Somerset & Dorset Demise - Commemorating 55 years since closure

By Jeffery Grayer

"Swift & Delightful", "Slow & Dirty", "Sabotaged & Defeated", the Somerset & Dorset Railway has attracted many soubriquets over the years, not all of them complimentary. However, this fascinating route, which closed over half a century ago, still has a dedicated following amongst that sadly declining band of former passengers and staff who knew it in its operational days and amongst those too young to have experienced the delights of its picturesque route, its wide variety of motive power, its range of through expresses and local trains, and the friendly staff who served local communities through decades of loyal service. This collection of colour images assembled by Jeffery Grayer recalls the sad decline of its later years and follows on to the eventual closure and demolition of the route such that today the only track remaining is in the hands of dedicated preservation societies who seek to keep alive the spirit of the old line.