In the annals of Britain’s railway history there are certain lines that have a popularity that transcend their relative unimportance to the national network. Many of these lines succumbed during the massive closures that followed the Beeching report in the early 1960s and, if anything, their demise has added to their appeal. One of these routes is undoubtedly the Somerset & Dorset, a line that traversed the Mendips providing a link between Bath and Bournemouth and a connection between the Midland and London & South Western railways through the heart of GWR territory. With its origins dating back to the middle of the 19th century, the Somerset & Dorset maintained an independent existence, as a subsidiary of the LMS and Southern railways, right through to nationalisation in 1948. However, from the late 1950s onwards, as the finances of the railway industry deteriorated, routes such as the S&D came under increasing pressure and the line’s death sentence was announced by Lord Beeching. In March 1966 passenger services over the line ceased, bringing to an end more than a century of public service.
Perhaps because the line retained something of its independent identity until 1948, it was held in great affection by the men and women who worked on it. Generation after generation loyally served the railway on the footplate, in maintenance gangs and as station staff. More than 40 years after the line’s closure, many of those surviving members of staff who were employed on it retain great loyalty and affection for the route. Colin Maggs, a resident of Bath, who knew the line well, recalls the S&D through the experiences of those who actually operated it. Incorporating a remarkable collection of historic photographs, Somerset & Dorset: Life on the Bath-Bournemouth Line is a graphic reminder of the days when steam reigned supreme and the efficient operation of the railways required a large number of people with diverse skills, who had to work together to keep the trains running.
More than 40 years after the line’s closure, interest in the Somerset & Dorset Joint continues to grow even though nature and modern development combine to reduce what remains physically of the line. This new addition to Ian Allan Publishing’s railway list will be required reading for all those who had relations who worked the S&D prior to its closure and all those interested in the history of the line, as well as all those who use the S&D as the basis for their railway modelling activities.
Author: Colin G. Maggs
Format: HB 160 pages
Publisher: Ian Allan Ltd
Pub date: July 2007
ISBN: 9780711031852
List Price: £19.99
