Masbury station appeal

An exciting plan to buy Masbury station on the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway has been announced by the sdjr at Midsomer Norton . see link
Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust - Homepage

www.sdjr.co.uk

 

Exciting news indeed,good foresight shown by the SDHRT in starting this project.I suppose one problem to be avoided would be falling between two stools,wouldn't want the superb Midsomer Norton restoration to be jeopardised or demeaned in any way but the management of SDHRT seem to be very level headed and i'm sure they wouldn't allow that to happen.Thinking ahead a little,wonder if Masbury could become the home of the Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust when they eventually leave Washford? It would seem to tick boxes in terms of authenticity and adequate space. There would be a possibility also of eventually extending to Shepton Mallet,as i recall there aren't too many obstacles to overcome,physically at least.Imagine a working steam railway between Shepton and Midsomer Norton,if this appeal is successful it would be a large step in the right direction.Good luck to them.

 

Midsomer Norton to the outskirts of Shepton would be a dream come true!!

 

Given the amount of land which would have to be purchased to reclaim the trackbed between Chilcompton cutting and Masbury/Shepton Mallet, I think that the best option for the SDRHT is to adopt the same approach as the Lynton and Barnstaple and the Eden Valley Railway, which is to create a separate company/organisation whose purpose is to buy back the trackbed/stations if and when they become available. The L & B has Exmoor Associates, and the EVR Stainmore Railway Company Ltd.

That way the land could be secured without interference with the existing Midsomer Norton operation, especially its funding.

Interestingly, Radstock is not being mentioned as an extension ambition in either the Steam Railway article or the SDRHT appeal pamphlet, has it been dropped?

Chris

 

According to recent editions of the S and D Telegraph,the excellent journal of the SDRHT,Radstock represents a long term aim.I think at the moment the extension to Chilcompton cutting and purchase of Masbury station very much take priority but Radstock still remains an ultimate target.

 

Definitely one of the most exciting developments in Railway Preservation this century.

 

So realistically, we could see Midsomer Norton to Shepton Mallet? I thought there were a few obstructions around Binegar?

 

The prospect (albeit long term) of trains running over most of the steepest section of the S&D is very appealing indeed BUT
a) the timing, just when the GC Bridge the Gap appeal has been launched, is unfortunate (though unavoidable), and
b) would there ever be any possibility of a connection from either Radstock or Shepton Mallet to Network Rail?

 

Seems to be a broken link.

 

The link works fine for me .

 

I've just retested it and it's working fine now.

Temporary glitch or finger trouble I guess.

 

I seem to recall that the frome to radstock line is still in place, so an extension to radstock could open up a network rail connection, or connect somehow to the ESR at shepton mallet?

The masbury station site though it would seem is time limited, if the money can't be found in time then it may end up being developed into housing. I really hope they can succeed, climbing from midsomer norton or from radstock in the future to masbury summit would be something pretty special and then potential for the line then would be even better.

 

Hopefully I haven't woken up with the fairies, but could a connection be built from Shepton Mallet Charlton Road to meet the East Somerset Rly, which has in the past had ideas of getting to Shepton Mallet? I appreciate that the old GWR line had a different station in the town and that there never was a connection in the town, but new lines can be built.

With some co-operation from others and open access, trains could run from Westbury; what an amazing trip - probably for my great grandchildren in due course.

 

There is no way that the council would allow a reinstatement of the level crossing at Radstock - and then you have the fact that the land around the station site is being built on.

http://simonwhittinghamphotography.zenfolio.com/p456689996

 

As a dwelling, would there be any sense in the trust taking out a mortgage to purchase the site, and leasing it out to tenants in the meantime until the trackbed in between the two is ready for development, in order to pay some of the mortgage?
Just a thought as it could reduce the large amount they have to come up with so quickly.

 

I wonder if a time share company could be set up the share would be £10,000 for say twenty years, so a week would work out at say £500 you could not have the same week every year but you would over four years get a summer, winter, spring and one auntum week the other two weeks would be keep for maintainance.

 

Has anyone else read the tipe that being discussed on the Masbury Station appeal facebook page?!

There on about now buying a £550,000 detached house that is currently for sale on the former formation, then wait for it knocking it down! Or failing that, seeing as they can't raise the money for Masbury, let alone another half a million for this plot a compulsory purchase order !

I'm all for rebuilding a heritage railway as in the style that the SD Heritage Project ate doing at Midsomer, but all this rubbish about the New S&D and compulsory purchase orders etc is just rubbish.

When someone suggested should the manage to buy Masbury, they could link MSN and Masbury with a vintage bus, they were shot down in flames, with all this peak oil stuff.

A real turn off, when they need to appeal to as many people as possible.

Look at the GCR £100,000 in a matter of weeks! Because people are confident of the projects management and aims, not some lie in the sky, bash down/ delete and block people who dare to inject some realism into the discussion.

I can only hope they don't secure Masbury and the money goes into the MSN site.

Great Western

 

What is this tripe? I suggest you get on to the Somerset & Dorset Heritage Railway Trust website and have a read about what is actually going with regards to Masbury.

 

They are attempting to secure the Masbury station site, Yes ?
They have currently circa £40,000 , Yes ?

However there are persons who are attempting to start some kind of property bank along the former formation. As I've said they are saying they want to buy a £500,000 detected house built on the site of a station between Masbury and MSN, and the knock it down! Also they mention getting CPOs on other properties along the formation.

Great Western

 

Only 460K to go before the end of September then. Probably not going to be a nail-biting finish, it looks as though the only way they'll close the deal is by taking out a mortgage, if they can afford it.