LAST TRAIN FROM EVERCREECH JUNCTION
Washford on the West Somerset Railway:
(Home of the Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust)
Despite a long and valiant fight - the dream of setting up of a base on the S&D at Radstock may have died, but an exciting new chapter for the Somerset & Dorset Railway Railway Trust lay ahead. In resilient spirit, contingency plans for a move to Washford on the West Somerset Railway were made.
The move from Radstock to Washford was to take place in 1975. Remaining true to their original vision, volunteers set to work in creating a base for the Trust to operate from and establish a working heritage museum. It was to be a home from home, with this section of the GWR receiving the full S&D treatment, Washford station today is resplendent in Southern Railway colours. This setting is accompanied by a signal box, the interior of which recreates the look and feel of the Midford box, with the brass of the signalling instrumentation gleaming in traditional S&D fashion. An on-site engine shed is a sight of lots of activity, carrying out restoration and maintenance on the trust’s historic steam locomotives, carriages, and other rolling stock. In December the Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust celebrated their 50th anniversary.
Uprooting from Radstock was to prove a major upheaval, requiring the hauling away of all their locomotives and rolling stock to a new site. Presented with the big challenge of having to start all over again, putting in place the necessary facilities needed to make this venture a success.
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The Trust accepted the tenure of the derelict Washford station site and yard from the fledgling West Somerset Railway. The dilapidated station building was renovated to house the museum’s many exhibits, and the interior the station’s signal box was uniquely designed to replicate the interior of the Midford box. In the late 1980’s, a-two-road shed was constructed in the yard to house exhibits and restoration projects.
Documenting the line’s history, and personal memories of former S&D railway has always remained a major priority for the Trust. This has been achieved by the publishing of articles in the trust’s member’s magazine ‘Pines Express’, through numerous books and recordings on CD.
Restoration progressed on the 2-8-0 with the aide of the West Somerset Railway in April 1985, No. 53808 returned to steam in August 1987.
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Having laid the sidings, the next job was to connect to the West Somerset line through Washford station © S&DRT
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Restoration progressed on the 2-8-0 with the aide of the West Somerset Railway in April 1985, No. 53808 returned to steam in August 1987.
‘Kilmersdon’, an industrial 0-4-0 Saddle Tank engine, once a familiar sight at work in the Somerset coalfields at Radstock, was placed into the care of trust when the town’s collieries finally closed in 1973. ‘Kilmersdon’ is seen on a regular basis giving shunting demonstrations, and for a while masqueraded as ‘Percy’ during special ‘Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends’ events. Since transferring into the ownership of the Trust, and in 2013 after a major overhaul was repainted in S&D ‘Prussian Blue’ livery.
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The Trust has also retrieved three original coach bodies, one of which once served as a cricket pavilion at Templecombe for many years. In 2012 after years of pain-staking work, has been fully restored and too has been repainted in the original S&D Prussian Blue livery.
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Saddle Tank ‘Kilmersdon’ in action with newly restored first coach No.4 at Washford
© Dave Deane
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2016 marked the 50th anniversary of the closure of the Somerset & Dorset Railway. To commemorate this landmark occasion, the Trust organised many various events in locations situated along the line.
The West Somerset Railway held a S&D themed Spring gala over the closure and proceeding weekend, with stations being specially renamed in its honour.
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Washford station repainted in Southern Railway colours. A small piece of the S&D comes to the West Somerset Railway
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Washford's extensive workshop facility & sidings
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Contact Details
The Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust Washford Station
Watchet
Somerset
TA23 0PP
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Email: info@sdrt.org
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