Lazarus Lines

You can keep up with latest progress on the Facebook page and on the extension blog
https://ilvaporista.blogspot.it/

There has been lots of work behind the scenes and the TWAO is now in place. That cost a bit more than planned so funds are tight but we are now progressing towards the halt at Weston. Donations of labour and especially money are more than welcome!!

 

I called in at the Midsomer Norton site this morning and was rather surprised how much there is to see there. A working party set off for the extension site (by rail) soon after I arrived, and I managed to spend a good hour looking round the current set up in the station and yard there. The exhibits cover much more than just the railway aspects, with displays of WW1 & WW2 items from the area together with a preserved WW2 pillbox, which you can go inside to see further displays.
Very friendly and welcoming group of volunteers as well, which was a bit of a contrast to some of the other places visited over the weekend.........

 

Ilvaporista -

I think what'll help massively with oswestry is when the 2 sites can be linked & offer more of an actual running line will attract people in.

 

Indeed! But there is a lot of work to do before that happens and with no fairy godmother things are unlikely to happen overnight. There are two expensive things that need to be sorted out before that can happen, crossing of the A483T and going past Station House at Llynclys.

 

Could add Bowes railway onto that list. Victoria workshop complex, currently static remains of the rope hauled inclines and hopefully in 2018 a return to operating trains over part of the 1 and half mile running line.

 

I'll sound bias for saying it, but my local, the Fife Heritage Railway (KFRPS), does apply for this for all the stuff that happened. Formed in 1992 right after Lochty shut, not only had the railway shut, they had to quickly move out the rolling stock from the area, by order of John Cameron, with very little money and find a new home. A society with a difficult birth to say the least but one that is now finally finding it's feet in the preservation world.

 

East Kent railway hides its light under a bushel

 

I was spending time with family over the summer and stumbled across this, which I'd never heard of:

http://www.yorkshirewoldsrailway.org.uk/

A couple of hundred feet of track and an industrial diesel so far.

 

I was told by somebody involved with the project that Sir Tatton Sykes, who owns the formation towards Wetwang and also the station there, is very supportive of the revival whereas Baron Middleton, who owns most of the trackbed north of Fimber, is not keen, so any progress in the foreseeable future is going to be southwards. There is very little stock on site at present but this is the consequence of a determination not to allow the place to turn into another scrapyard. Give it ten years or so and it should have become a decent little line.

 

I must admit, I didn't hold out much hope for it on first glance, but just reading the above suggests that they're thinking carefully about exactly how to make it work, which is encouraging.

 

They have planning permission for an initial mile of running line as far as the outskirts of Wetwang, and current fundraising efforts are directed towards that. In the meantime a cab ride in the shunter is £1.50, which isn't bad.

 

It's a nice little set up with realistic ambitions. Hope it thrives.
Another suggestion would be the North Tyneside steam railway which is attached to the Stephenson railway museum.
1 and a half mile running line. Interchange station with the national network, museum with a varied and interesting collection. Plus a very unique set of locomotives. What's not to like.

 

Radstock to Frome guys have gone quiet as well.

 

Although their facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/pg/Lein-Am...way-1169301053185355/posts/?ref=page_internal - (login not needed) does show recent activity.

Steve B

 

Anglesey Beeching axe railway bids for funding to reopen
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53960145