BLACKMORE VALE LINE COMMUNITY RAIL PARTNERSHIP NEWSLETTER BVCRP covering the stations and route from Tisbury, Crewkerne, Gillingham, Templecombe Yeovil Junction and Sherborne Autumn/Winter 2019

Thanks to everyone who has contributed items for this bumper edition of our newsletter. An eventful “Blackmore Vale Line time for us all and we have been busy producing a Community Rail commemorative First World War book and our first Partnership - Line Guide. We are also working closely with our Local people & businesses partners, new and established, on a number of working in partnership with exciting projects. the railways.”

Follow us and find out what we The hard work of our station volunteers has been are up to on Twitter acknowledged and at this year’s regional South

West in Bloom awards Templecombe, Gillingham Blackmore and Crewkerne stations all received ’outstanding’ Vale CRP status. Templecombe is the ‘Best Small Station’ in The newest recruit at the UK for 2019, attaining the official recognition Templecombe Station is @crpVale at the National Rail Awards. clearly a keen recycler! Well done Chris! Congratulation everyone!

In this Issue Friends of Gillingham Station receive a helping hand with a cheque presented by Alex Green from the Gillingham Freemasons. “The local Masons had raised the sum from • All Change Chairman their regular meetings of Kings Court Lodge in Station Road (Lower) and wanted to • Commemorating the help the Friends improve the ambiance of the station. Belinda leads a team of 17 fallen of First World War volunteers tending the floral displays and making improvements to the waiting room and explained • News from our ‘Friends’ that they were groups hoping to use the money for a bee- • Bees and Butterflies friendly flower bed using flowers • Dark Skies to encourage the • Heritage Steam threatened insects so • Ghostly goings on at necessary for our Templecombe agriculture whilst at the same time • Christmas competition giving pleasure to • And much, much more! rail users.”

Photo L-R Anne Tobin, Alex Green, Richard Hart, Belinda Ridout and Linda Hart www.blackmorevaletrains.com All Change at BVCRP as our chairman Gail Coleshill At the same time some of the hands over to John Whitfield. stations have agreements with Network Rail who have also changed some of the license Report by our outgoing agreement criteria. This has chairman, Gail Coleshill led to some difficulties with This year has seen a lot of activity volunteer workers who have between the stations on the line had to either change patterns between Tisbury and Crewkerne. of working or – in the case of Notwithstanding reorganisations Crewkerne - have the agree- within the staffing of South Western ment looked at more frequently ‘A barrow of fun!’ Tony, Railway. The volunteer partnership because of ongoing develop- Heather, Jo, Mike & Sue has made good progress on a ment by the station. number of items. One of the aims of the CRP is to get more people Newly appointed Community Rail travelling between stations and making visits to the Manager Andrew Harrowell has towns along the line. Each town has unique been a constant visitor and advisor attractions from shopping to history to leisure to all the stations. He has put in funding applications to activities and we are very keen to promote them to Government bodies and helped the CRP volunteers and the wider population. We have organised trips by the officers with grant applications. station groups to most of the towns on the lines and Sadly we failed to get DFT then invited others to join some of these trips. One funding for disabled access at such was to link with the Yeovil and Gillingham but will be Farmers’ Market and trying other pathways. Antiques Trail in Crewkerne. The Town Council allowed an Starting with the end of the year antiques market along- all of the stations had magnifi- side the Farmers Market Footbridge at Gillingham by Paul cent Christmas decorations and in their car park and one Blowfield some of them had activities to of the Antiques dealers celebrate from Mince pies at Crewkerne to brunch at funded a community bus Crewkerne Voluntary Transport Templecombe. Every station had a speciality from hand to travel from the station crafted decorations to decorated Christmas trees and every to the town. We would like to see more of these station won an award for their best effort. In addition the special promotions next year. travelling public were asked to vote for the best feature at their station and the station with the most votes carried away The major achievement this year has been the the annual cup. This year Crewkerne won the cup and it is no production of a Line Guide which has been written by coincidence that participation by the station staff helps get Caroline, using information of interest about the towns more people to vote. The resulting Newsletter produced by and villages from the station volunteers at each CRP officer Caroline Rowland had some magnificent station. It has also been put together by Caroline with Christmas photos. professional help from Zoe at Shaftesbury. We are pleased that it has been distributed by South Western Partnership Officer Caroline was able to use her World War 1 Railway to all the stations in their southern area. It research into the memorials for railway workers into a locally has been much admired and has been short listed for interesting and moving memorial book an award. of station workers who died in the First World War. A launch of the book was Community Rail Partnerships that are accredited by held in Sherborne Castle Garden Cen- the Department of Transport are able to apply for tre with a playing of the last post and it Government and other grants and have more status. is now on sale at all the stations. South We have started the move for Accreditation for the Western Railway has supported the BVCRP. project with funds and information. Gail has done an exceptional job Andrew Harrowell has facilitated a new as our chairman, hard working and Community Rail Partnership agree- ment with all of the stations. As it was dedicated and a great ambassador designed for new partnerships there for the rail partnership. were a number of problems with some of the well established volunteers groups who already had methods of working which A BIG THANK YOU did not fit into the new agreement. Andrew has worked with the groups to iron out the problems to everybody’s Gail from all of us satisfaction and there is more work to do in individual cases. My first article as Trains are likely to comprise of more carriages with trains Chairman of splitting at Yeovil and some remaining at Yeovil Junction Blackmore Vale CRP overnight. There will also be alterations to the buildings on Platforms 1 We are fortunate to have a & 2; the Station Master's office is being re-assigned (not group of enthusiastic station aware of all details) but we understand the Station Master will representatives and teams that be relocated to the old signal box at Templecombe. have built a working relation- ship with SWR employees and the local communities.

I would also add that I have found SWR staff, at all stations, extremely helpful and customer focussed. A special thanks to Andrew Harrowell for getting all stations ACoRP membership. And not to forget our Partnership Officer Caroline Rowland who keeps us all in order and does a tremendous amount of work "behind the scenes".

My "own station" is Yeovil Junction; The ‘Art Deco’ Signal Box at Templecombe by Paul Blowfield

The establishment of the As the access to Platform 3 will be via the existing barrow Driver's and Guard's Depot at runs, we have suggested that the complete replacement bridge Yeovil Junction is progress- to Platform 3 with ing. We are not aware of lifts is put in to exact details but advised that provide both they will be based on disabled access to Platform 3. I understand that the station and safer 10 will be on site in October, (and drier) access 30 by the year end and it is for the staff to planned to be 100% platform 3, at this operational by May 2020, time; sadly unlikely with 70 drivers and guards to be done due to plus support staff. financial limitations.

We are also discussing with "Heart of Wessex" to jointly adopt Yeovil Pen Mill; more of this in future newsletters.

Anyone wishing to become a friend of Yeovil Junction; please contact me on [email protected]

The ‘Art Deco’ interior of the Rocket Café at Yeovil Junction by Brian Haigh

Blackmore Vale Community Bee and Butterfly Policy Rail Partnership signing at Crewkerne Station by Gail BVCRP proposed in 2017 to make Coleshill our stations Bee and Butterfly Friendly. This was based on the One of South Western Railway’s work done at Gillingham and Franchise winning strategies was adopted by the Friends of to encourage existing station Gillingham Station adoption groups and develop more Community Rail Gillingham Town Council has Partnerships on their network. Chair of FOCS Tony Reese adopted a Pollinators Action Plan and Gillingham was pleased to welcome new CRP Manager Andrew Station is a partner in this new venture, adopting a Harrowell local partnership officer Caroline Rowland and Bee and Butterfly Policy for new planting. It was AcoRP (Association of Community Rail Partnerships) proposed that our stations groups consider the plan representative Daniel Wright to the station on a Volunteers for adoption at stations. It could be mean forging working day to sign the new CRP agreement. stronger ties with town and parish councils by encouraging them to also adopt the plan and for They were also able to see what has been achieved by the towns and village to become ‘Bee Friendly.” Friends of Crewkerne Station. The FOCS volunteers were able to explain how SWR can help them to achieve a more Bees and other pollinators are essential to food insect friendly environment in the natural bank areas of the production and therefore to our lives. We are now station. FOCS Volunteer and Chair of BVCRP, Gail Coleshill very much aware that the bee population has been explained how the cattle trough planters had been bought and declining at an alarming rate in recent years due to a planted with help from local businesses. range of factors and that we must all work together to reverse this decline. There are over 1,500 species of insect pollinators in the UK, including bumble bees, honey bees, solitary bees, hoverflies, wasps, flies, beetles, butterflies and months. All have complex life cycles and specific needs, including food in the form of pollen and nectar and somewhere to shelter and build a nest.

Pollinators – which include bees, hoverflies, butterflies and moths – are essential as they help wild plants and commercial crops to She said “The planters have been much admired by the grow. The number station users and we are really pleased at their of insect pollinators appreciation. It makes all the hard work worth while. is highest in the summer coinciding with peak plant growth and supplies of nectar and pollen. Their CR Manager Andrew Harrowell, who has responsibility for all value to the UK economy has been estimated at the station adoption groups in South Western Railway said more than £400m a year. This is particularly important in Dorset, with its large farming sector and “It has been a very interesting visit to a well established abundance of diverse and wildlife-rich landscapes. station Friends Group and has given me an insight into how station groups can help provide links between South However, pollinators are in decline not just in the UK Western Railway and the local community but worldwide. Threats to their survival include habitat loss and degradation, pests and diseases, Anyone interested in joining the Friends of Crewkerne Station climate change and the use of pesticides. These can visit the website, fill in a form in the waiting room, or include neonicotinoids, the most widely used contact Chairman Tony Reese insecticides in the world, which have been linked to on 07967947335 the decline of pollinators. In 2012, DEFRA outlined http://www.crewkernetown.org/ the severity of the decline ‘There has been a severe friendsofcrewkernestation/ decline in the diversity of wild bees in the countryside … England has the greatest decline of anywhere in Photo shows Tony Reese, Gail Europe. Since 1900, the UK has lost 20 species of Coleshill, Andrew Harrowell, and bees. A further 35 bee species are considered to be Caroline Rowland in @Sues cafe under threat of extinction.’”

Extract from Gillingham’s Pollinators’ Action Plan. Bee And Butterfly Friendly Station at Tisbury Friends of Gillingham Station have been work- ing hard over the past 18 months on plans for the first fantastic Bee and Butterfly Garden at one of our stations. With many hurdles now overcome, members are doing really well progressing the project, having just met with Network Rail to discuss implementation of their plans. Well done everyone, keep at it! We hope to hear more about this great project in future issues. Belinda reports that the south pedestrian footpath from platform 2 to Brickfields Industrial Estate was completed just prior to Christmas. The Town Council has received a significant windfall from North Dorset District Council for Bee and Butterfly Planter when first planted at Tisbury Station a Town Gateway’s Project, which is made up of seven proposals to enhance the visual appearance of all main highway entrances into Gillingham, (i.e. roundabouts and verges) and the station, which includes creation of a bee and butterfly garden. With funding secured, we can now seek permission from Network Rail/SWR with the help of Andrew Harrowell, and obtain quotes to land- scape and plant, based on a sketch by a FOGS member. A local company, Neals Yard Remedies, is keen to be involved.

Attracting many of the pollinators needed to keep it blooming

Three years ago the platform at Tisbury station was a barren desert until newly retired resident Lizzie Graham volunteered to do something about it. Thanks to her hard work there are now two flourishing planters and the Bee and Butterfly Friendly planter is very well established. Lizzie and husband Andrew regularly water, dead head Bug Hotel - as part of a general wildlife habitat effort and add additions to the two planters at Tisbury. Many by FOGS which includes the bird table, bird and bat rail-users comment and admire the colourful additions to boxes and the butterfly and bee garden proposal, a bug hotel will be constructed by members (approval has the station platform. been given for this) to be located behind the hedge on Keep up the good work Lizzie and Andrew! platform 2 out of view and to install a hedgehog house in the same area, where it is quiet. Blackmore Vale Line Community Rail Partnership honours the fallen of the First Word War .

The Book of Commemoration honours the memory of individuals who lost their lives in the First World War. Nearly two thousand men and women from the towns and villages along the Blackmore Vale Line at Dinton, Tisbury, Semley, Gillingham, Templecombe. Milborne Port, Sherborne, Barwick & Stoford, Bradford Abbas, Yeovil, Sutton Bingham, Crewkerne and Misterton. Each person found has a short biography.

One of the panels from the community mural in Sherborne Nine hundred and sixty are commemorated on the memorials in these communities. The railway memorial project is ongoing as partnership members continue to seek the names of the lost railway workers who died in the First World War. Earlier this year It is therefore extraordinary that nine hundred and it was agreed to extend this to include those who died thirty people with a birth, marriage or resident during the Second World War. We are following the great association with these locations are not tradition of the railway companies by creating new memorials for our stations of Templecombe, Gillingham, commemorated on memorials there. Sherborne, Yeovil Junction, Crewkerne and Tisbury.

We are looking for anyone who either worked on the London South Western Railway at any of our six stations mentioned above or who were from the surrounding towns and villages. As well as those who worked on the Somerset and Dorset Railway Line from the towns and villages between Wincanton in Somerset and Shillingstone in Dorset.

This is a unique and significant project for our region and a very special way of honouring the memory of those who died, especially as there are no local memorials commemorating fallen railway workers.

We are compiling a list of those who died and would like to hear from you, if you have a name for inclusion on a memorial plaque.

Members of the Blackmore Vale CRP sought to change

this by ensuring all those with village or town connections are remembered in a book. This was published and launched in March of this year and has nearly sold out. A few available copies can be purchased from Friends of Crewkerne Station, Yeovil

Junction, Chapterhouse Books in Sherborne, Milborne Port Newsagents, Templecombe Station and

Gillingham Museum. Book Launch by Gail Coleshill. Caroline said

Members of Station groups from the Blackmore Vale “We owe a great debt to the work of Fabian Ware and Community Rail Partnership (BVCRP) met at The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Sherborne Castle Garden Centre to launch the without whom we could not have found and memorial book produced by Caroline Rowland on identified our soldiers and Nurse Dorothy Stacey for behalf of the fallen in the First World War. the book. Without those who worked with Fabian Ware on the battlefields, identifying bodies, marking

graves and pegging out cemeteries, we would not This will be the first event that South Western have known who or where any of the fallen were. Railways Area Community Rail Manager has Today there are 1,741,360 individuals who died in the attended since the signing of the joint CRP First and Second World Wars and later conflicts who agreement. Every station group will be signing in to have a grave or commemoration somewhere in the the Community Rail Partnership because they world.’ believe this will enhance and improve the stations and the travel experience of the local community. Andrew Harrowell said a few words about how the Already people have been very appreciative of the BVCRP has been set up to promote the area to attractive plants and better more comfortable facilities prospective rail passengers, work with station groups to that have resulted from the activities of the station enhance and improve station facilities, work to secure groups. stakeholders and funding partners such as local business and local authorities and produce a line action The morning started with an introduction from Chair plan and a line guide. He was delighted to be invited to Gail Coleshill who outlined the aims of the BVCRP Sherborne and said and then introduced Andrew Harrowell, Community Rail Manager for South Western Railway, Caroline “It was great to help launch the book at Sherborne Rowland, the author of the book and Norman Crabb, along with the Blackmore Vale Community Rail photographer. The morning finished with the poem Partnership. It’s a poignant book that recognises the ‘For the Fallen’ by Laurence Binyon read by John sacrifice of those who gave their lives in service for Whitfield, CRP deputy chair and the ‘last post’ their country more than a hundred years ago. The played on a bugle from the First World War by FOCS fact that the information for the book has been put member John Coleshill. together by the local communities involved makes it all the more special. We are delighted to have been able to provide the funding to support the CRP for the publication of this tribute.”

Caroline explained how she came to write the book when during her research she discovered that many of the soldiers from the local area did not have a known memorial in this country. Following the tradition of railway companies after the First World War who commissioned memorials to lost railway workers, like the one at Waterloo Station, London, members of the BVCRP decided it would be fitting to commission memorial plaques at each of the stations Photo shows John Whitfield, deputy Chair of BVCRP, to honour the memory of fallen railway workers for Caroline Rowland, Partnership Officer, Andrew this part of the line. Nearly 2,000 individuals for the Harrowell, CRP Manager for SWR, Gail Coleshill, Chair 12 towns and villages along the line have been found of BVCRP and John Coleshill, FOCS member with the and identified in the book. bugle.

Easter with the Friends of Gillingham Station

Rail-users at Gillingham were treated to an Easter surprise when arriving and departing the station. ‘Friends’ Anne Tobin, Belinda Ridout, Andy Oliver and Rachel George extended a warm welcome offering passengers the seasonal delights of Easter biscuits and Easter eggs.

Eggs-actly what was needed!

. Friends of Gillingham Station (FOGS). Regular Coffee Mornings are held at . Templecombe Station during the A group of around a dozen volunteers year from all backgrounds, bringing their own individual skills, working together with the aim of creating a pleasant experience for all rail travellers both inside the station and outside on the platforms. Achieving this by the seasonal planting of milk churns, troughs, window boxes and buckets and the recent addition of a bicycle planter and old metal trunk. The milk churns link with the heritage aspect of the station, being a main milk G r e e n t e a a n y o n e ? transportation hub in the 1950/60’s. At the Friends of Templecombe Station Internally, FOGS have provided tables Coffee Morning for rail-users. Raif and and cushions on the benches in the Waiting Room, old station his trusty urn provide a delicious range photographs, a very popular book swap, FOGS information board of beverages in compostable cups. (including bus connection times), Gillingham Museum noticeboard and tourist information leaflets.

At Easter and Christmas the Booking Hall is decorated and visitors offered a festive treat. FOGS members meet every quarter at The sunflower Café at the station.

If you are interested in joining us, email: friendsofgillinghamsta- [email protected] or telephone 07496413114

Facebook: friendsofgillinghamstation.

We are always grateful to receive donations, whether plants or pounds.

BVCRP trip to Crewkerne Farmers Market Water Bowser Presentation at Crewkerne Station and Antiques Trail by Gail Coleshill Friends of Crewkerne Station have been trudging South Western backwards and forwards along the unused platform Railway was carrying heavy watering cans from the tank kindly pleased to help provided by the Developers of the Old Coalyard, the Blackmore Dunmore Homes, and wishing for some wheels. Vale Community They were therefore very pleased when FOCS Rail Partnership member Stuart Roberts suggested applying to the put on an event Shell Pension community fund for a Bowser. Stuart to promote trips as an ex Shell employee, put the wheels in motion between stations to apply for the money and now FOCS volunteers by providing have wheels for their waterers. This week Stuart special rail presented the water Bowser, which had been tickets to travel purchased at a discount from local firm Wydale to Crewkerne. Plastics, to the Friends on the platform. Gary from Dunmore Homes was able to lift the tank of water (with the help of a forklift truck) to a height that made it possible to fill the water Bowser from the tank. Chair of the BVCRP Gail Coleshill invited other groups from up the line to visit Crewkerne and sample the Farmers Market and Crewkerne antiques trail on a Saturday in May.

Travellers from up the line were able to get the free bus to the town from the station and sample the delights of the market and the town, before being taken back to the station at lunch time. Market organiser Hannah Palmer had arranged the free bus to take people from the station and around Crewkerne thanks to the sponsorship of the Antiques Bazaar.

Sue Frackiewicz, Gail Coleshill, Henryk Ploszek, Mike Frackiewicz, John Coleshill and Stuart Rob- erts holding the handle of the Bowser.

Secretary Gail Coleshill who is also one of the watering volunteers said “This is going to make our job much easier as we can transport the water up to the planters and then fill up the watering cans. We are very grateful to Stuart and the Shell Pension Community fund. “We are also very grateful to the builders on site who have made a tank of water available for us. Now its much easier we hope that we can encourage more volunteers to help us water the planters – especially in this hot dry weather. Belinda Ridout and David Walsh from Gillingham were delighted with their trip to Crewkerne. They Anyone interested in becoming a watering volunteer had not appreciated what Crewkerne had to offer. or in joining the Friends of Crewkerne Station can Belinda said visit the website, fill in a form in the waiting room, or contact Chairman Tony Reese on 07967947335 or “We really enjoyed our trip on the railway to [email protected] Crewkerne and it certainly was a help getting the bus to the centre. We are hoping that this is http://www.crewkernetown.org/ the beginning of many inter town trips and friendsofcrewkernestation/ would be very pleased to welcome Crewkerne people to Gillingham.” Contact Gail Coleshill, Secretary, Friends of Crewkerne Station 07811657798 Gillingham’s A partnership project led by Dorset Wildlife who say: Royal Forest Project “In June 1204 King John arrived in Gillingham to stay at a hunting lodge which was set within a royal deer park, surrounded by extensive forest known as the ‘Royal Forest of Gillingham’. Later, the lodge was to become known as ‘Kings Court’. The remains can still be seen today and are now scheduled ancient monuments.

The natural heritage of the Gillingham Royal Forest includes ancient hedgerows and woodlands, with a high density of veteran trees, ponds and chalk stream head Clare Ratcliffe, Office Manager/Deputy Clerk for lands. Protected species include Bechstein’s and Gillingham Town Council writes: Daubenton’s bats, great crested newts, otters and water voles. The natural and cultural features of this land Gillingham is one of the few towns in Dorset that benefit form a living landscape of great importance and value to from a main line railway station and this has enabled the local community, providing opportunities for grant applications to be made to South Western Railway learning, recreation and participation in conserving its (SWR) for the Customer and Communities Improvement heritage. Fund (CCiF). Nationally, there is £2,650,000 per year over the next two years available for projects that will benefit communities or address areas of social need across the rail network. All projects must demonstrate a link to the railway and include a social, environment or community benefit.

Dorset Wildlife Trust (the Gillingham Royal Forest Project) collaborated with Gillingham Town Council to apply for funding to promote Gillingham as a destination for walking and exploring the Royal Forest.

A separate bid that will enhance the Gillingham Royal Forest project has been made by Gillingham in Bloom volunteers to provide six micro herbetums – a collection of herbs – to enhance the street scene, a sensory experience for all, a food source for pollinations and an opportunity for the young and disadvantaged to be involved in a community project. Nicki Brunt, Dorset Wildlife Trust Living Landscape Manager says Dorset Council Transport has applied for funding to promote onward travel from the railway station and “Thanks to money improved accessibility from platform 2. The success of raised by National these bids will not be known until early 2020. Meanwhile, Lottery players, we it is encouraging to hear about creative ideas to improve will be able to the town and promote the surrounding area. improve access along two walking routes, with leaflets and inter- Gillingham Station is the gateway to the beautiful pretation about the countryside of North Dorset and BVCRP is keen to be part of heritage. this project to link walks from the station. We have been The funding will also working with Gillingham Town Council, Friends of Gillingham enable us to work with Station, Gillingham Walkers and Dorset Wildlife Trust on a partners to run a se- joint bid to CCIF to promote Gillingham Royal Forest. ries of events such as walks and talks and to It’s a celebration of the town’s rich history and the historic provide opportunities importance of the Royal Forest. It also promotes Gillingham to learn rural skills as a fantastic ‘Walkers are Welcome’ Town with some of the and take part in practical conservation best maintained and signposted walks in the area. work.”. Electric Vehicle Charging Point Railway Walks and Cycle Leaflets. A bid to the South Western We have put forward a bid to Andy’s South Railway Customer Commu- Western Railway Project Funding for a series of nity Investment Fund (CCIF) railway walks and cycles leaflets. has also been written for a package for Gillingham Station including: Onward Travel Information Signage, Electric Vehicle Charging Points and Improved Cycle Parking. It is a partnership project with Cllr. Belinda Ridout, Friends of Gillingham Station, Gillingham Town Council, Blackmore Vale Line Community Rail Partnership and Dorset County Council. We have proposed a two-year time span with a launch date of Spring 2021. This allows six months for research, walking and mapping potential circular routes to and from all six stations of the Blackmore Vale Line Community Rail Partnership. We hope to do a series of walks from each station to test proposed routes and find the best ones to include. Friends groups, walkers and cyclists are key to this project as they have local knowledge of the best routes.

We are keen to promote the green agenda by encouraging Electric Bikes people to take the train to our area to Andrew Ardley, Regional Development Manager for explore the lovely South Western Railway is also looking at electric bikes countryside, by for Salisbury Station. bike or by foot. Cycle Rack for Sherborne The leaflets support two of the Department of Dorset Council has also put in a bid for new cycle rack Transport Four Pillars of Community Rail: Bringing at Sherborne Station. communities together and supporting diversity and inclusion.

“Presentations and workshops from the Department for Transport, Network Rail, South Western Railway, the Association of Community Rail Partnerships and other leaders in the Industry formed the agenda, together with a “Community Rail Market Place” highlighting projects being undertaken across the region.” The Inaugural Community Rail Showcase took place Watch this space for next year’s not-to-be-missed at The Southampton Harbour Hotel at the Ocean event! Village on a gloriously sunny July day. And to use Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood’s word, The Department of Transport Four Pillars of what a fab-u-lous day it was! Community Rail are shown below:

Doug Green from Tisbury and myself attended from Four strategy pillars BVCRP and had an amazing day with colleagues and • Providing a voice for the community ‘friends.’ It was an informative ideas exchange, with a great buzz, plenty of networking opportunities and • Promoting sustainable, healthy and accessible travel lovely food! • Bringing communities together and supporting The showcase was the innovation of colleagues Bobby diversity and inclusion Lock Dean, Partnership Officer for the Isle of Wight and • Supporting social and economic development Lymington CRPs and Nick Farthing from Three Rivers and East Hampshire CRPs, who were also our hosts. The DfT’s Four Pillars are going to inform the work of Community Rail Partnerships in the future, especially if going for accreditation. The new accreditation scheme for rail partnerships replaces the old designated lines policy, and offers opportunities for all rail partnership to gain this important status.

We are working with Dan Wright from ACoRP to complete this process. It means we need a plan which outlines our objectives on community engagement and organisational development

The plan must also: Support the new Community Rail Development Strategy Be Achievable Be Evidence “The event highlighted Community Rail in the South based Support the five core principles of accreditation West and outlined to Business, Local Enterprise Partnerships, Health Groups, Schools, Colleges, Local Principles of Accreditation Effective, beneficial Authorities, Developers and the like, what Community engagement of the community Transparency, openness, Rail is all about and what it can offer to wider groups and and ease of contact Working in a safe, responsible, affiliates.” ethical manner Collaborating constructively with the rail Bobby says industry and local partners Equality, diversity and “It was aimed at helping both the public and private inclusion sector to learn about us and to hear from motivational speakers, some great examples of the Four Pillars of Benefits of Accreditation Public support from Govern- Community Rail, recently launched by the Department for ment Accreditation means that the Government supports Transport. the objectives of a CRP and the way it operates. Government & ACoRP will provide information on what It presented an opportunity for speakers who firmly accreditation status means for CRPs and why others believe in the values, aims and objectives of Community should work with them Access to funding Engagement Rail, to inspire others outside of the Rail Industry to work in DfT/WG consultations Encouraging flexibility in with us and be supporters of the work we undertake, unregulated fares showing through examples of good practice, how all of us can work together to the benefit of all of our organisations.” “New ACoRP support for South West” TOLLARD TALKS Dan Wright THURSDAY 28TH NOVEMBER Daniel is the Association of Community Rail Partner- THE BARN, TOLLARD HOUSE, ships (ACoRP) Community Rail Support Officer for TOLLARD ROYAL, SALISBURY SP5 5PP south of the Thames; the local contact for ACoRP members, and community rail in general. He Antony Wyn explores supports Community Rail Partnerships in the area, the Great Game in attending steering group Persia seen through the meetings and being early life of Sir Percy available to give advice on Sykes - explorer, activities. He shares good consul, soldier and spy – and grandfather of the practice and puts late Tristram Sykes of community rail groups in Norrington Manor, contact with others who Alvediston are doing similar work. Another part of his job is to As Lord Curzon’s ‘man in support CRPs through the Persia’ from 1892 until the DfT’s Accreditation end of WWI, Sykes was process. He works with sent out initially to counter South Western Railway to Russian advances into support station adopters/ India through the friends to become ACoRP undefended east of Persia. He explored every inch of members, and identify the then unknown border country and made many redundant station spaces friends among the local landowners and tribal khans. which could be made In WWI the Germans, in a Greenmantle operation, available to community groups. He also supports tried to raise the local tribes against the British in Iran, threatening our oil supplies. Their leader was the potential new CRPs who are setting themselves up. famous Wassmuss, ‘the German Lawrence’. With all Daniel Wright Community Rail Support Officer our troops tied up against the Turks in Mesopotamia, Mobile: 07398 984784 [email protected] Sykes was sent out to raise a force of local levies to deal with the problem. At the time, he was much lion- ised in England, but has now been forgotten, but not in Earlier in the year Dan southern Persia, where he is very much remembered helped to map out the for what he did. His story has much to tell us about circular walk for the Line how we should be dealing with Iran today. Antony Guide from Tisbury Station Wynn spent eight years in Iran before the revolution buying carpets and running a country racecourse and to the Beckford Arms and has been a regular visitor and lecturer ever since. He back. We had some great is the chairman of The Iran Society in London English weather that day, Doors and Bar Open 6pm Talk Starts 7pm drizzle, downpour and Tickets £10 reserve at [email protected] or 01725 516222 Dress Warm hailstones! The walk follows the lovely Wiltshire Nearest stations are Tisbury 10.7 miles or Gillingham countryside and the lakes 12.7 miles. Onward travel arrangements required to at Fonthill are well worth get to the event. viewing.

For the first time this year we worked with Rotarians Network Rail visits FOCS Volunteers at to promote the South West premier Classic and Super Crewkerne Station Cars event at Sherborne Castle. Featured in our Line Managers at Network Rail made a visit to Crewkerne Guide to promote travel by train to Sherborne Station. to meet the Friends of Crewkerne Station volunteers. The Volunteers worked hard at negotiating agree- Now in its 17th year, Classic & ments between the owner and Developers of the old Supercars can now be Coalyard, Network Rail and themselves to enable regarded as certainly one of the them to work on the unused down platform. premier classics and supercar shows in the South of England Before work started on the platform there had to be a with over 2,000 cars on display, license agreement and a full and careful safety briefing from veteran and heritage from officers at Network Rail. The recent visit by vehicles to the latest supercars. Network Rail was to meet with the Volunteers The classic car show attracts following the latest licence renewal, and to arrange the visitors from around Dorset, next safety briefing. Somerset and the wider West Country and over 15,500 Chairman of FOCS Tony Reese said that people attended which raised “Since obtaining the license agreement we have around £60,000 to donate to cleared weeds from the platform itself and put local charities. cattle trough planters there to improve passengers visual experience at the station. We were pleased A host of attractions include over 2,100 private classic and to welcome Robert Hodgkinson & Sarah Jason to supercars on display, motor club and trade stands, an the station to see what improvements we have autojumble, craft fair, catering village, a private Members made. area and a quality classic car auction by Sherborne based Charterhouse Auctions. Special displays showcase Super- The FOCS volunteers meeting Network Rail brought cars, American cars, Rally and Race cars, Hot rods and up a number of issues including the future provision of Custom cars. water for the planters once the builders have left and the houses are built and the possibility of a tap near The venue could not be better as Sherborne Castle, built by the platform. They also pointed out the difficulty of Sir Walter Raleigh in 1594, sits beside a 50 acre lake and weeding the edge of the platform and the overgrowth 30 acres of gardens designed by Capability Brown, of brambles at the end of the platform under the and forms a dramatic backdrop to this immensly impressive bridge which is a no go area for the Volunteers for show. It has been the home of the Digby family since 1617 safety reasons. Robert Hodgkinson was impressed by and we are able to stage this event by kind permission of the achievements of the Volunteers and was hopeful the Wingfield-Digby family, who are also Presidents of the to obtain some answers quickly. He said Show. Across the lake stands the ruin of the Old Castle, built by the Normans in the 12th century and falling to Cromwell in 1646 during the Civil War, since when it has “I will attempt to get our local maintenance team to remained a noble ruin. strim the overgrown disused platform clear of bram- bles, beyond the overbridge, as quickly as possible. It Photo shows Henryk Ploszek, Tony Reese, Jo Spiteler, volunteers, & is clear that they may start to encroach soon if not Robert Hodgkinson, Sarah Jason and Alvi, graduate trainee from managed. The future water supply is very much a Network Rail challenge, but we can look in tandem with the Friends of Crewkerne station, for a possible solution.”

Secretary of FOCS Gail Coleshill was amazed and very pleased at the prompt action that was taken when she and the volunteers were at the usual station working day on Thursday.

“We were amazed to see that the brambly bank has been given a good trim when we went up to do some gardening work on Thursday. We are hoping the other issues can also be resolved soon.”

Anyone who would like to join the Friends volunteers at the station can contact Chair Tony Reese on 07967947335 or Secretary Gail Coleshill on 07811657798. The next meeting of FOCS is November 13th in the Town Council chamber at 7.30pm Trains, transport links and Haselbury Mill

In June we were delighted to be working, once again, with Roger and Julie from Haselbury Mill, for the annual historic vehicle rally. We were able to link with them to promote the event to rail–users, offering free transport to the event and back to the station.

Those who attended were delighted to get a ride in a vintage bus. Two of our Friends of Gillingham Station were even more surprised to find a stretch limo waiting for them at the station, driven no less by the owner of Haselbury Mill, Roger Bastable. Thank you Roger, you made their day!

Thanks to everyone who made this possible and we hope to work with Haselbury Mill again in the new year.

One of the proposed walking routes for the new railway walks is a circular walk from the station to Haselbury Mill.

Foodie alert!

Fabulous cream teas and the Sunday carvery is an absolute must!

A very unusual train in the Blackmore Vale CRP Country !

A special train using a former Inter City 125 HST ran on the fine late Summer's day of Sat 14 Sept 2019 from Okehampton to Weymouth and back, with about 300 passengers, who enjoyed nearly five hours in Weymouth, with many also visiting Portland. The train, which performed faultlessly, was Chartered from First Rail's GWR by OkeRail Forum who continue to seek early reintroduction of regular train services between Okehampton and Exeter, tasked by the Government to GWR to introduce 'as soon as practicable'. Messums Wiltshire at Tisbury hosts “Vinyl Revival” Tony Hill (SERUG and OkeRail Forum ) Saturday 30 November, 9pm – midnight The picture, courtesy of William Elston, shows the special train from Okehampton, near Crewkerne tunnel Since 2007 there has been a renewed interest in, and increased sales of, on 14/9/19. vinyl records in the Western world. And whilst many younger artists – too young to remember vinyl as a primary music format – have committed their On the subject of trains and station cats, music to vinyl via independent outlets committed to the format – last year Christine Scott of Templecombe is publishing a Sony Music cemented its revival announcing that it would be producing book vinyl records in house for the first time since 1989.

Sevenpence the Templecombe Station Angus Gibson started running a discotheque in 1972, when he was just 16 Cat years old and first met Alistair Margadale – owner of the Fonthill Estate, of I'm writing a children's book based on a true which Messums Wiltshire is a part – playing at teenage parties at the story about a cat that arrived at the Railway Station in the 1860's. The cat was not wanted by Pythouse Club. In 1975, Angus’ it recipient and placed in the stables to control work took him up to London the vermin. The staff gave it the name Sevenpence, which was the cost of its ticket where he joined Juliana’s Disco- from Hampshire to Templecombe. All proceeds theques, arranging the music for from the book are being donated to Templecombe Station Gardening Group. Watch chic society parties, country this space when the book is in print. weddings and balls all over the

country. By the mid 1980s, he had founded a music company in London arranging parties and providing permanent music systems for private homes. Gibson Music became a pioneering company in home technology, but Angus never forgot his roots playing vinyl records on his discotheque in the 1970s. We are delighted to welcome Angus back to Wiltshire for a night of Vinyl Revival on 30 November – playing music from the 1970s early 1980s. The

music and the sight of spinning vinyl records will evoke memories and have us jiving towards the dance floor. In the words of Marc Bolan…’Get it On’ (1971). Tickets at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/event-vinyl-revival-tickets- 70779193473 Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01747 445042 News from Friends of Gillingham Station FOGS continues with a strong volunteer base. We were very pleased that our summer planting of churns, buckets and window boxes earned us an ‘Outstanding’ award in SW in Bloom’s, ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’. We took on board the judge’s comments of the previous year and added to the existing container planting. The judge particularly liked the planting of an additional churn, along with a refurbished bicycle incorporating planters and two planted wall ‘niches’ in the station building, which together brightened up an other- wise ‘grey’ area on Platform 1. The station was also picked as one of the ‘IYN’ entries for the town’s Pennant entry, which achieved Gold. The judge liked the choice of bedding and sustainable plants and the flower display in the Booking Hall, created by two of our volunteers, representing the transportation of plants by rail from Gillingham. Comments for future development included the consideration of options for water supply/catchment on Platform 2 and additional planters containing herbs for ‘pick your own’.

Winter planting has Recycling – to install recycling bins in the Booking Hall to been successful with replace the existing single bin and to fit with poly carb clear vibrant red cyclamen, tubes to match the others, which have been a great winter pansies and success. grasses in the window boxes and Nandino Planters and edging- approval has been given for another 6’ Domestica (bamboo cattle trough to be located under the Gillingham sign on family) evergreen with platform 2 and to construct a simple wooden edging strip red leaves for the for the planting under the hedge, to stop the soil spreading buckets along with onto the platform. As the finish of the existing churns is var- Viola and variegated ivy, through which crocus and Tete-a- ied, some being of a brown colour, it has been proposed to tete will appear in the Spring. Dwarf wall flowers will paint some of them with an aluminum metal finish paint replace the Viloa in the Spring. We intend to trial wild which would enhance their appearance without radically carrot seeds (Umbellifer – Cow Parsley type plant) on the changing the traditional effect. grass banks. Summer planting ideas include begonias, double deep pink, mini wall-flowers, ivies, possibly Small waiting room marigolds. A natural wood fireplace surround has been fitted to the ‘chimney breast’ in the Waiting Room which immediately At Christmas we were delighted gives the room a warm and welcoming feel. There is a plan to be invited to Templecombe for a backing board to be fitted to permit representations of station to receive an award for fire in winter and flowers in summer, with a possible plain our ‘Elf’, made by two of our tile surround in keeping with the period of the station. We most creative members, are considering alternative seating to the metal bench in which also won first prize in an the form of a settle or locally sourced pew, depending on ‘Elf Trail’ competition run by a cost. local care home. The £50 cash prize was kindly donated to FOGS.

Funding. We can apply to the Town Council from April for help with the purchase of plants. We are also considering RHS funding for specific projects which meet criteria, with the idea, if approved, of improving the neglected bank along the short time parking area and Crowd Funding (Just Giving) for particular projects. We have discussed using a churn for donations or occasional in person collections by FOGS members. We are grateful to the BVCRP for providing funding for Christmas at the Castle Garden Centre, Sherborne. Presentation at Crewkerne Station Chairman of FOCS, Tony Reese said how important it was for passengers to have a person in the station rather Thursday September 12th was the last working day of than just a machine and how much Judy had been long serving Crewkerne Station booking clerk Judy Kyle. appreciated for her skill in finding the best tickets. He Judy had worked in the Railways for 19 years serving presented Judy with a cheque and a cake especially and was one of the longest serving booking office clerks prepared by Sue at Sue’s cafe on the weighbridge. on the Salisbury to Exeter line. He said “We will miss Judy and are very pleased that It has been a week of her post has now been advertised by SWR for a goodbyes for Judy as replacement booking clerk. The Friends of Crewkerne passengers who have Station know how much help we provide to known her for years passengers when the booking office is closed have brought gifts and farewell cards. Judy had not realised how much her care Photo shows Judy surrounded by friends in the and attention was booking office on her last day valued by passengers at Crewkerne Station.

The Friends of Crewkerne Station who have volunteered alongside Judy since their inception 9 years ago organised a small presentation on Judy’s last day. Many of Judy’s station friends were there with SWR Managers Phil Dominey, Chris Loder, and Alison Finch. Fellow SWR booking clerk Helena Omar and Blackmore Vale CRP Officer Caroline Rowland also attended.

Judy was overwhelmed by the number of people saying farewell

“I have just been so amazed at how many people have come in to say goodbye and thank me and I feel overwhelmed by this little party organised by the Friends of the station to say goodbye . I never knew I evoked such a huge response to my departure. I came as a stranger amongst all of you, I was taken as a friend and important member of your family and Contact Gail Coleshill, Secretary, Friends of Crewkerne community. All I did ,was to do my job to the best of my Station 07811657798 ability, for which I was remunerated. I take away some very memories of the time I spent with all of you! .

DARK SKIES AND TISBURY STATION

“Cranborne Chase is a nationally designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and covers 380 sq miles Extract from Country Life October 31 2019 of countryside overlapping the boundaries of Wiltshire, Dorset, Hampshire and Somerset.” These days, says Bob Mizon of the UK Commission for Dark Skies, ‘you can’t fail to be It is a diverse landscape offering areas of rolling chalk amazed by the show the night sky puts on when grassland, ancient woodlands, chalk escarpments, downland you’re in Cranborne Chase AONB on a clear hillsides and chalk river valleys each with a distinct and night.’ According to Ms Nunn, people can see ‘the recognisable character. The landscapes of the AONB today, as Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxy, if the they were in the past, are extraordinarily rich. clouds allow!’

Cranborne Chase has also had to pledge to We are developing a good working relationship with Mel and continue protecting the dark sky in the future and her team at Cranborne Chase AONB , where we have been plans are already afoot to do so. discussing the potential to make Tisbury Station, the first 'Dark Sky Friendly' Station on the network. Understandably, the ‘Dark sky friendly schemes with schools, station requires lighting but we can promote the station business, parishes and landowners are being perhaps as ‘the gateway to the stars?’ developed and Wiltshire Council, which administers two-thirds of the area, has already agreed to upgrade its street lighting,’ says We have also been discussing, for next year, running three Ms Nunn. ‘This will make a significant contribution pilots using the 'Try the Train' scheme to Tisbury and and will help us continually improve our dark-sky Gillingham station, working with local transport providers to quality.’ get people to the Cranborne chase area. Cranborne Chase joins four other UK stargazing More info at www.http://www.ccwwdaonb.org.uk/ spots on the International Dark-Sky Reserve list: the Brecon Beacons National Park and Snowdon- ia, both in Wales, Exmoor, on the Somerset and Devon borders, and Moore’s Reserve, in the South Downs.

Our first Line Guide was going to be different! As our signature publication it could be updated and rolled out annually, accompanied by many new Lots of research and specifically themed guides over the coming years. As a examples of fabulous developing CRP we took time to build up a library of promotions around the images. Many BVCRP members are great train lovers and country combined with keen photographers, who readily accepted their mission asking rail-users what to take images, thus making a big contribution to the collection. We also wanted to be sure that any walk and they wanted to see, led cycle routes were generally do-able by all. us to create a whopper

of a guide! To find an appealing theme took time. Our lovely ‘green and cream’ steam buffs took to our pink logo (designed Promotion with a twist! by member Gail Coleshill) like a train to the road! None- Fully interactive, with theless it is prominent, evokes comments and gave us the QR codes to scan for basis of the colour scheme for the guide. We were clear information, videos and the guide needed to appeal to all ages and be interactive. music. Links to our Whilst promoting each unique destination, we also YouTube ‘music for train found threads to connect all six destinations. Based on journeys’ channel shows the input of partners, the original 28 pages quickly AC DC’s ‘Highway to expanded into 68 - producing a whooper of a guide! We decided to support this by promoting online details, Hell’ as a firm favourite via QR Codes. These proved challenging, initially failing amongst rail travellers! and we had to find another piece of software to do the job properly.

The Line Guide sets out the route to stations and local destinations and gives reasons why rail-users should take the train to visit our lovely area. It just had to have certain pieces of information, especially a map, as some travellers have previously reported Gillingham was in Kent!

There were many challenges in deciding the concept and aims and this was an extensive part of the process. Armed with many wonderful guides available from other CRPs the partner- ship took inspiration, mixed with local knowledge, ideas and put its own spin on things. This helped to reflect the unique- ness of the route, with six stations covering three counties. The beautiful Blackmore Vale and Vale of Wardour regions are characteristically rural, consisting mainly of small market towns; with two stations out of town, one in the midst of rural Somerset and three stations located in historic locations. We launched the guide at one of the attractions featured, Gartell Light Railway, to a great response from all partners. Travelling on the train and observing and asking rail users what Some told us they’d never been before and would certainly they did on their journeys, gave the partnership officer one of come again. We promoted the Blackmore Vale Line in the the key concepts. People use phones, do work, but more Blackmore Vale region, stocking stations and places importantly, they also read and fed back that children like featured in the guide. We also distributed to surrounding something to occupy them whilst travelling. Armed with this towns and villages, including those without a rail link. knowledge we decided to design a guide which encouraged rail -users to put away the phone and enjoy the train experience. Feedback has told us that people are already using the Consequently, the Line Guide was going to be designed for guide. People seemed to quite like our song choices, reading on the train, or elsewhere, and there would be chosen by members, on our YouTube channel One local activities to entertain youngsters. resident said they had never been to Tisbury, really enjoyed their day out and would definitely return again to The format would be DL size, good for putting in pockets and visit the pretty Wiltshire village. - Rail users based in we were confident we had enough information to fill at least Salisbury told us they had taken their family to Sherborne 28 pages! for the first time, where they’d had a picnic in the grounds of the ruined castle and their children didn’t want to leave. 10,000 copies were printed and members helped to distribute copies locally. Within three weeks, much to our delight we had run out. A further 11,000 copies were printed and with help from Andy, Jenny Saunders and Richard Barker at south Western Railways, we were able to distribute copies to stations across the network.

The initial 10,000 print-run disappeared so four weeks later, based on local feedback we approached South Western Railway (SWR) and were delighted they agreed to put it in any station we’d like including stations on other lines from Eton and Riverside to Portsmouth, Southampton and Weymouth. Now we can promote on a network level rather than just locally and on other nearby lines with other train Dan, Jasmine, Peter, Rebecca and Horace at the launch operators such as GWR.

SWR’s Community Rail Manager, Andy Harrowell said:

“Traditionally when you think of a line guide, images come to mind of a fold out map which highlights one or two attractions, whilst promoting public transport. The work of Caroline and Blackmore Vale CRP goes so much further, and the guide truly is an exciting overview of the line. There are so many destinations featured, along with accompanying refreshment facilities, that it positively showcases why you would want to travel and spend a day, if not a few, at each station. The activities for the youngsters are a lovely touch for keeping the kids entertained, and the QR codes take the work to another level. We are delighted to have seen such great take up of the guides in the Cllr. Belinda Ridout with a copy of the guide available at area and are pleased to be able to make these Gillingham Town Council Offices available at our stations across the network.”

Images from the Line Guide Launch by Paul Blowfield

The Guide is filled with tempting ideas for travelling to our lovely area and pages for children to fill in.

Lovely to see Rebecca and Jasmine who had only recently launched their fabulous new café and cakery at Templecombe, Jasmine and Bay Gartell Light Railway at Yenston by Paul Blowfield https://jasmineandbay.co.uk Andy Harrowell, Community Rail Manager for South Western Railway writes

“We are delighted to continue to stock the Blackmore Vale CRP’s line guides at stations across the network. We think these really stand out from the efforts of other CRPs and were delighted to see the guide shortlisted for the national Community Rail awards. Although it did not pick up a trophy, this was positive recognition of the hard work put in by Caroline and members of the partnership.

We are in the process of considering a number of funding requests, both from the CRP to our project fund, and from those who applied into our £5.2 million Customer and Communities Improvement Fund. Initial outcome will be communicated later this year.”

Email: [email protected]

Shortlisting Certificate from ACoRP

We’ve been invited to speak about the Line Guide at the Community Rail Conference in Winchester on 9th December Funding bids have been submitted to South News from Sherborne Station Western Railways and to the Customer CommunityImages Investment from the Line Fund Guide (CCiF) Launch by Paul Blowfield If successful, this will form the basis of our work plan for the coming two years.

In brief

Information boards which I’m sure our members will be pleased to note, as we have been pursuing this for more than a little while! ‘ New Seats, Stubber and Litter Bin for Sherborne Station, as a result of the survey filled in by our I Spy Animals’ is our project to landmark our stations with symbols of legend and local heritage, such as a members earlier this year. Well done Jacquie. dairy cow at Gillingham Station celebrating its status as a former milk station for the rural area. The accompa- nying ‘I Spy’ booklet, designed with an educational purpose, intends to support Key Stage 1 (age 5 -7 years) literacy, numeracy and history curriculum. This has potential to not only benefit young travellers but parents, grand-parents and carers, as well as se- curing stronger ties with local schools. Plan to send booklets to primary schools along the West of England line to encourage them to the ‘try the train,’ and ‘I Spy’ the Animals!

Fingers crossed for both of these projects.

Our other bids include; Two new volunteers have come forward offering to Stations in Bloom— an extension of our six litter pick around Sherborne Station. Thank you stations summer campaign to include Marilyn Dimarino and Colin Biddiscombe. Salisbury, and the stations from Axminster to Exeter. A good opportunity for build closer inter station relationships on our part of the line and beyond, and to celebrate the work of volunteers.

Promotional Film— this would involve a professional film making team coming down to our area to make the film with us.

Bus Pilot for Crewkerne—following the success of the summer trip, we are bidding for some funding to pilot a bus into Crewkerne.

Reprint of the Line Guide as we have very few left. The planters and tubs are looking great at Book Lovers Guide—working with Devon and Cornwall Sherborne Station thanks to Louise Burks and CRP to produce a Line Guide from Salisbury to Exeter. her team from Castle Gardens working with the young people from the Gryphon School Andrew McElwee and the grounds team from Sherborne Town Council provide watering throughout the year. Thanks everyone. Halloween Special at Templecombe Station with images by Peter Hillman

Blackmore Vale Line Community War memorials were Rail Partnership remembers the local initiatives erected fallen of the First Word War from through community the towns and villages along the line. fund-raiding efforts. No government fund- On November 11th at 11am the sound of silence stills the ing, set of standards, nation as tributes are paid to those who have lost their designs or a mandate lives in conflict around the world. for what would go on them. Pure and simply a nationwide community response to the horrors of the war and a desire to provide a sacred space to honour the dead.

Today connecting names on memorials with a location can be a challenge. Names were inscribed over a hundred years ago, with a certain amount of personal, local and historical knowledge. Often just a surname and an initial, even citing nicknames, shorten names, locally known names and in some cases completely different names from any of the above, known only to those who knew them at the time. Some are commemorated on more than one memorial, others in places a few miles Sherborne by Norman Crabb from residence of parents who just could not bear to see the name of their loved ones on their village memorial — some not commemorated at all.

Tisbury

Railway workers are a typical group whose employment took them all over the country, and migration plays a big part in why some names have remained undiscovered.

Sapper Ernest James Hobbs, son of Crewkerne Station Master, died on 15th April 1918 aged just 21, and is buried at Houchin British Cemetery in France. Commemorated on the Waterloo Railway Workers Memorial, but not locally at either Crewkerne or Fabien Ware founder of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission buried at Amberley in Gloucestershire Misterton. Remembered with honour YEOVIL RAILWAY WORKER’S SON

TEMPLECOMBE RAILWAY WORKER Lance Corporal Lionel Francis Vaughan

Private Edwin Pike 5816 ‘D’ Company 1st South African Sharpshooters died on 17th August 1916 Battalion Hampshire Regiment was born in St aged 26 and is buried at Millencourt Communal Marybourne, Hampshire and enlisted in Cemetery Extension, Somme, France. Lionel was the Winchester. Edwin was a railway porter at son of Frank and Esther Vaughan of Vectis, Elmfield, Templecombe Station who died in Flanders on 19th Ryde, Isle of Wight. December 1914 aged 33 and is buried at Lancashire Cottage Cemetery, 13 km south of (Details from Jack Sweet – thank you) Ypres, Belgium. Edwin was a resident of Marybourne and the son of Albert and Ann Pike of St Mary Bourne, Andover in Hampshire and his The Western Gazette 1 September 1916: Lionel grave inscription is ‘Lo I am with you always Vaughan, aged 27, the eldest son of Mr. W.F. Vaughan, even unto the end of the World.’ Edwin is G.W.R. stationmaster, Yeovil was killed in France on remembered on the Roll of Honour for Railway the Somme Front. He has many friends in Bridport and Employees at Waterloo Station, Yeovil, where he is well-known. He served with general Botha through the campaign and eventual conquering GILLINGHAM RAILWAY WORKER of German South West Africa in the Veterinary Corps. When this German Colony was vanquished he Private Henry Scott of Royal Berkshire Regiment proceeded to German East Africa under General Smuts, died on 17th November 1918 aged 19 and is buried where he was selected with sixteen others, to go to at Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille, France . France as a sniper, he being a particularly fine shot. Henry was the son of Robert and Jane Scott of With others they formed the S.A. Sharpshooters Gillingham. Henry was appointed by London Section, and were attached to the Northamptonshire South Western Railway as a House Lad for 10 Regiment, 2nd Brigade. After spending a few days shillings per week at Gillingham on 15 April 1913. home in Yeovil recently, he was ordered to the Front, Worked his way up to Parcel Porter for 16 shilling where he has remained under the command of by May 1915. On 17th May 1917 he was released Lieutenant Methliven, who has written a deeply for military service and 17 November 1918 he died sympathetic letter to the bereaved parents expressing of pneumonia in France. Source: Wages book 1898- the regret of his comrades and bearing tribute to his 1927. Henry is commemorated on the Roll of gentlemanly conduct and bravery in the field. It should Honour but not the memorial at Gillingham. be mentioned that the deceased gave up a good appoint- ment in Rhodesia to fight for King and country. His TISBURY RAILWAY WORKER’S SON younger brother is now serving in the West Somerset Private Francis William Howell of Wiltshire Yeomanry. (The bereaved parents wish, through the “Western Gazette” to thank their friends for the many Regiment died on 3rd May 1917 aged 37 and is expressions of regret and sympathy which have reached buried at Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery, them.) Interred in Millencourt Communal Cemetery Belgium. Francis was the son of Frank and Ellen Extension. Howell of Tisbury and the husband of Emily Jane Howell of 56 Newtown, Tisbury. ‘And his presence shall be with us till the end thy will We can help you find your relatives be done.’ Over time, more than a hundred year have passed, family YEOVIL JUNCTION RAILWAY WORKER members move on, pass away or remarry severing the Private Edwin Aubrey Shire of 20825 tenuous link between a name and a location. Coldstream Guards was born in Stoford and enlist- If you are looking for ed in Yeovil. Edwin died on 27th November 1917 aged 18 and is commemorated on a Special Memo- someone, do get in rial at Annux British Cemetery, France. ’Their touch as a tremendous memory will not be blotted out.’ Edwin was born on 31 July 1899 and was five foot 81/2 inches. amount of research has He was recommended to the railway by Mr been done and we Burner? Station Master at Yeovil. He was appoint- would like to help you ed on 10 December 1913 at Sherborne as a Lamp Lad. On 4th March 1915 a long-awaited position of find your relatives. a junior porter came free at Milborne Port Station, Christmas is coming, and so is our ‘Decoration Station’ Christmas Competition!

As the festive season looms ever closer volunteers from This year there are eight categories (explained in the our station groups will soon be busy creating wonderful flyer above) to tickle the taste buds of our lovely festive scenes in the booking halls. Always an volunteers: enjoyable time of year when our volunteers work hard to Frosty the Snowman, White Christmas, Rocking provide rail users with celebratory cheer and captivating around the Christmas Tree, Polar Express, The Holly Christmas displays. There are many talented crafters & The Ivy, “It’s Beginning to look a lot like amongst our volunteers and this is evident with the high Christmas,” Deck the Halls and Santa Baby! standard of hand-made decorations, garlands and wreaths. We also have a number of very creative We are pleased to work with local people with various volunteers who regularly produce some wonderful areas of expertise who form our judging team, we surprises and little touches to make booking halls look couldn’t do this without them. Our volunteers are so fabulous during the Christmas period. renowned for providing a warm welcome at stations when the judges visit. Once scored and winners of Decoration Station competition aims to celebrate and categories decided, we hold our annual awards promote the hard work of our volunteers and station ceremony, hosted at one of our stations, where staff during this season. It is an inter-station event certificates and prizes are given out. between the six stations belonging to the rail partnership: Crewkerne, Tisbury, Gillingham, We do hope you will enjoy visiting our stations over the coming weeks and encourage you to have a look at the Templecombe, Sherborne and Yeovil Junction and we displays. Many groups are holding stations events where always include the talented crew from Yeovil Railway a convivial welcome, seasonal refreshments and festive Centre. hospitality awaits.

Our volunteers get on really well, a friendly spirit thrives Visit our website www.blackmorevaletrains.com for the and the event is viewed as a bit of seasonal fun. latest news. Christmas at Yeovil Railway Centre

Yeovil Railway Santa Specials Sunday 1 December Sunday 8 December Saturday 14 December Sunday 15 December Sunday 22 December Monday 23 December

Tuesday 17 December Main Line steam to Sherborne (15.15 and 17.50) and Yeovil Railway Centre (15.30 to 17.40). Times to be confirmed. Bookings http://www.yeovilrailway.freeservers.com/ santabooking.htm Heritage steam on the Blackmore Vale Line

Tuesday 17 December - Main Line steam to Sherborne (15.15 and 17.50) and Yeovil Railway Centre (15.30 to 17.40).

Times to be confirmed Friends of Templecombe Station hold events on steam train days (see poster opposite) and you can visit Yeovil Railway

Centre at Yeovil Junction where you can watch the steam engines turn on the turntable.

Yeovil Railway Centre at Yeovil Junction Just a five-minute walk down the lane from Yeovil Junction station and you are in the heart of heritage steam. Yeovil Railway Centre is a great day out for children and adults alike. Have a steam- hauled train ride or even better drive a train and become an ‘Engine Driver’ for the day. www.yeovilrailway.freeservers. Become an Engine Drive for the day—a com great present! Image by Paul Gould

Gartell Light Railway, Common Lane, Yenston

Experience the joy of travelling by steam through the beautiful Blackmore Vale country- The age of steam and spirit of the Somerset side along the track-bed of a sec- and Dorset lives on! tion of the old Somerset & Dorset line.. ’The Gartell Light Railway There is an article after this page, if you are is only open to the public on interested to read about the development of the certain dates . Check website for Somerset and Dorset Railway in the South Somerset opening times. http:// villages of Henstridge and Templecombe. newglr.weebly.com/ Gartell Light Railway by Paul Blowfield

Midsomer Norton Contact Us South Railway & All the latest news and station information Museum, Silver Street Midsomer Norton can be found on our website BA3 2EY At Midsomer Norton you will find the restored station buildings, signal box, goods shed and also two museums: one in the original Victorian Stable Block and the other in our WWII Pill Box (a candidate for the smallest museum in Britain). We have two diesel locomotives, a fully restored Sentinel 0-4-0 vertical- boiler steam locomotive, plus freight and passenger rolling stock and static buffet coach open for refreshments.

Do something positive for your local station. www.blackmorevaletrains.com A chuffingly good idea! Three men met at the Virginia Ash in Henstridge and made a momentous decision - one which would stand good for well over a century. It was made during the age of great social advancement, one which saw the implementation of new laws and gave rise of fresh ways and partnerships to get things achieved. The New Poor Law had been operating for eight years and parishes from the areas of Henstridge and Milborne Port were now part of the Wincanton Union with its spanking new workhouse. Moves to scourge killer diseases and bring better sanitation, replacing dug-outs with water closets [WCs] would take another eight years to execute. Then a Sherborne area Board of Health would be tasked to improve public health and eradicate fatal illnesses such as typhoid and cholera. The age of radio was decades 1 The Virginia Ash Hotel on the left and next door the Reading Room away and television more than a century in the future. Newspapers were the voice of society, when news was news and people could read all about it. The importance of the newspaper at this time cannot be over stated, for sure there was an element of control over the public, as passive receivers of news, who could be manipulated and injected with ideas, values and information which had a certain bias. Nonetheless it was the only source of information about what was happening locally, nationally and worldwide. And for those who could not read or afford to buy a newspaper, a Reading Room, such as the one at the Ash, became an invaluable facility making available newspapers and books to read or be read aloud to an audience.

Twenty-one years before the dreams of the three men became a reality, a small public notice appeared in a south western regional newspaper. It was the first time the ‘venture’ entered the public domain. The race was on. The coal was in the boiler and the age of steam was coming to the Blackmore Vale. As the railway wars began, the big question was who would be the first to get a railway route ratified through these parts? The ambitious coast-to-coast plan involving the counties of Somerset and Dorset was to create a railway spanning from Burnham in north Somerset to Poole in east Dorset, a route of some 80 miles of track. Advocates were keen to open a trade route from South Wales which would negate the treacherous sea route through the Cornish rocks off Lands End. Champions also wanted a route linking to the Somerset coalfields around Radstock where there were more than twenty pits and around six thousand miners. [ Penny Bonsall Somerset Men: A study of Trade Unionism. Class and Politics in the Somerset Coalfield]

2 The Hampshire Advertiser 21 January 1843 The Stockton to Darlington Railway Company in the north east of England gets the accolade for running the first ever passenger trains in 1825 ‘creating a worldwide sensation.’ This was closely followed in 1838 by routes out of the City to the West of England running the first trains from the Great Western Railway Company and in 1840 by the London South Western Railway Company opening the Southampton to Nine Elms London route. [mikes.railhistory.railfan.net] In the ensuing decades from the 1840’s to the 1860’s companies were formed, ideas fermented and over 600 bills presented to parliament in a race to make claims that would legislate for new railways. The age of the railway was here to stay fostering joint working arrangements between local railway companies which set the way ahead to fulfilling the dream. The company amalgamation of the Somerset Central and the Dorset Central received royal assent on 27 August 1862 and the Somerset and Dorset Railway was born. [The Somerset & Dorset Rail- way by D. S. Barrie and C. R. Clinker.] The railway heraldic crest shows Glastonbury Tor in the distance with the seal of Dorchester on the right depicting Dorchester castle. 3 Somerset and Dorset Railway Heraldic Crest courtesy of Bar- 4. Somerset and Dorset Railway Map rie and Clinker courtesy of https:// A truly magnificent feat of engineering, hard labour and spetisburystationpro- dynamic working partnerships saw routes cleared, track laid and station buildings ject.wordpress.com/dorset-central- appear, so that by the early 1860’s only one remaining stretch of railway needed railway/ published by Somerset & Dor- completion – the route from Templecombe to Blandford. The Shepton Mallet set Heritage Trust. Journal on 6th March 1863 reports on the new Somerset and Dorset Railway’s objective of completing the 16 3/4 mile stretch of railway which would ‘ traverse the rich and populous district of the Vale of Blackmoor.’ [sic] The civil engineering contractors Messrs Waring Brothers told The Right Honourable Lord Rivers that ‘the entire works are complete, the earthworks formed ready for a permanent way for about 11 miles and out of a total of 41 bridges, 22 are complete and four in progress.’ Work was so far progressed that the bridge over the River Stour at Blandford was to the height of 2 piers and the crossing over the river at Sturminster coffer-dam nearly completed. The iron girders for Stour Bridge, north of Sturminster ready for delivery. Blandford Station, booking office and good sheds were nearing completion, as were the buildings at Sturminster. Waring Brothers, founded by Charles Waring, William Waring and Henry Waring in 1841 in York went on to complete railway projects worldwide including Ceylon, San Francisco, and Sicily. Civil engineers required ‘navvies’ to build the railways. ‘By 1850 a quarter of a million workers—a force bigger than the Army and Navy combined—had laid down 3,000 miles of railway line across Britain. Tramping from job to job, navvies and their families lived and worked in appalling conditions, often for years on end, in rough timber and turf huts alongside the bridges, tunnels and cuttings that they built. The harsh conditions and communal living meant that navvies evolved a lifestyle, culture and even a language of their own. They gained a reputation for fighting, hard living and hard drinking. ‘Respectable’ Victorians viewed them as degenerate and a threat to social order, but much of the criticism was unjusti- fied.’ [www.railwaymuseum.org.uk ]

At last Henstridge station building and siding was ready for traffic and the stretch of railway had all the occupational crossings. The building of a hump back bridge in Landshire Lane saved a set of crossing gates but still within a straight line of less than two miles five sets were needed. Beside the gates were cottages built for railway employees, the gatekeepers, who were required to open and shut the crossing gates when a train was approaching. The opening date was set for 31st May 1863 when Henstridge would be linked to the outside world and seaside destinations like Bournemouth and Burnham, within easy reach. [The Somerset & Dorset Then and Now Mac Hawkins]

The morning of Monday 19th November 1866 was a busy time for John Mitchell, the first station master at Henstridge Station and one of his jobs was to couple up the empty railway trucks in the siding to the engine. After operating the signal to stop the train, he proceeded to carry this out with the help of Thomas Weare, the guard. Thomas then reported hearing two dreadful groans and saw the legs of John Mitchell on the tracks. In a tragic accident he had gotten caught between the buffers and was crushed. Mr Mitchell was ‘much respected in Henstridge on 5 Mid-day express 73049 steaming through the level account of his genial temper and business-like habits’ [Western crossing at Henstridge Station Gazette 23 November 1866] Coroner J. Wybrants leading the inquest at the Virginia Ash returned a verdict of accidental death and recorded that a ‘subscription list’ for the widow and children had been set up and ‘the appeal liberally responded to.’ [ Sherborne Mercury 27 November 1866.].

It wasn’t until 1871 that things began to really get going and the census shows for the first time the railway employees of Henstridge, James Richards aged 52 was now the Station Master, he was born in Wotton, (possibly North Wotton or Glanvilles Wotton?) and his wife Rebecca, born at Sherborne. The station master also had responsibility for operating the crossing gates at Plot Lane. There were four level cross- ings at Common Lane in Yenston, Park Lane at Whitchurch, Marsh Lane and Southmead Lane. Two crossing keepers were employed, Frank Ryall 6 S & D Trespass sign on show at Mid- originally from Jersey and his wife Hannah, born in somer Norton Railway museum Henstridge lived with their five children Annie 9, Hettie 7, Mary 6, Jane 4 & Tom 2, at Crossing Cottage, Marsh Lane. The crossing at Southmead Lane was operated by George Coffin and his wife Louisa and their five children Mary Ann 13, Harry 9, Kate 4, Frederick 2 and Lilly Jane aged 2 months. It is possible that in 1871 the railway houses at the level cross- ings in Park Lane and in Common Lane, Yenston were not built. Although two other 7 Railway Crest Somerset and railway employees were recorded who may have been employed to operate these Dorset Joint Railway courtesy of gates: John Burgess living in Furge Lane and married to Sarah, and their three children wikipedia William, George and Ellen and two more children Joseph Mitchell and Flora Mitchell. The census enumerator for Yenston, Charles Lanning recorded railway signalman Alfred Newman aged 46 from Downton in Wiltshire and his wife Delia from Priestleigh, near Shepton Mallet, along with niece Mary Susannah Clarke and nephew Charles John Clarke, living on the edge of Yenston.

There were times when bankruptcy threatened to sink the project but eventually with determination and tenacity the railway line began to run smoothly. In 1866 a further two railway acts were approved by Parliament on 10th August enabling the Salisbury and Yeovil Railway Company to make a railway to connect the Salisbury and Yeovil Railway with the Somerset and Dorset Railway, and to acquire additional lands in the parish of Templecombe The other authorising the Somerset and Dorset Railway Company to acquire additional lands and to raise further monies. [cciv &cclxviii - Hansard] Plans were afoot to make a spur to join the Templecombe Lower Yard (Somerset and Dorset Line) with Templecombe Upper Station (London and South Western Railway) and the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway Company came into existence on 1st November 1875.

9 Map of Templecombe Station courtesy of British History Online

8 This great image of a main line train crossing over the bridge at Templecombe with the Somerset and Dorset railway underneath was taken by Ivo Peters in 1955. No idea in Templecombe where this loca- tion is- anyone have any ideas?

Railway historian Ivo Peters writes: “…as the Somerset and Dorset approached from the north so the Southern main line from Waterloo to the West of England came in from the east. The two lines, both running on embank- ments, intersected at right angles but just before they met, the Somerset and Dorset dropped down sharply to pass underneath the Southern Line.”

10 & 11 Templecombe station (author’s images)

Research article by Caroline Rowland © April 2019

The Somerset and Dorset line closed in 1966 as part of railway cuts, however this was not the end of the line for Templecombe station. The railway journey came full circle in the 1980’s when a group of dedicate people including Ian Matthews, Paul Brighten, Keith Barrett and the late June Wood petitioned and ran a concerted campaign to get Templecombe Station re-opened [3rd October 1983] If you have a QR Code scanner on your phone you can scan the QR code here to view the video on YouTube of their story. You can also type the following link into your browser and the video will start after the adverts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EsXAxKh9SI