South Chord Appeal Launched

Published: 14/04/2025

It has long been our wish to reroute and extend our running line along the 'South Chord' at Yeovil Junction. 

Shortly after the Broad Gauge Clifton Maybank goods line opened in 1864 the GWR started work on a South facing connection to the Bristol to Weymouth line.  Work on preparing the trackbed was completed but the project was abandoned before any rail was laid and the trackbed has lain undisturbed for 141 years. We intend to build on the legacy of the work completed by the Navvies of the GWR in 1864 to use the South Chord Track bed to extend our running line and build the first new station in Devon since Harmans Cross in 1983. It will also create a new “Somerset and Dorset” railway line!. We are not aware of any heritage railway project that has laid track on a “virgin trackbed”, so this is a unique project. , The extension will greatly improve the visitor experience, but we need your help in order to complete it. All donations, large and small will help and will be gratefully received but we are offering benefits for donations of £50 and over, click on the link below for more details:

Please follow this link SOUTH CHORD DONATIONS if you would like to help our project financially - we would be most grateful!!