We have launched a campaign to take the Trust forward for the next half century.

With COVID-19 and our situation with the WSR, it's vital that we protect all that has been achieved over the past 54 years.

Find out how you can help here. Current total £12,860.

Our current magazine

Summer 2020 issue - read more about it on the Membership page

The S&D Railway and the Trust

The Somerset & Dorset Railway ran from Bath across the Mendips and through Dorset to Bournemouth, with branch lines across the Somerset Levels to Burnham-on-Sea, Bridgwater and Wells, explained here. The line’s early days are fondly remembered for its Prussian Blue engines and coaches, and later for the holiday expresses from the north of England to the south coast. The Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust keeps these and many other memories alive through its extensive museum collection and archives, engines and rolling stock, restoration workshop, events and quarterly magazine.

Read more

 AGM documents 

Newly-issued documents dated 30 June are available to download in the Members' Area.

Latest Press Statement

A joint statement from the WSR plc and S&DRT Ltd. issued on 17 June is available on this link.

MANY NEW MEMBERS JOINING

1 new member in the week commencing 29 June.

(109 total this year and over 150 since 1st July last year).

 Join us from £14. 

Latest news

 Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust on Facebook.

  • Online Sales still open: New Children's Books and Souvenir section plus enhanced Second Hand Books & DVDs area.  Click on "Sales" at the top of this page or this link.

  • New S&D calendar and Ivo Peters Christmas Cards available now. Click here for more details.

  • Joint Statement from West Somerset Railway PLC & The Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust Limited. Click here for more details.

  • Trust introduces first H C Casserley images to online shop. Click here for more details.

  • Trust issues new edition of Southbound with the 'Pines' after 35 years out of print. Click here for more details.

  • Donations of S&D-related artefacts are welcomed, subject to our collections policy.

The Trust's S&D 7F No. 53808

53808 near Dunster on 28 May 2019.

Latest photos.

53808's Restoration.

The Return to Steam in 1987.

Image © Tim Edmonds, http://www.wsr.org.uk/cgi-bin/snap.cgi?h=Snapshot&p=2019/05/248

 

News

News & Events

Keep up to date with the latest news about our heritage railway steam engines and coaches, our museum and workshops at Washford, and make a note of events celebrating the Somerset & Dorset Railway, including steaming days and area group meetings, listed here

Sales

Online Sales

An extensive range of Books, DVDs and other items related to the S&D can be ordered online here or bought by mail order or in our shop at Washford. You can buy Membership online​ and also download images from the Trust's photographic collection as well as audio files including Ivo Peters, Donald Beale and others.

Visit Us

Visit Us

The Trust is based at Washford Station on the heritage West Somerset Railway. The station, shop and museum are normally open most days the West Somerset railway is running. Find out more here and see our stock list here.

Take Part

Membership

Our members receive a variety of benefits; our quarterly magazine, discount on travel on the West Somerset Railway, and so on. Many also volunteer to keep steam railway memories alive by repairing and restoring rolling stock, researching and writing articles, staffing our shop and arranging events. Your contribution is welcomed - you can join online here.

Photos and Gallery

Photos, Videos, Modelling & Edington Exhibiton

Information about the extensive photo collection of our favourite steam railway can be found here , we also now have several videos. Check the latest on Somerset & Dorset modelling news and ideas, and learn from the experience of fellow modellers here. Find out more about our annual model railway exhibition here.

Archives and Collections

Archives & Collections

As well as the museum, the Trust cares for extensive material and items covering all aspects of the Somerset & Dorset Railway, available for viewing and research. Check how to find and access this material here.

 

Welcome to the Trust

The Trust works in partnership with others to keep alive the memory of the Somerset & Dorset Railway and importance as a major cross-country route for the communities through which it passed.

As well as gathering and recording information about the line, through artefacts, archives and oral history, the Trust promotes the spirit of the S&D through its locomotives and rolling stock, still at work today and accessible at our extensive facilities at Washford on the West Somerset Railway.

The Trust arranges events, including an annual Model Railway Exhibition at Edington (near Bridgwater), steam days at Washford and regional meetings. Opening days at Washford are listed on the Visit Us page.

Facebook logo As well as the information available on this site, we also have a regularly-updated Facebook page with over 2000 followers...

...and a wide selection of short videos on Vimeo and on YouTube.