Nigel Smart
Nigel Smart, whose involvement with the Trust’s locomotives and site goes back decades, died on 4 December 2023. The video shows a band playing Happy Birthday to him at Washford for his 78th in 2016.…
Latest news
Categories for Latest news
‘Kilmersdon’ revisits the former Somerset coalfield with a stay at Midsomer Norton
The Trust’s 1929-built Peckett No. 1788 – named Kilmersdon after the colliery where the loco spent its working life – is revisiting the Somerset coalfield with a stay at ‘The S&D at Midsomer Norton’. Midsomer…
Agreement between the S&DRT and the West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust
Today, our chairman wrote to members as follows: WashfordI am delighted to confirm that both the Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust and the West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust have reached provisional agreement to sell the…
Leaving card for 53808 on last day of normal service
The Trust’s S&D 7F No. 53808 had the last day in normal service today… and in a touching gesture, some of those who have worked on 53808 at the Watercress Line filled in a ‘leaving…
53808 on Watercress Line goods charter
Taken in the late afternoon mellow light of the sun, the Trust’s S&D 7F No. 53808 is seen here on a goods charter between Ropley and Alresford on the Watercress Line on Friday 3 November…
‘Kilmersdon’ returns to home territory, running at Midsomer Norton
Our 1929-built Peckett – named ‘Kilmersdon’ after the colliery where the loco was originally based – is now at the ‘S&D at Midsomer Norton’ until the new year. The loco was pictured here on a…
Shoscombe & Single Hill Halt name board goes full circle and returns to Shoscombe…with a little help from the S&DRT
Originally rescued by the Trust after the closure of the S&D and displayed for 40 years at Washford, one of the original concrete nameboards from Shoscombe & Single Hill Halt – opened in 1929 –…
L&SWR ‘Road Van’ resplendent in new paintwork
Thanks to the Medstead Wagon Group at the Watercress Line, we now have a repainted Road Van looking resplendent. This vehicle dates from 1900 and was restored initially by our volunteers at Washford in the…
Two of our S&D coaches dating from the 1890s move to Shillingstone
This week, our two unrestored S&D coaches – No. 114, built at Highbridge in 1890 and No. 98, built by Cravens in 1894 but very similar to the Highbridge vehicles – arrived at Shillingstone right…
Success of ‘Kilmersdon’ and availability for hire
As members will know, our Peckett 0-4-0ST Kilmersdon has been successfully fully overhauled at the Ropley workshops of the Mid-Hants Watercress Line. The engine entered service in August 2022 and was an immediate ‘hit’ with…