News

  A thank you to everyone who has helped us in 2025, to all our volunteers, members, visitors and everyone who has supported us.  We look forward to see what 2026 will bring.

Santa Specials start this week.

We were very lucky to have our first mainline steam visit of the year, Clan Line was watered coaled and turned.

Saying goodbye to our old website. 

Getting ready for Santa 

Our 2026 Leaflet is now out

Fun at our 3rd annual Comic con themed event 

Volunteers attended local Yesterdays farming event.

All change with our new Yellow plant.

Toilet block opens 

Sam takes visitors in new blue paint

The Civic Players use our site for a photo shoot.

Following of installation and testing of Vacuum equipment for use on public trains, Fowler 'Sam' having a fresh coat of paint - many in fact!

We have launched a major project, which is possibly a unique heritage railway project,  to extend our running line. 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 the line and build the first new station in Dorset since 1983.  The extension will greatly improve the visitor experience, but we need your help in order to complete it. 

Work underway to make the area around the Chard Junction signalling panel and displays resemble a signalbox

During the time Westbury Station area was closed for remodelling, Great Western Railway, ran the Barnstaple to Axminster unit empty to Yeovil Junction. There it attached to a South Western Railway empty stock, running onto Salisbury. Later a return empty from Salisbury to Exeter St Davids ran, enabling the unit to be serviced at Exeter rather than Westbury. 

As part of Railway 200 celebrations a 'Whistle Up' at noon on 1 January 2025 was arranged by Heritage Railway Association. Many Heritage Railways/Centres joined in with some main line train operators and overseas railways. Three diesels and one steam locomotives were in use. The steam only using compressed air! It seems that some of our hardy visitors were making a retreat from the (very) inclement weather! We ran brakevan shuttles before and after noon.