From Midford station the line was carried over the B3110 road on Midford viaduct and at this point the line was doubled. The viaduct crossed not only the road, but the Cam brook and the GWR Limpley Stoke to Camerton branch line*.

*Note: The GWR Limpley Stoke to Camerton branch line was used in 1952 in the making of the film “The Titfield Thunderbolt”, and Midford viaduct appears in the opening sequence.

Midford viaduct crosses the B3110 road and then over the Cam brook. The GWR line passed under this viaduct.

September 2000.

Midford Viaduct in May 2005, surfaced with tarmac as part of a cycle/footpath creation.

After being closed to the public for many years it is now accessible once again.

Wellow viaduct on the east side of the village still stands, but the bridge which carried the line over a road near the centre of the village has been removed, only the substantial stone supports each side of the road still remain. It is difficult to find any trace of the track bed in the village, but surprisingly, the signal box, (now being lived in), still exists, a short distance down a footpath that starts next to the village pub.

A sign in the village directs visitors to the car park, which is down a narrow side road, at the end of which stands Wellow station, now a private house with garden laid between the platforms. A track leads into the car park which is a large grassed area, much of which was at one time the track bed and other railway land.

Wellow Signal Box, (now being lived in), lies down a small footpath which starts at the side of the village pub.

Wellow Station, now a private residence. The canopy is still visible on the right of the building but bushes and undergrowth hide the platforms. The track bed originally came through the centre right of the foreground

Wellow viaduct spans the Hinton Charterhouse to Wellow road.

The point at which the railway crossed the lane at Single Hill. The platforms were on the right of the lane. Picture taken looking south-east, that is towards Foxcote. (May, 2002).

Somerset and Dorset

Joint Railway

Searching for a lost line

From Wellow, the railway continued to Shoscombe and Single Hill Halt, but little remains, (see picture above, left).

I have received the following information from Tony Chivers. His mother was Margaret Chivers (nee Tapper) who was the younger of two sisters, Rene Beeho being the other, who were booking clerks at Shoscombe and Single Hill Halt between 1929 when it opened till it closed in 1966. She tended each of the 8 daily stopping trains between 07.25 hrs and 19.40 hrs, working part time for 36 years by clocking on 10 minutes before each of the trains arrived and clocking off 10 mins after each had departed. So she was fully committed all day for 2 hrs 40 mins pay.

Margaret and Rene’s father was Archibald Tapper, he was a ganger on the S&D and was killed in 1928 where the road crossed the line at Stoney Littleton. The bridge was a double arched bridge and it is believed he crossed the track away from an oncoming train into the path of another going the opposite way. As a form of compensation his wife and her family were allowed to live in 2 Railway Bungalows, Single Hill, Shoscombe, for the rest of her life. Railway Bungalows were about 200 yards along the track from the halt, (built we believe for the workers who built the line). When Archibald’s wife died, her daughter Margaret was able to take on the same tenancy terms.

For many years prior to the line closure, the signal box at Writhlington about a mile from the halt, was manned by William Beeho the husband of Rene Beeho.

From Shoscombe and Single Hill Halt the line continued to Radstock.

The site of Radstock S&D station is now just an open green space. The road was all that seperated the existing buildings from the station. In some old photographs of Radstock S&D station it is possible to identify these remaining structures in the background. The building with the red car parked in front is now the home of Radstock Museum. (January 2001)

Part of the S&D track bed between Radstock and Midsomer Norton, (about 400 yards from Radstock town centre), looking towards Radstock. Now a footpath or linear park.

(January 2001).

The centre of Radstock was once a busy railway location with both the S&D and the GWR having stations almost side by side, their lines running parallel and each having its own level crossing across the main road. This is now an open area with a car park and little remains to hint at its railway history. However, on the south side, near the A362 Frome road, you will find one of the platforms of the GWR station, but even this is under threat of redevelopment. Nothing remains of the S&D station, but across the A367 Bath road the S&D track bed to Midsomer Norton is now a footpath or linear park.

On the north side you will find Radstock Museum which has a fascinating collection including a small model of Radstock railway stations as they once were.

Quick links to other pages on this site