S&D 50th Anniversary of Clousure..Midsomer Norton .. 05/03/16

The Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust ran trains along a short section of the S&D at Midsomer Norton to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the closure of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway. LMS Jinty 47406 was hired to work the trains along the short section of track,about half a mile or so but more line is to open next year. A Sentinel steam loco was also in steam and did cab rides from the station along a siding. D4095/08881 was also on show.

 

I sat quietly at Midsomer Norton station this morning reminiscing about that fateful day 50 years ago on 6th March, 1966 when I witnessed the final passenger train to travel over the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway. That was a very sad day indeed.

I was pleased to see today that the Jinty had been renumbered to that of 47506. A loco that shunted wagons at the Midsomer Norton colliery where my father was a miner. <BJ>

 

Nice story Bill, first thing I did when I got home was look at pictures from back when it was still running.. this one stood out its a Ben Brooksbank shot of 34048 Crediton piloting a Standard through the stationion.. great shot

 

By Ben Brooksbank

 

Jinty in nearly the same place...

 

At about 5 mins into the film, as the Jinty passes the Sentinel, the head poking from the middle door of the coach is my middle son (7)

He had a great day, we were in the brake van on the first train, a trip on the vintage (OK younger than me) bus, another train ride and then he got to change some signals