Rebuilt railway gets go-ahead for passenger trains

16 hours ago

Ros TappendenSouth of England

Gavin Collins said railway members would be the first to ride the reinstated line

BBC A smiling Gavin Collins standing in front of one of Shillingstone's green station signs. Behind him is countryside. He is wearing glasses and an orange hi-viz coat. — Gavin Collins said railway members would be the first to ride the reinstated line

A section of railway track rebuilt by volunteers has been granted permission to run passenger services for the first time in 60 years.

Shillingstone station in Dorset closed in 1966 and the line was ripped up but, in 2005, a group of volunteers began rebuilding it, turning it into a railway museum.

Their ultimate aim was to see passenger services running again and, in September 2025, after two decades of work, half a mile of rebuilt track was officially opened.

In its latest milestone, North Dorset Railway (NDR) has been given the go-ahead from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to carry passengers and officially register as a heritage railway.

Class 62 steam loco 30075 marked the opening of the new line extension in September

A green and black steam locomotive in steam approaching the platform at Shillingstone — Class 62 steam loco 30075 marked the opening of the new line extension in September

The museum will remain free to visit, with visitors paying to ride in NDR's brake van or railbus, but no date has been set for the start of services.

The first trips in the 12-seater brake van will be offered to the railway's 650 members as a thank you for their support, hopefully later in the year.

Chairman Gavin Collins: "It's exciting but it's going to be a big change for the railway to offer passenger rides."

The brake van is currently being restored by volunteers, with an estimated six weeks of work before it is ready.

Volunteers spent three years rebuilding an embankment before laying the track

North Dorset Railway The photographer is on an embankment looking down on eleven people wearing orange hi-viz and hard hats working on a railway line on a bright sunny day. Two mini diggers stand alongside the track and the men are levering the final section of steel into place on the sleepers. On the track in the background is a green steam locomotive. — Volunteers spent three years rebuilding an embankment before laying the track

Guards will also need to be trained and the brake van thoroughly tested on the line.

"It's going to take a while," said Collins.

"We will need three crossing gate keepers, guards, a shunter, a ticket sales person... It will take 12 to 15 people to do this.

"We have a lot of volunteers but not everybody wants to do those types of roles."

The railbus, which arrived at Shillingstone in June, is also being restored and will accommodate about 40 passengers, including wheelchairs, with completion anticipated in 2027.