476-456: Was in place ready to operate a normal service. The Bristol and Exeter Railway converted its branch line from Yatton to Wells from 15 to 18 November 1875. The Bristol and Exeter Railway amalgamated with the Great Western Railway on 1 January 1876; the amalgamated company retained the title the Great Western Railway . The entire route from Yatton to Witham was now under single ownership, although it relied on running over 9 chains (180 m) of
9579-405: Was laid, although the required connection to the Wilts Somerset & Weymouth was never opened. Glastonbury to Highbridge and Burnham was converted to mixed gauge at the same time. Intermediate stations between Glastonbury and Cole were West Pennard , Pylle and Evercreech. The Dorset Central Railway had started with higher ambitions than the Somerset line. Its promoters had originally intended
9682-684: Was mixed; they ran to and from Yatton. Following World War II , road usage increased considerably and rail usage declined, particularly on rural branch lines. The line was being considered for closure when the British Railways Board published the report in 1963, The Reshaping of British Railways often referred to as the Beeching cuts . Accordingly the Cheddar Valley line is listed in the appendix of that report. The line between Yatton and Witham closed to passengers on 9 September 1963 and to goods in 1964. The line ran in
9785-451: Was not acceptable, and the B&ER had to construct a separate station at Wells on Tucker Street, short of the S&DR. There would now be three stations in Wells. The B&ER line was opened to Cheddar on 3 August 1869: the lavish passenger station was not ready, and for a period the goods shed was used for passenger purposes. The passenger station was open on 9 or 10 May 1870. The line
9888-458: Was on the western side of Holes Bay , at the location that ultimately became Hamworthy Goods. Intermediate stations between the point of junction at Templecombe and Blandford were Templecombe (S&DR station), Henstridge, Stalbridge, Sturminster Newton, Shillingstone and Blandford. The original connection from Cole to the Salisbury & Yeovil Railway (S&YR) had faced towards London, and
9991-471: Was one intermediate station, at Wincanton . All of this northern section was worked by the Somerset company. Templecombe was a small community and its significance was the connection to London over the Salisbury & Yeovil Railway's line. The DCR trains used the Salisbury & Yeovil Railway station on the main line. The difference in levels between the two lines and the availability of land induced
10094-571: Was opened to the Tucker Street station at Wells on 5 April 1870. From that date Wells had three stations, none of them connected, yet all aligned with through running in mind: from north-west to south-east, the B&ER station at Tucker Street; the Somerset and Dorset station aligned as a through station, but with its line from Glastonbury approaching from the south-west; and the GWR (former ESR) station. All were called "Wells" at this stage. This situation persisted for several years; in 1876
10197-534: Was passed, authorising share capital of £75,000. The City of Wells had anticipated a rail connection from the Somerset Central Railway , which had opened from Glastonbury to Highbridge in 1854; the Somerset Central main line was to have passed through the City, but the railway's priorities had changed and even a branch connection was much delayed. Accordingly, interested parties in Wells approached
10300-419: Was renamed Evercreech Junction . The completion of the line to Bath brought a further massive traffic increase, but the financial burden of the loans taken to build the Bath extension weighed the little company down even more, and it soon became clear that even day-to-day operating expenses could not be met. Atthill describes the Bath extension project as an act of financial suicide. The company realised that
10403-569: Was still an important means of transporting goods. To reach South Coast destinations the ships had a difficult and hazardous passage round Land's End , and there were hopes that the railway could become the core of a transport chain bringing manufactured goods, especially metal goods, from South Wales to the Southern Counties, and taking agricultural produce back to feed the industrial population in South Wales, using shipping across
10506-447: Was still dominant for transport and the Bristol Channel ports of Bridgwater and Highbridge were about 18 miles away. The Bristol and Exeter Railway (B&ER) had been opened, passing through both those towns, in 1841. Highbridge was chosen as the destination because a route to Bridgwater would have been much more challenging technically, because of high ground to the east of Bridgwater itself. The Glastonbury Canal had been bought by
10609-408: Was the agreed point of meeting up with the Dorset Central Railway. The important town of Bruton lay nearby, but its topography made a closer approach difficult. The Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway had been opened in 1856, giving broad gauge access to the Great Western Railway (GWR) system, but the Somerset Central wanted to have through standard gauge access to the Dorset Central Railway and
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