Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

What do you remember about Dorset's lost railways? Please also leave an email address (which won't be published).

ed jabbari
it is very nice

derek.maple_row@btopenworld.com
Have you forgotten the railway at Shillingstone?. Have a visit to the station and see what the North Dorset Railway Trust are achieving.

Linda Springett
What do you remember about Dorset's lost railways? That is a very good question, one of which I am unfortunately unable to answer in a positive way due to Mr Beeching's decision to close them! I did'nt move to Dorset till 2002, but as a child I spent most of my holiday's in and around Weymouth. The only memory I have of riding a train on one of the now closed tracks, was the Weymouth Harbour tramway on my way to the Sealink ferry that was to take me to Jersey. It is a crying shame, that in this day and age, when we are being told to use public transport to reduce carbon emissions that these once glorious railways are no longer in use. Not only would it drastically reduce the enviromental impact we are imparting on the county, it would also solve a lot of the traffic congestion that contributes to the problem. And what an adventure the tourists would have travelling through the picturesque Dorset countryside. It would no doubt be a holiday that would not be forgotten for many years. And just think of the revenue that Weymouth and Portland Council could make if the tracks between Weymouth and Portland were re-instated, and especially so now that Weymouth and Portland are staging the sailing olympics in 2012!

Matthew Arnold
I work for the council in north dorset and we have several sections of old railway line that are both wildlife havens and commuter routes. The North dorset Trailway will eventually run from Bristol to Poole along the old Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway Line. We are currently working on the sections running from Sturminster Newton to Stalbridge and Shillingstone to Blandford.