Book 10 – The Last Years of Steam Across Somerset & Dorset
The Last Years of Steam Across Somerset & Dorset covers many of the railways across he two counties and their steam locomotives. The largely vanished secondary routes and branch lines will probably be of interest to most, particularly the famous Somerset & Dorset Railway.
Coverage includes: Bristol and Mangotsfield. The Somerset & Dorset Railway from Bath Green Park to Evercreech Junction together with the branch to Highbridge and Burnham-on-Sea, and then via Templecombe and its complications to Blandford Forum and Broadstone. Radstock, Kilmersdon Colliery and its famous rope-worked incline, Mells Road, Frome, Shepton Mallet, Wells, Yatton and Clevedon. Bridgwater docks, main line steam action at Langport East and Creech St Michael, then Taunton, the Minehead branch, Dulverton, Chard, and Yeovil. On the south coast visits are made to Christchurch, Bournemouth, Swanage, Dorchester, and Bridport to conclude at Weymouth.
The time period is largely between 1955 and 1967 and some of the diesel newcomers do make an appearance. It will appeal to railway enthusiasts, modellers and those interested in local history. Virtually all of the photographs, a mixture of black & white and colour, have never previously been published and all (with a single exception) were taken by either the author or his father.
Published in 2018.
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