The Journal of the Shillingstone Railway Project Issue No.14 Spring/Summer 2018 Price £2.50 (Free To Members) Wagon Restoration Continues At Pace TheThe MarkMark IIIIII departsdeparts andand aa brakebrake vanvan arrivesarrives Read the full story on p 16 THE PERMANENT WAY Read about the progress on the permanent way on Page 8 PLATFORM The Journal of the Shillingstone Railway Project In this issue P 4 From the Stationmaster’s Office P 18 Halloween Event Our regular update of news, Spooky happenings at Halloween developments and recent happenings at Shillingstone P 20 A Tale of Two Railwaymen The concluding part of Jack Bath’s P 6 The Waggoners interviews with Bob Downes and John Reporting on the fantastic progress Cluett made by our team working on the wagons P 22 From the Archives P 8 Permanent Way Progress A historic item from the museum Major progress made in laying the collection is brought back into service point that will connect to the loop through the station P 23 Scammell Mechanical Horse Another historic vehicle is added P 10 Rupert Brooke to our collection, and restoration begins The sad story of the departure for Gallipoli of one of England’s greatest war P 24 Annual General Meeting poets through Shillingstone Station A report of the excellent progress made at Shillingstone in 2017-18 P 14 30075’s overhaul Project 62’s progress on the P 26 Miscellany overhaul of 30075 Snippets of news about the new signal box handbook, Tarmac and a mystery P 16 Hello, Goodbye object The Mark III coach leaves for its new home, and the brake van arrives P 28 Membership Matters Editor: Will Appelbee Graphic Designer: James Hawthorn Keep up with the latest news on our website : www.shillingstone-railway-project Follow us on Facebook: S&DJR Shillingstone PLATFORM magazine is published twice a year, in the Spring and Autumn. The Editor welcomes contributions from members for possible inclusion in the magazine and copy should be sent, ideally by email to [email protected] or, if only hard copy is available, to the station (postal address on page 29). Whilst the Trustees are happy to publish the views of members if appropriate, it will be on the understanding that these views may not necessarily be shared by the Trust or its managing committee. The Editor’s decision on whether or not to include contributions from readers is nal. Page 3 From The Stationmaster’s Office his has been a very busy year for the North Dorset Railway Trust. At the February 2017 AGM a new board of trustees was appointed after an extended period of concern regarding the administration of the NDRT. Since then, the new board have worked to strengthen the nancial position of the trust and Tto meet the liabilities that have been inherited. To this end, new, stringent, nancial controls have been put in place alongside a formal meeting and recording structure to improve accountability and to formalise the way the trust is governed. A full audit of rolling stock Practical infrastructure developments and plant has been undertaken and any Developments on site over the past 12 surplus equipment and stock has been sold. months include the acquisition of a Registers, log books and records have been signicant quantity of track, points and set up for the equipment and a full register sleepers from a quarry site at East Grimstead, of certied drivers has been prepared. near Salisbury and this is now being used to provide for a second track through the e new NDRT vision was presented to station. Ballast has been cleaned and fresh the members at a special general meeting ballast has been bought in preparation for held during August 2017 where members further track laying and a second point is supported the trustees in seeking to explore being tted to connect our southern spur the feasibility of the NDRT developing to the station track. (see page 8 for details). an operating heritage railway between Completion of the down platform wall and Shillingstone and Sturminster Newton. e shelter draws nearer. A major upgrade to our Trust has been awarded an initial £15,000 shop resulted in an improved volunteer and grant from the Bright Ideas Fund, and this shopper experience. Tree and land surveys has allowed us to start business planning, have been completed and some trees have prepare for an economic study and a been felled. Sections of track bed have been social impact study and and to undertake cleared north and south of the station. For bridge engineering feasibility assessments. the rst time in its history the station has Preparation of mapping and essential a dedicated electricity supply and this has survey material has also begun and we have been installed in a large container, which will commenced technical and environmental also provide extra storage. is has enabled appraisals, including landscape and tree us to enhance the station’s security system: surveys, for future planning applications. it also means we can develop the café as the electricity supply will be enhanced. Consultations with potential We now have a much tidier and more stakeholders are underway about our future attractive yard with additional parking: aims and plans. Research has also been more will become available as the shed is undertaken about establishing the best form moved ‘o-site’ for storage. e old ‘Signing of Charity to meet the future aims of the in hut’ has been cleared and will be removed Trust. as will the ‘Oil Store’. A new fence, over Page 4 ½ km long, along with two new gates, has radio programmes. is year’s events have been erected, separating our access track included our Annual Shillie Bear Egg and the farmer’s eld and giving security to Hunt, August Fun Days, our stand at the the farmer, for his eld, and for us on the ree Okefords (aided by Project 62) and access road. A new shed and compost area the Great Dorset Steam Fair, supporting for the gardens has arrived to provide the the Dorset Doddlers with their ‘Stickler’ wherewithal to keep our gardens looking run, hosting live radio in the signal box, magni cent, as they were again this year. supporting the inaugurations of both ‘ e New museum curator has been appointed, White Hart Link’ and the ‘Little Lane’ and is busy enhancing our museum. We are walking routes, hosting care home visits, now active in the local museum network. school visits, parties, photo shoots and of All the items in the museum are being course….Santa’s visit! catalogued and photographed and their locations and provenance are being carefully is has been an exciting and recorded. productive year and we look forward to continuing developments in the coming Our relationship with Project 62 year. goes from strength to strength and visitors and volunteers alike have been taking a keen interest as less and less of 30075 is there to view: we look forward to watching her come back together as the boiler returns and the overhaul continues. (see page 14 for details Your Trustees of progress). Publicity and marketing teams have been established to help develop and advertise our station and events more widely. Our Facebook page and website are being updated and further developed. Talks have been given to local groups and we have featured several times on local Page 5 THE WAGGONERS Hard at it Under the expert direction of Tony Jordan, Repairs to the chassis are almost complete, the waggoners (including Simon Gibbs, uprights have all been replaced and it now Alan Malsher, Alan Symons and Mike has a nice new roof. Work on the skin Greenwood) have been making excellent is now close to completion and it will progress with the restoration of two wagons. shortly be ready to have its doors tted. e pace of work has picked up with the addition of new volunteers, and restoration Next in line for completion is the LNWR of what we previously and incorrectly, called covered van acquired from RNAD (Royal the gunpowder wagon is well under way. Its Naval Armaments Depot) in Gosport in true identity has now been revealed as one of 1993 as No. 335: it has been repainted in the last two remaining Glasgow and South LNWR livery. is wagon was double clad Western Railway wagons of this design (the so that there were no nasty protuberances other has already been restored and is in the to catch on shells. is wagon has a Scottish Rail Museum at Bowness.) It seems good watertight roof, and at the moment that when the LMS took over the G&SW, is serving as a temporary workshop. they sold a number of wooden wagons Once this is complete, work will begin to the Navy. ese were used to move on the 1902 GWR general goods ammunition and explosives around wagon which has an all metal chassis: munitions dumps. this will require some welding. e next great challenge awaiting the team will be the brake van. Tony Jordan trims one of the last timbers for the roof of the G&SW Wagon. Page 66 An original drawing always comes in handy... As one wagon nears completion another. e good news is that the inner skin seems to be sound and will just require a coat of preservative - the same can’t be said for the outer skin! Page 7 Permanent Way Progress Lots has been happening on the section of track on the South (Stourpaine) side of the station. Track has been laid from the buer stop at the Southern extremity of the site, and has reached a point just before the crossing gates.