A great meeting of the lunch club today at table table,organised by Clive.
We left at 3-30 but Alan sneaked back in for an extra pudding. Thought no one saw him. Wrong again.
Saturday 8th February 2020.
Visit to Shillingstone station.
SHILLINGSTONE RAILWAY PROJECT
Visit Shillingstone station – Saturday 8th February 2020 with Buddies-on-the-Bus
North Dorset Railway (NDR) at Shillingstone station were hosts last weekend to ‘Buddies-on-the-Bus’ unit from Poole Men’s Shed, organised by South East Dorset Community Accessible Transport charity (SEDCAT).
Project co-ordinator Ron Tomlin said “It was a very interesting visit for our men to see a potential heritage railway being restored totally by volunteers with so many diverse skills.”
They were shown around by Jack Bath, Trustee, NDR’s Museum Curator, Volunteer & Training Manager along with Geoff Baker, Trustee & Plant Manager, who showed everyone all the latest track laying by NDRs P-way team.
After touring the station, they retired to the station’s Café for refreshments served by volunteers and visited the well stocked shop.
NDR in recent years has developed the station with the help of many volunteers bringing diverse skills to bring back the glory years of the Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway. The railway, which ran from Bath to Bournemouth, was closed by Dr. Beeching way back in 1966. This year NDR aims to complete their present track laying which will provide a loop within their present boundary to offer future brake van rides.
If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer at NDR then go to their website (click on button below), or better still visit the station on Wednesdays, and weekends to pick up an application form to join in the efforts to reach Sturminster Newton, the next community town along the line in the not too distant future.
