Railway
Engineering Report: Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway, Bath Extension
Wellow-Midford-Bath Park
Background Information on Wellow Station (from Clapcott)
Open 20 July 1874
Built close to the village
Two platforms, with main station on upper platform
Area controlled by 18 lever signal box at East end of down platform, adjacent to the level crossing
Closed to goods traffic 10 June 1963
Closed to passenger traffic 7 March 1966
Part of the Somerset & Dorset Bath Extension
Signal box was “jointly owned by the London & South Western and Midland Railways, although it is clear that the former carried out most of the signaling work” (The Signal Box)
Current Issues
Trackbed missing in the majority of route from Wellow to Bath
Trackbed needs to be repurchased; land has been privatized
Severe disrepair in parts where tracks still exist
Corrosion is severe in all components (rail web, base plate)
Base plates have been compromised nearly the whole way
Corroded rail foot
Defective, missing, dry or corroded joints
Headwear, rail heads nearly nonexistent
Diversion of electrical components; preventing signaling in current state
Land use issues; large swathes have been subsumed by local development
Irregularities in land surface due to weather, climate change (undulations, sinkhole-like erosion, tree growth creating irregularities in existing track lines)
Water and sewage main conflict and subsequent water drainage issues
Signal Box and Station both privately owned; access limited
At Midford — line goes over the bridge next to viaduct, which has been dismantled entirely; need new bridge here
MPs, Ministry of Transport, local businesses support renovation of the line
Suggestions
Work with the new Somerset & Dorset company formed 2009
Mark out route in sections to re-plan
Complete soil and ground analyses
New Somerset & Dorset bought Midford and is restoring Spetisbury
Relay track entirely from scratch; stick to original Bath — Wellow line but deviate as per: http://www.somersetanddorsetrailway.co.uk/resources/maps/new-sd-map-small-icons.pdf
Deviations require new land use permits
References
Clapcott, K. (2007). The Somerset and Dorset Railway: Wellow. Retrieved online: http://www.sdjr.net/locations/wellow.html
Osment, C. (2006). Signalling at Wellow: http://www.trainweb.org/railwest/railco/sdjr/wellow.html
Service Updates: National Rail, Network Rail Website: http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/761.aspx
Service Disruptions: National Rail, Network Rail: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/today.html#current
Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway: http://www.gebejay.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/s&d-midwellow.html
The Signal Box: http://www.signalbox.org/gallery/s/wellow.php
